Rough Diary of the Doings of the 1st Battn. Manchester Regt. During the South African War, 1899 to 1902

Small 8vo; original brown cloth, lettered in black on spine and upper cover, and with gilt device to upper cover; pp. 151; four folding maps. Joints and extremities of cover very slightly rubbed; endpapers foxed; some spotting; archival tape repair to tear of fold on one map and to top edge of rear free endpaper. Good to very good condition. (Hackett, pp. 11, 168; Mendelssohn I, p. 980) A scarce title. OCLC finds just the British Library, Cambridge University and UNISA copies. The present copy is the variant binding described in Hackett, p. 11. \"The Battalion was present at the battle of Elandslaagte on Oct. 21. At the investment of Ladysmith the Manchesters were stationed on Caesar\'s Camp where they experienced heavy fighting on November 11 and again on Jan. 6 (1900). In the latter engagement losses were severe. Following the relief of Ladysmith the Battalion formed part of General Buller\'s force in the advance on Lydenburg. From late 1900 to the close of the campaign the unit served under various commanders in eastern Transvaal. A casualty list is included for each action at which the Battalion was present.\" - Hackett: South African War Books, p. 11.