Great War Dust Jackets

History of the Great War Based on Official Documents

A Collectors Guide

 

The idea for an Official History of recent conflicts was first mooted in 1906 with regards to the recent War in South Africa and so with the advent of the Great War the idea was already in the minds of Government to make a detailed record of the current conflict. By late 1915 Battalion diaries were being collected and by the end of the War the ground work had already been laid which enabled the first volumes to appear soon after (Parts of the Munitions History had already been printed by late 1918). Beginning in 1920 with the first volumes of Naval Operations & Seaborne Trade up until Military Operations Italy in 1949, 108 separate volumes were published (a final volume consisting of the outline draft of ‘The Occupation of Constantinople’ was published by Naval & Military Press in 2010 bringing the total to 109 volumes). Initially the series was printed by various commercial publishers, Macmillan, Heinemann, Murray, Longmans & Clarendon. Although not principally intended for general consumption, sales were quite respectable to begin with. However as the years passed & interest in the War waned, sales diminished. Prices were reduced but so to were publishers margins making the series less attractive to print. Consequently all of the latter volumes and all those considered to be of only specialist interest were published by the Governments’ own publisher ‘His Majesty’s Stationary Office’ in increasingly smaller numbers.

I do not intend to go into the history of the publication of the series in any detail as this has been well documented in Andrew Green’s book ‘Writing the Great War’ Frank Cass 2003. What I wish to give here is a list of the various works with an indication of their scarcity and value and with a few relevant images to show their appearance.

  Price & Availability

I’ve graded each volume A - D where A = relatively easy to find, B = somewhat scarcer but copies appear fairly regularly, C = hard to find and will require diligent searching, D = rare - may be a permanent gap in your collection. The Map volumes are invariably scarcer than the text volumes. They were sold separately & whereas one might buy the text without the maps, the reverse is less likely. Also many of the Map volumes are incomplete so check before buying.

 Despite the title of this site, dust jackets are not really a consideration here. Their presence won’t greatly influence the price being asked and as most of  the copies you’ll see for sale will be ex-library they won’t have one anyway. That said the following certainly had jackets - All the War on Land volumes, the 3 Naval sets & the Air set. I don’t believe they were present on the Medical, Veterinary, Order of Battle or Principal Events & possibly Persia & the Blockade, but I stand to be corrected should anyone know differently.

 As an indication of price I would say ; A = £30 - £60, B = £50 - £120, C = £150 - £300, D = over £500 although the scarcest volumes will fetch well over £1000)

(where I’ve given the number of copies, the figure is taken from the limitation line in books published by HMSO and indicates the number printed but not necessarily bound up for sale)

 

N.B.Text/Maps indicates a single volume with Maps in a rear pocket. Text & Maps indicates separate volumes.

The War on Land

France & Belgium

Under the direction of Brig. Gen. J. E. Edmonds

1914 vol. 1 Text & separate Map vol. Macmillan 1922 A,A

                  2nd ed 1925, 3rd revised 1934

1914 vol. 2 Text & separate Map vol. Macmillan 1925 A,A

                  (inserted 4 page addenda to vol.1)

1915 vol. 1 Text & separate Map vol. Macmillan 1927 A,A

                  (inserted 8 page addenda to 1914 vols. 1 & 2)

1915 vol. 2 Text & separate Map vol. Macmillan 1928 A,A

                  (inserted addenda to 1914)

1916 vol. 1 Text, Appendices & Map vols.  Macmillan 1932 A,B,B

                  (inserted addenda to 1915)  

1916 vol. 2 Text & Appendices/Map. vols. Macmillan 1938 B,B

                  (inserted 4 page addenda to 1914, 15 & 16)

1917 vol. 1 Text, Appendices & Map. vols. Macmillan 1940 B,B

                  (inserted 5 page addenda to 1916 & 1918)

1917 vol. 2 Text/Maps HMSO 1948 C

1917 vol. 3 Text HMSO 1948 C

1918 vol. 1 Text, Appendices & Maps Macmillan 1935 B,B,B

                  (inserted 7 page addenda to 1914, 15 & 16)

1918 vol. 2 Text & Maps Macmillan 1937 B,B

                  (inserted 7 page addenda to 1914, 15, 16 & 18)

1918 vol. 3 Text/Maps Macmillan 1939 B

                  (inserted addenda to 1918)

