War & Escape - 20th Century | Archive | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

A Pair of Jacks [Two Tasmanian “Diggers” exploits in WWI] – J.C. Sheppard – Signed by Author.

A novelised account of the authors father, Jack Sheppard [born at Ranelagh in the Huon Valley] and Jack Doderidge [from Koonya on the Tasman Peninsula].

Self-published by the author in 2015, octavo, 258 pages. Super near fine condition. We can only find print on demand copies. This not so as it’s signed by the Author to Maria.

The author is not Hemingway, but nevertheless we find this book lively, information and entertaining when allowed. After all there are some tricky times including an enforced stay at Stalag 13C.

Novelised based on the true story of two Jacks from Tasmania.

$40.00

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Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Published by Jonathan Cape London 1935 – Seven Pillars of Wisdom a Triumph – “The Sword also means Clean-ness + Death”. First trade edition fourth impression August after the July first, such was its popularity.

Lawrence memorial leaflet tipped in to front. signs of another ‘inclusion” removed.

The Trade Edition preceded by the incomplete “Oxford” edition of 1922 (8 copies only were printed) and the very rare privately printed “Subscribers Edition” of 1927 (170 copies).

Thick quarto, 672 pages, original brown cloth covered binding with gilt titles to spine and device to front. A little age to covers, nothing to worry about, very clean inside and on page edges which often fox. A very good copy

Frontispiece portrait of a bust of Lawrence, 4 folding maps as called for, 2 facsimiles and a total of 54 illustrations – 46 of which are dramatic portraits of men who appear in the book. Albeit without the rare dust jacket this is the cleanest we have seen of this edition. The boards clean and unmarked and only the slightest bit of foxing limited to the rough cut paper edges.

Lawrence “took pains to bring objects and artists together”. A classic book written by Lawrence after a very successful war leading

the Arabs against the Turks, considered one of the most important books on war especially political and guerrilla warfare.

Churchill called it “One of the greatest books ever written in the English language”

Lawrence of Arabia’s great book. First trade a nice copy- 1935

We simply have to give you some of Chapter 1 … “The everlasting battle stripped from us care of our own lives or of others’. We had ropes about our necks, on or heads prices which showed that the enemy intended hideous tortures for us if we were caught. Each day some of us passed; and the living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God’s stage: indeed, our taskmaster was merciless, merciless, so long as our bruised feet could stagger forward on the road. The weak envied those tired enough to die; for success looked so remote, and failure a near and certain, if sharp, release from toil. We lived always in the stretch or sag of nerves, either on the crest or in the trough of waves of feeling ..

$240.00

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Colonel Henri’s Story [Espionage] – Ian Colvin – First edition 1954

The memoirs of a German secret agent who arrested Odette and Peter Churchill.

Published by William Kiber London, a first edition 1954. Octavo, 200 pages, illustrated from photographs. Some age and wear to jacket but really not a bad copy for its age and we suspect a well read book given the story.

Colonel Henri was the alias of Hugo Bleicher, a spy /detective hell bent on tracking down his opposition. The writer’s bold claim is that this man did more harm then Cicero the super spy at the British Embassy at Ankara.

A scarce account valued by the book market.

Colonel Henri – well really Hugo – and that’s just the start …

$50.00

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Autobiography of Australia’s Great Aviator – Sir Gordon Taylor – First Edition

A particularly good copy of the first edition of this desirable autobiography published by Cassell in 1963.

Subtitled – “A famous aviator’s personal story of pioneering aviation: 1916 to 1951”.

Octavo, 366 pages, illustrated from period photographs.

Gordan Taylor (1896-1966) was one of those adventurous Aussies, one of the few that flew in WWI – he won the Military Cross [the Air Force was part of the Army in those days]. So, his story starts in 1916 at the age of twenty. On return to Australia, he pursued his passion for flying with vigour – teaming up with Charles Kingsford-Smith there are many adventures. One of which saw him out of the aircraft [Southern Cross] over the Tasman Sea shifting oil from one engine to the other, in a thermos flask, in order to make terra firma.

