Captain Becke (15 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Good+. No Jacket. 1st Edition. vi, 80pp, 2 folding maps in the text, 1 additional folding map in pocket at the rear. Light wear to the edges of the covers, small stamp of the Officers's Mess Stanley Barracks on the free front endpaper, otherwise a nice copy.

Condition: New. SB 2 vols., xv+361 & viii+335pp,pottraits,plates,plans ,11 maps(some coloured) 2004 N&MP Reprint of 1914 Original EditionPublished Price £28 A two-volume account of Napoleonâs last campaign by Britainâs pre-eminent military historian of the early 20th century. Writing a century after Waterloo, Becke claims that previous British authors have been too Anglocentric and biased against Bonaparte in their consideration of the campaign. As a result, he alleges, they have not appreciated the Emperorâs brilliant tactics in his âmasterly yet simpleâ battle plan. So Beckeâs book is written very much from Napoleonâs point of view, and the Allied armies only appear in order to help the reader appreciate Napoleonâs manoevres. An unashamed fan of Napoleon, - (he even dedicates his book, in French, to âthe Emperor of battlesâ) - Becke calls Bonaparte â the greatest of all the Great Captains.the most famous of all Artillerymenâ and refers to âthe splendour of his world-wide fame.â Becke cautions against hindsignt history in judging Napoleon, and explains his heroâs downfall as being a result of the combined strength of the superior Allied forces ranged against him, and the treachery of Fouche, his Minister of Police, rather than his own shortcomings. âEre he fellâ writes Becke, âNapoleon once more showed that he could handle his troops like an artistâ.This first volume takes the story of the Hundred Days from the Emperorâs return from exile in Elba up to his despatch of the incompetent Marshal Grouchy to head off the Prussians while he faced Wellington at Waterloo. The book looks at Napoleonâs strategy and tactics as well as his disposition of his âArmee du Nordâ and the battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny. The second volume looks at the climactic confrontation between Napoleon and Wellington at Waterloo itself and has a number of appendices relating to the great battle, including orders of battle of the French, British, Dutch and Prussian forces engaged and correspondence between Napoleon and Marshals Soult, Davout, Ney and Grouchy. Both volumes are illustrated with four superbly reproduced colour maps. These two handsome books are a must for anyone interested in the Napoleonic wars, especially for those seeking an antidote to Wellington-worship and the denigration of his enemy.

Condition: New. 2023 N & M Press reprint (original pub 1930). SB. 353 pp + 22 of maps & illus.(17 in colour).Published Price £35 Part II of the Official History of The Great War in the Middle East takes the story from May 1918 to the armistice. It begins with a summary of the Arab revolt against the Turks, which involved the exploits of Col. T.E. Lawrence âof Arabiaâ, and consisted of harassing attacks and sabotage of railways which drew off great numbers of the Turks to the benefit of the EEF. This was important because Allenby was being required to despatch British infantry battalions and Yeomanry regiments to France where the great German spring offensives had been launched in March. Indian battalions were set to replace the British ones, and the ensuing reorganisation of the EEF is described in some detail. The narrative continues with the final offensives - the battles of Megiddo, the operations of the Desert Mounted Corps, Chaytorâs Force, the pursuit through Syria and the capture of Damascus. An epilogue discusses the policy of the campaign, the strategy and the tactics. There are numerous appendices which apply to both Parts I and II, beginning with a tabular record of operations from June 1917 and containing orders of battle of the EEF in October 1917 and in September 1918 as well as that of the Turkish forces. There are examples of Force Orders, of corps operation orders and instructions, and finally there is a good index to both parts.

Condition: New. 2023 N & M Press reprint (original pub 1920). SB. xxiii+ xiv + 394 pp + 29 of maps & illus.(27 in colour).Published Price £35 It was originally planned to complete the Official History of the Egypt and Palestine campaign in two volumes, with this second volume taking the story from the appointment of Allenby to the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) in June 1917, to the conclusion of the armistice with Turkey. But it was only after Allenbyâs arrival that the campaign really took off, with all the major offensives and battles taking place during his period of command. It thus became clear that Volume II would need to be in two parts. This part covers the offensive at Gaza and Beersheba and the subsequent battles in the Judaean Hills for the capture and defence of Jerusalem, which lasted from the end of October to the end of December 1917 without a break. It continues into 1918 with the operations in the Jordan Valley in February 1918; first the capture of Jericho, then the two raids into Trans-Jordan with the important engagements between them, lasting until 4 May. At this point there was a real break in the campaign for the first time and it is here that Part I ends. The contents list includes Parts I and II and all the appendices are at the end of Part II.

Hardcover. Condition: Fair. Hardback without wrapper with blue cloth boards with shelf wear, rubbing and signs of use, corners rubbed and bumped. Front end paper removed, heavy spotting to edges and end papers and sporadic spotting throughout. This edition with 2 plans and one map. Plan 2 Battle of Waterloo is missing, Map to rear pocket Waterloo campaign 1815 and Plan 1 Theatre of Operations 1815 still intact, Plan 1 with a couple of pencil marks. Scarce edition, solid used copy showing its age. f1.