1918 vol. 4 Text/Maps HMSO 1947 C

1918 vol. 5 Text HMSO 1947 C

                                                £2,500 - 3,000 the set

 

Egypt & Palestine

Compiled by Lt. Gen. Sir George Macmunn & Cyril Falls

Vol. 1 Text & Map vols. HMSO 1928 (2000 copies) A,A

Vol. 2 Text part 1 & 2 & Map vols. HMSO 1930 (3000 copies) B,B,B

                                                £250 - 300 the set

 

Gallipoli

Compiled by Brig. Gen. C. F. Aspinall-Oglander

Vol. 1 Text & Appendices/Maps Heinemann 1929 A,B

Vol. 2 Text & Appendices/Maps Heinemann 1932 A,B

                                               £200 - 250 the set

 

Mesopotamia

Compiled by Brig. Gen. F. J. Moberly

Vol. 1 Text/Maps HMSO 1923 (1500 copies) A

Vol. 2 Text/Maps HMSO 1924 (1500 copies) A

Vol. 3 Text/Maps HMSO 1925 (1000 copies) B

Vol. 4 Text/Maps HMSO 1927 (1500 copies) A

                                               £200 - 250 the set

 

Macedonia

Compiled by Capt. Cyril Falls

Vol. 1 Text/Maps & Maps HMSO 1933 (2000 copies) A,B

Vol. 2 Text/Maps & Maps HMSO 1935 (2000 copies) A,B

                                              £200 - 250 the set

 

Togoland & the Cameroons

Compiled by Brig. Gen. F. J. Moberly

Single volume Text/Maps HMSO 1931 (2000 copies) C

 

East Africa

Compiled by Lt. Col. Charles Hordern

Vol. 1 Text HMSO 1941 (1500 copies) C

Vol. 2 unpublished but draft chapters exist in the Public

Records Office.

 

Italy

Compiled by Brig. Gen. Sir James Edmonds

Single volume Text HMSO 1949 C

(inserted 2 page addenda to 1915, 17, 18 & O of B vol. 4)

 

Transportation on the Western Front

Compiled by Col. A. M. Henniker

Text & Map vols. HMSO 1937 (1000 copies) C,C

 

Principal Events 1914 - 1918

Compiled by the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Single vol. Foolscap format HMSO 1922 (1000 copies) C

 

Operations in Persia 1914 - 1919

Compiled by Brig. Gen. F. J. Moberly HMSO 1929 D

Of the 500 copies printed, 150 were sent to India (marked ‘Secret’) possibly destroyed on arrival, 50 (marked ‘Confidential’) were sent to UK libraries and the rest destroyed. The red binding differs from others in the series.

Public edition HMSO 1987 A

 

The Occupation of the Rhineland 1918 - 1929

Compiled by Brig. Gen. James Edmonds HMSO 1944 D

Marked as ‘For Official Use Only’ only 100 copies were printed.

(a facsimile was issued by HMSO in 1987) A

 

A History of the Blockade of Germany 1914 - 1918

Compiled by A. C. Bell  HMSO 1937 D

Restricted circulation of only 100 copies

(in 1961 the restriction on this was lifted and the remaining

650 copies were released with a different binding & over-sticker by HMSO) C

 

The Occupation of Constantinople 1918 - 1923

Compiled by Brig. Gen. James Edmonds in 1944 in draft

format of which 51 copies were printed. D+

Single volume Naval & Military Press 2010 £11.50 in print

 

The War at Sea

Naval Operations

Compiled by Sir Julian S. Corbett, vols. 1 - 3

& Sir Henry Newbolt, vols. 4 & 5

Vol. 1 Text & Maps Longmans 1920 A,A

          2nd ed. 1938 B

Vol. 2 Text/Maps Longmans 1921 A

          2nd ed. 1929 A

Vol. 3 Text & Maps Longmans 1923 A,A

          Revised ed. 1940 C (lost due to bombing of warehouse).