Lots more.

Gordon Taylor – one of the great pioneering aviation heroes

$90.00

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Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Published by Jonathan Cape London 1935 – Seven Pillars of Wisdom a triumph – “The Sword also means Clean-ness + Death”. First trade edition second impression August after the July first.

The Trade Edition preceded by the incomplete “Oxford” edition of 1922 (8 copies only were printed) and the very rare privately printed “Subscribers Edition” of 1927 (170 copies).

Thick quarto, 672 pages, original brown cloth covered binding with gilt titles to spine and device to front. Carries the bookplate of Eric Ambrose on front paste down and his discrete personal label on the end papers. Eric Ambrose was a distinguished British architect and a Fellow of his Professional Body. A very good desirable copy

Frontispiece portrait of a bust of Lawrence, 4 folding maps as called for, 2 facsimiles and a total of 54 illustrations – 46 of which are dramatic portraits of men who appear in the book. Albeit without the rare dust jacket this is the cleanest we have seen of this edition. The boards clean and unmarked and only the slightest bit of foxing limited to the rough cut paper edges.

Lawrence “took pains to bring objects and artists together”. A classic book written by Lawrence after a very successful war leading

the Arabs against the Turks, considered one of the most important books on war especially political and guerrilla warfare.

Churchill called it “One of the greatest books ever written in the English language”

Lawrence of Arabia’s great book. First trade great condition – 1935

We simply have to give you some of Chapter 1 … “The everlasting battle stripped from us care of our own lives or of others’. We had ropes about our necks, on or heads prices which showed that the enemy intended hideous tortures for us if we were caught. Each day some of us passed; and the living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God’s stage: indeed, our taskmaster was merciless, merciless, so long as our bruised feet could stagger forward on the road. The weak envied those tired enough to die; for success looked so remote, and failure a near and certain, if sharp, release from toil. We lived always in the stretch or sag of nerves, either on the crest or in the trough of waves of feeling ..

$260.00

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Rabaul 1942 – the Story of the 2/22nd Australian Army Infantry and others – Douglas Aplin

This is the second printing of Douglas Aplin’s definitive book on the, as he calls it, “tragic story of the 2/22^nd …. The men and women of the Lark Force, including units of the RAN, RAAF, New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, 1^st Independent Company etc and New Guinea residents who were caught up in the calamity following the January 1942 invasion of the New Guinea Islands by the Japanese”

Softcover, perfect bound, published by the Battalion, effectively self-published by the author, 1980. 294 pages, illustrated – very good condition.

And, what a calamity it was … many lost their lives amid the confusion sparked by the ineptitude of military and political hierarchy in Canberra … for weeks invasion had been inevitable and opportunities to move anyone at risk were lost … those left must have been terrified and bewildered. Without dragging too much up, as is the mood of current times, … things were not good. The Japanese brought 3,000 of their own prostitutes to Rabaul to “service” their troops, gives you some idea …

Nevertheless, there are some good stories here among the debris of war … those that made every personal effort to escape … often by risky means … but with success. This is an important book to reflect on how humans behave in the worst of circumstances … but the “escapes”… they provide some happiness and relief.

Important thorough work by Douglas Aplin based on numerous journals, diaries, records etc.

$70.00

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War & Escape – 20th Century

A Pair of Jacks [Two Tasmanian “Diggers” exploits in WWI] – J.C. Sheppard – Signed by Author.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Colonel Henri’s Story [Espionage] – Ian Colvin – First edition 1954

Autobiography of Australia’s Great Aviator – Sir Gordon Taylor – First Edition

Seven Pillars of Wisdom – a triumph – T.E. Lawrence (Of Arabia) – August 1935

Rabaul 1942 – the Story of the 2/22nd Australian Army Infantry and others – Douglas Aplin

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