Speedwell

A smart first edition of this very scarce story of a service pigeon, with the original unclipped dust wrapper. First edition. Very scarce work with the vanishingly scarce original unclipped dust wrapper. The story of a service pigeon, providing an example of one of the hundreds of thousands of messenger pigeons used by British and Allied forces to carry vital and secret messages across the battlefront. Often the National Pigeon Service was full of enlisted civilian-owned pigeons, responsible for crucial missions, including locating downed aircrews. Written by Evelyn Hamilton, an English sportswoman best known as a long distance cyclist. With a preface from Wing-Commander W. D. Lea Rayner, Head of the Air Ministry Pigeon Section from 1940 to 1946. In the original full cloth binding. Externally, very smart with light fading to the extremities. Original unclipped dust wrapper is sound with light wear and the odd small closed tear to the extremities. A 3" closed tear to the front panel sympathetically repaired with tape to the internal side. With light sunning to the extremities. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean. Age toning to the endpapers with the front free endpaper lacking. Very Good.…