Condition: New. 2011 N & M Press reprint (original pub 1920). SB. xxiii+ xiv + 394 pp + 29 of maps & illus.(27 in colour). It was originally planned to complete the Official History of the Egypt and Palestine campaign in two volumes, with this second volume taking the story from the appointment of Allenby to the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) in June 1917, to the conclusion of the armistice with Turkey. But it was only after Allenbyâs arrival that the campaign really took off, with all the major offensives and battles taking place during his period of command. It thus became clear that Volume II would need to be in two parts. This part covers the offensive at Gaza and Beersheba and the subsequent battles in the Judaean Hills for the capture and defence of Jerusalem, which lasted from the end of October to the end of December 1917 without a break. It continues into 1918 with the operations in the Jordan Valley in February 1918; first the capture of Jericho, then the two raids into Trans-Jordan with the important engagements between them, lasting until 4 May. At this point there was a real break in the campaign for the first time and it is here that Part I ends. The contents list includes Parts I and II and all the appendices are at the end of Part II.

Condition: New. 2011 N & M Press reprint (original pub 1930). SB. 353 pp + 22 of maps & illus.(17 in colour). Part II of the Official History of The Great War in the Middle East takes the story from May 1918 to the armistice. It begins with a summary of the Arab revolt against the Turks, which involved the exploits of Col. T.E. Lawrence âof Arabiaâ, and consisted of harassing attacks and sabotage of railways which drew off great numbers of the Turks to the benefit of the EEF. This was important because Allenby was being required to despatch British infantry battalions and Yeomanry regiments to France where the great German spring offensives had been launched in March. Indian battalions were set to replace the British ones, and the ensuing reorganisation of the EEF is described in some detail. The narrative continues with the final offensives - the battles of Megiddo, the operations of the Desert Mounted Corps, Chaytorâs Force, the pursuit through Syria and the capture of Damascus. An epilogue discusses the policy of the campaign, the strategy and the tactics. There are numerous appendices which apply to both Parts I and II, beginning with a tabular record of operations from June 1917 and containing orders of battle of the EEF in October 1917 and in September 1918 as well as that of the Turkish forces. There are examples of Force Orders, of corps operation orders and instructions, and finally there is a good index to both parts.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 2nd Edition. ."A guide to the study of Military History exemplified by studies of the Campaigns of Austerlitz, Jena, Vimiero, Corunna, Salamanca, Waterloo, and the Shenandoah Valley." The second edition, revised and enlarged. xxiv, 395pp, 16 maps and plans, 7 of which are in a pocket at the rear of the book.

HardBack. Condition: Very Good. First edition. First Edition. HUGH REES, LTD. London, 1907 A very good copy in blue cloth boards with gilt title on spine, has previous owners' bookplate tipped-in to ffep, two folding plans bound-in with folding map enclosed in pocket to rear cover. A nice copy.

With a Large Folding Map in the Pocket Plus Two Folding Plans (one Coloured) (illustrator). First Edition. BINDING: Original publishers blue cloth with gilt lettering to front cover and spine CONDITION: Covers a little worn and with dust stain to top of front cover; The attractive Armorial Bookplate of Denzil Morton Stanley (W. H. Stanleys son) to front pastedown; browning to endpapers; otherwise very good. Size: 22 X 14 Cms.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. A good copy with a fold out map of Palestine in a pocket at the rear. Covers the period June 1917 to late 1917, ending just before the final offensives of 1918. It is the narrative of how the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) shifted from the stalled Gaza front to a dynamic, mobile campaign.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. Vol: 1- outbreak of war to Spring of 1917, Vol: 2- from the Spring to the end of the war, Vol: 3-12 maps, Vol: 4 -11 maps. Vols.1/2/4 very good, Vol:3 box has slightly indented box to front. 3.2kg.

HB. Condition: VG. Dust Jacket Condition: None. Major A.F. Becke Maps and Sketches Compiled By (illustrator). First Edition. 'Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence" Volume 2: 1928. Ex-library from the Officers Mess Library with most of the associated library hallmark. Red cloth on boards, gilt titles and light dustings of soiling and touch rubbings. Spines: moderately sunned; head & foot with light rubbing and bumpings. Edges: mild touches of soiling and foxings. Light bumping to boards fore corners. Thin sunning to Vol. 1 boards front top-edge. Clean contents. Coloured maps clean and present. Binding is VG. Vol. 1: 433p Vol. 2: 488p Set: 1.5 kgs. Ex-Library.

Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. First Edition. Vol: 4- lii, 488pp, maps, sketches, appends.battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert and Loos. Maps Volume - 11 maps + 1 diagram. Boards are rubbed and faded, some tears and wear to head and foot of spine, contents are clean and tight. Library plate and ref. no to spine.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. First English Edition. A very good copy of the first volume in what was a two-volumes set. The red cloth is faded variably, particularly along the spine. The contents are fine, including the complete fold-out colored maps folder tipped-in at the rear.This copy belonged to the co-author, "Map Compiler" Major Archibald .F Becke, whose name in ink is floridly inscribed on the the half title beneath his personal bookplate. 8vo (409 pages, maps, illustrations, index, bibliography, map endpapers). Signed.