Report from South Africa, July 1966. Commemorative issue: Battle of Delville Wood, July 15-20, 1916

Between 1964 and 1967 this monthly review published by the South African Embassy in London was edited by the present owner of Fontein Books. Three of the more historical issues are featured in this lot and Lot 28.

The editor travelled to France to report on the jubilee of this famous First World War engagement. It was the first commemoration to be attended by a contingent of South African survivors of this battle. Suddenly, there was the moving sight of some fifty South African military veterans crossing the open grass and breaking into a run as a similar number of French civilian veterans ran towards them, each side recognising friends who had succoured and been succoured by one another fifty years before. [Four of us had driven in 1966 from London to the memorial - grass and replanted oaks, with the rides renamed from Scottish streets (the South Africans being attached to a Scottish regiment).] 

"At 11.25 on the morning of July 14, when the [renewed, heavy] assault on Longueval and Delville Wood began, the South African infantry brigade numbered 121 officers and 3,032 men. At 6.20 on the evening of July 20, when the last units were finally relieved, three officers and 140 men were all that came out of the line . . . "

24 pp of self-covered colour- and b/w-illustrated unpaginated text and bibliography.

CONDITION. The front page-edge is heavily rubbed, though with no loss of material, for three-quarters of its depth from the top. The contents, including 4 pp of evocative contemporary colour photographs, text, references, drawings and maps, are complete, unmarked and undiscoloured.