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Edgar Wallace

The Mission That Failed & Unofficial Despatches & Writ in Barracks

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Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was a war correspondent during the Second Boer War, for Reuters and the Daily Mail. In his later years Wallace became a Hollywood scriptwriter and wrote the screenplay for King Kong, his last book. 

1. The Mission that failed - The title refers to the Jameson Raid.

 A collection of poems on South Africa, touching on the Jameson Raid and issues concerned with Transvaal politics.

2. Unofficial Despatches

‘These letters were originally published in the Daily Mail, and contain many lively and humorous sketches of the war. There are sly hits against the Afrikanders who would not fight for the Boers, but who provided them with everything the wanted and then sent in claims for compensation to the British Government and throughout the volume there is severe censure for the double dealing practiced by the Boer sympathisers all over the Cape Colony. There is also a description of the execution of the train-wreckers who were shot at De Aar, and an account (entitled “In Death’s Eye”) of an expedition on the railway line resulting in the discovery and description of some of the machines employed for the purpose of blowing up trains by roving bands of Boer guerrillas,’ (Mendelssohn South African Bibliography, volume 2, page 579, 

327 pages, frontispiece of Wallace writing 'An official despatch (sic),' original brown cloth titled gilt on upper cover and spine.A good copy.

3. Writ in Barracks

x + 121 pages + 48 pages of the publisher’s catalogue dated 1900, original blue cloth titled in gilt on the upper cover and spine, edges uncut, a good copy, though an ex-library copy.

‘A volume of poems, the majority of which are written on subjects connected with the British army in the South African War. Many of the stanzas appeared from time to time in the daily newspapers, but others are published for the first time.’ (Mendelssohn's South African Bibliography, volume 2, page 579)

  • Sold By: Mantis Books
  • Contact Person: Charl Yates
  • Country: South Africa
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 0833219905
  • Preferred Payment Methods: EFT & Paypal
  • Trade Associations: AA Approved


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