Vol. 4 Text & Maps Longmans 1928 A,A

Vol. 5 Text & Maps Longmans 1931 A,A

                                                   £250 - 350 the set

Merchant Navy

Compiled by Archibald Hurd

Vol. 1 Text/Maps  John Murray 1921 B

Vol. 2 Text John Murray 1924 B

Vol. 3 Text John Murray 1929 B

                                                  £300 - 350 the set

 

Seaborne Trade

Compiled by C. Ernest Fayle

Vol.1 The Cruiser Period. Text & Maps John Murray 1920 A,B

Vol. 2 Submarine Campaign. Text John Murray 1923 B

Vol. 3 Unrestricted Submarine Warfare. Text /Maps John Murray 1924 B

                                                  £250 - 300 the set

 

The War in the Air

Compiled by Walter Raleigh (Vol.1) & H. A. Jones

Vol. 1  Text Clarendon Press 1922 (revised 1939) A

Vol. 2 Text Clarendon Press 1928 B

Vol. 3 Text & Maps Clarendon Press 1931 B,C

Vol. 4 Text Clarendon Press 1934 B

Vol. 5 Text & Maps Clarendon Press 1935 B,C

Vol. 6 Text & Appendices Clarendon Press 1937 B,B

                                                 £1000 - 1500 the set

 

Order of Battle of Divisions

Compiled by Major A. F. Becke (5-700 copies of each vol.)

Part 1 The Regular British Divisions HMSO 1935 C

Part 2a Territorial Mounted & 1st Line Divisions HMSO 1936 C

Part 2b Territorial 2nd Line & Home Service HMSO 1937 C

Part 3a New Army Divisions (9 - 26) HMSO 1938 C

Part 3b New Army (30 - 41) & 63rd. R. N. HMSO 1945 C

Part 4 Army Council & GHQ’s HMSO 1945 C

                                                £600 - 800 the set

 

Medical Services

Compiled by Sir W. G. Macpherson

General History Vol. 1 - 4 HMSO 1921 -4 (1500 copies) C,C,C,C

Diseases of the War Vol. 1 & 2 HMSO 1922/3 (1500 copies) C,C

Hygiene of the War Vol. 1 & 2 HMSO 1923 (1500 copies) C,C

Surgery of the War Vol. 1 & 2 HMSO 1922 (1000/1500 copies) C,C

Pathology HMSO 1923 C

Casualties & Medical Statistics HMSO 1931 (1500 copies) C

                                               £ 2 - 3,000 the set

 

Veterinary Services Ed. By Maj. Gen. L. J. Blenkinsop & Lt. Col. J. W. Rainey. HMSO 1925 (1500 copies) C

(this volume is slightly larger than the others & in purple cloth)

 

Additional Volumes

 

History of the Blockade by Carless Davis 1920 Restricted - Declassified 1958 (250 copies)

Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire 1922 (250 copies)

Air Publication 125, A short history of the RAF, 1920, 2nd ed. 1929, revised ed. 1936.

Report of the Battlefields Nomenclature Committee 1922 (500 copies)

(Eastern Siberia 1920) Unseen. Not to be confused with the handbook to Eastern Siberia by Protheroe produced for the Peace Conference in 1919 & 1920 or the Handbook of Siberia & Arctic Russia produced by the Naval Staff Intelligence Department in 1918.

The Evacuation of Northern Russia 1920

 

 

 

Almost all of the series has been recently re-issued by Naval & Military Press

History of the Ministry of Munitions

(Titles of separate parts + date of original printing)

Volume 1 Industrial Mobilisation 1914-1915      

  Part 1 – Munitions Supply      8/22

 Part 2 – The Treasury Agreement     10/18

 Part 3 – The Armaments Output Committee    10/18

 Part 4 – The Munitions of War Act, 1915     10/18

Volume 2 General organisation for munitions supply and general administration

 Part 1 – Administrative Policy and Organisation    9/21

 Part 1 (Supplement) – Liquidation of the Ministry of Munitions  3/22

 Part 2 – Local Organisation in the UK     6/21

 Part 3 – Munitions Organisation in the United States of America  6/21

 Part 4 – Munitions Organisation in Canada    2/22

 Part 5 – India        9/20

 Part 6 – Australia       10/20

 Part 7 – Continental Organisation     10/20

 Part 8 – Inter-Allied Organisation     7/21

Volume 3 Finance and Contracts

 Part 1 – Financial Administration     3/20

 Part 2 – Contracts       9/20

 Part 3 – The Financing of Production     7/22

Volume 4 Supply and Control of Labour 1915-1916

 Part 1 – Labour Supply, July – December 1915    10/18

 Part 2 – Labour Regulations and the Munitions of War (Amendment) Act 10/18

 Part 3 – The Limitation of Recruiting     12/19

 Part 4 – The Progress of Dilution     2/20

Volume 5 Wages and Welfare

 Part 1 – The Control of Men’s Wages     4/22

 Part 2 – The Control of Women’s Wages     1/19

 Part 3 – Welfare : The Control of Working Conditions    12/20

 Part 4 – The Provision of Canteens in Munitions Factories    9/21

 Part 5 – Provision for the Housing of Munition Workers   7/21

Volume 6 Manpower and Dilution

 Part 1 – Release of Munition Workers for Military Service, 1916-1917 3/22

 Part 2 – The Control of Industrial Manpower 1917-18   1/23

 Part 4 – Statistical Review of Manpower     11/18

 Volume 7 Control of Materials

 Part 1 – Review of Commercial Control     3/22

 Part 2 – Iron and Steel       7/21

 Part 3 – Non-Ferrous Metals      8/21

 Part 4 – Materials for Explosives Manufacture    8/21

  Part 5 – Transport, Storage and Salvage     12/21  

Volume 8 Control of Industrial Capacity and Equipment

 Part 1 – Review of State Manufacture     2/22

 Part 2 – The National Factories      9/21

 Part 3 – Engineering Supplies      10/20

 Part 4 – Control of Engineering Capacity : Administrative Machinery 9/21

Volume 9 Review of Munitions Supply

 Part 1 – Munitions Programmes      1/22

 Part 2 – Design and Inspection      1/22

 (Part 3 – Statistical Review of Output (apparently not printed))

Volume 10 The Supply of Munitions

 Part 1 – Guns        3/22

 Part 2 – Gun Ammunition : General     8/21

 Part 3 – Gun Ammunition : Shell Manufacture    3/22

 Part 4 – Gun Ammunition : Explosives     7/21

 Part 5 – Gun Ammunition : Filling and Completing   5/21

 Part 6 – Anti-Aircraft Supplies      9/20

Volume 11 The Supply of Munitions

 Part 1 – Trench Warfare Supplies     4/20

 Part 2 – Chemical Warfare Supplies     5/21

 Part 3 – Optical Munitions and Glassware    10/20

 Part 4 – Rifles        9/21

 Part 5 – Machine Guns       3/22

 Part 6 – Small Arms Ammunition     1/22

Volume 12 The Supply of Munitions

 Part 1 – Aircraft        9/21

 Part 2 – Aerial Bombs       11/20

 Part 3 – Tanks        6/21

 Part 4 – Mechanical Transport Vehicles     5/21

 Part 5 – Railway Materials and Ropeways    5/21

 Part 6 – Agricultural Machinery      11/19

 

 

 

A full set of the series (less Munitions) which was originally sold by Bertram Rota.

(The image below is not as sharp as I would like but attempts to scan it at a higher resolution resulted in a series of white lines appearing throughout. Unfortunately this will prevent you seeing the 3 restricted volumes -  Rhineland is 2nd shelf, 2nd left of the middle, Blockade is 3rd from left, bottom shelf & Persia is last on the right, bottom shelf before Principle Events)

Title page of ‘Rhineland’ & the 2 issues of Blockade - 1937 on the left & the unrestricted 1961 issue.

Military Operations : France & Flanders. A remarkable set (from Peter Harrington)

Vol.7 of the Official German History published in 1931.

History of the Ministry of Munitions

(Marked ‘Confidential : For Official Use Only’)

There is some doubt as to whether or not this series should be included. It is AN Official History but is it part of  THE Official History? The title pages do not bear the usual title strap line that all the others have regardless of publisher and it seems from internal evidence of each volume that part of the series was printed as early as October 1918 to be issued as multiple short publications. Printed by HMSO between 1918 & 1922 and limited to 250 copies each, it eventually appeared in 12 volumes, although parts of each volume are occasionally seen on the market.

The first 8 volumes were sent by the Disposal & Liquidation Commission to a number of reference libraries including the BL, IWM & MoD. In 1952 the remaining 4 volumes were sent to the same libraries.

Below 7 volumes from my own collection, 2 rebound. I would expect a full set to fetch £4-5000.

 

My copy of ‘The Occupation of the Rhineland’ inscribed by Edmonds to Winston Churchill.

My copy of ‘Military Ops. Italy’ inscribed by Edmonds to Churchill.

1944 typed sheets in an edition of 51 copies.

(from Peter Harrington)