Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$522.36 + shipping
Description: Single sheet, roy. 8vo., 11 X 8.25 ins (280 x 210 cms), printed both sides, some very light spotting, vertical and horizontal folds as usual, a remarkably well-preserved, near fine copy. Churchill's introduction (written March 10 1941) urges the population to 'STAND FIRM' and 'CARRY ON'. There follow a lengthy series of instructions to be followed in the case of an enemy invasion, culminating: ' Do not tell the enemy anything. Do not give him anything. Do not help him in any way.' VERY SCARCE IN THIS CONDITION. Cohen B76.1; Woods A69.
Seller: Island Books, Thakeham, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Price: US$561.47 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1st edition, 1st state. 2pp. Single sheet printed on both sides. Creased from old folds. Slight soiling. Otherwise a well preserved copy. very good Woods A69: "There is also a later version of this leaflet, overprinted in red in the top left-hand corner, with a message regarding the evacuation of invaded areas." This copy has no red overprinting and is therefor the first state. The document is Churchill's message to the people of England regarding what to do in case of invasion. His personal message is followed by 14 notes which Churchill says "should be carefully studied.". The subtitles for each section, some of which contain multiple notes, are: "Stand Firm," "Carry on," "Advice and Orders," "Instructions," "Food," "News," "Motor-Cars," and "The Enemy.".
Seller: Aquila Books(Cameron Treleaven) ABAC, Calgary, AB, Canada
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Description: "If invasion comes, everyone - young or old, men and women - will be eager to play their part worthily." This pair of original leaflets issued by the British Government early during the Second World War testify to the very real peril faced by Britain during the first year of Winston S. Churchills wartime premiership. The wars outcome is now long-settled history, making it perhaps difficult to viscerally understand the credible, imminent threat of Nazi invasion at the time.These leaflets make the point. They are titled If the INVADER Comes and Beating the INVADER, issued respectively in June 1940 and May 1941. Both documents are printed on both sides of a thin sheet of newsprint-quality paper, each measuring approximately 11 inches by 8.25 inches (27.9 x 21 cm). Condition of both documents approaches very good, particularly considering the ephemeral nature of the publication and the inherent perishability of the format. Both feature a single horizontal and a single vertical fold, ostensibly from original mailing, though the Beating the INVADER folds are off center. Both are lightly soiled, age-toned, and show some perimeter wear. If the INVADER Comes is age-toned with fractional chipping along the left and right edges. Beating the INVADER has a .625 inch (1.59 cm) closed tear at the upper left blank margin, with associated creasing, as well as two tiny closed tears along the lower left edge. Both leaflets are quite suitable for framing, either individually or as a pair.If the INVADER Comes was distributed in June 1940. Hitlers Germany began its attack against France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940, the same day Churchill became Prime Minister. Britain had learned from the swift fall of Holland and Belgium when "the civilian population fled" and "crowded on the roads, in cars, in carts, on bicycles and on foot, and so helped the enemy by preventing their own armies from advancing against the invaders." This leaflet is a protracted admonition not to panic and to help the cause. Six rules with Roman numerals are articulated: stay put, do not believe or spread rumors, note and report anything suspicious, do not give any German any material or informational aid, be ready to assist the military if asked, and organize or participate in a plan to resist attack. The document closes with a stern and somber admonition to "THINK ALWAYS OF YOUR COUNTRY BEFORE YOU THINK OF YOURSELF" an interesting, dark rhetorical inversion of future President Kennedys famous inaugural exhortation "ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country."Beating the Invader, issued nearly a year later, has a similarly themed but more granular set of instructions, but there are interesting differences. First and foremost, Churchill himself wrote the introduction to this leaflet, taking up two-thirds of the first page, headed "A MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER and terminating with his facsimile signature. Though the tone remains stern and the situation dire, the message beginning with the title of the leaflet is subtly more resolute and less desperate. There are now fourteen points in Q & A format instead of six "instructions". One gets the feeling that much had been learned since the preceding leaflet, and that a firm, composed hand was now on the tiller. The leaflet was prepared by the Ministry of Information and forwarded to Churchill on 7 March 1941. Churchill dictated his introduction on 25 March. After sober consideration of the timing and effect of such a message to the British people, the War Cabinet decided on April 24, 1941 to print more than 14 million copies and distribute the leaflet to all British households. Bibliographer Ronald Cohen writes: "The huge print run might leave one with the impression that the leaflet would be commonly found today. It was, however, only a leaflet anticipating an event that never came to pass. Few copies have survived."Reference: Cohen B76, Woods A69.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1082.94 + shipping
Description: First edition of Churchill's rallying cry to the British people during the darkest period of the Second World War, when a German invasion was feared imminent, distributed to all households to prepare the citizens for invasion and to set out their duties to their country if so. "If the invasion comes everyone - young or old, men and women - will be eager to play their part worthily. When the attack begins, it will be too late to go. for all of you then the order and the duty will be: 'STAND FIRM'. where there is no fighting going on and no close cannon fire or rifle fire can be heard, everyone will govern his conduct by the second great order and duty, namely 'CARRY ON'". Churchill's inspirational message is followed by detailed instructions on just how to stand firm and carry on. Over 14 million copies were printed, and within a week from 27 May 1941 a copy was delivered to every household in the country. "The huge print run might leave one with the impression that the leaflet would be commonly found today. It was, however, only a leaflet anticipating an event that never came to pass. In the event very few copies have survived" (Cohen). Cohen B76; Woods A69. Quarto single-sheet flyer (280 x 210 mm), text both sides. Presented in double-glazed oak frame with conservation-standard glazing. Without the additional notice printed in red found in minority of copies (no priority). Light handling creasing and a few spots: in very good condition.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom