Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$99.95 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 32 pages. Printed on glossy stock. Profusely illustrated with black and white photos and illustrations. Features: Photo of dozens of large British bombs on a Greek quay as they await use against the retreating Italians; Wonderful photo of a Sunderland flying boat above the Greek Islands; The Archbishop of Athens visits wounded Greeks back from the Pindus battle-front; Photo of rich booty claimed by the Greeks after the fall of Koritza; Great illustrated article containing text of a speech entitled 'All Because of One Man' which was broadcast to the people of Italy by Winston Churchill; Photos of soldiers of the Sudan; Illustration by S. Drigin shows the Netherlands Navy ship Van Kinsbergen, operating in the West Indies, boarding the German vessel S.S. Rhein which has already been set ablaze by her crew; photos depict how 1940 ended with the second great fire of London - with images of Guildhall, St. Bride's Church; St. Vedast's, St. Andrews, The Church of St. Anne and St. Agnes; Christ Church, Greyfriars; The famous photo of the miracle of St. Paul's shows the top of its structure visible through the smoke from fires in surrounding buildings; Wonderful photos of firefighters at work in London; Photos of utter destruction in London at Fore St. and Milton St., and Paternoster Row; Photo of Winston Churchill and his wife inspecting fire havoc; Centerfold illustration by Montague B. Black shows the R.A.F. bombing Tripoli; Photos of the advance into Libya; Large aerial photo of terrible bombing in progress below in Mannheim; Illustrated article - Woodlands In the War - how felled native trees save valuable shipping space - with photos of Australian woodsmen at work; Photo of rail-mounted British Howitzers ready to protect the homeland; Photos of Abyssinia in revolt; A commentary on the war this week; Several great photos of the Royal Navy in action in the Mediterranean, including a shot of large bombs just missing the Ark Royal; Summary of the chief events in the war this week. Clean and unmarked with moderate wear. Binding tight. A quality copy.
Seller: RareNonFiction, IOBA, Ladysmith, BC, Canada
Price: US$99.95 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 32 pages. Printed on glossy stock. Profusely illustrated with black and white photos and illustrations. Features: Photo of French Saphis who are fighting the Italians in the Sudan; Photos of South Africa's General Smuts and South African troops; Photo of the launch of the H.M.S. Duke of York with the King and Queen in attendance; Photo of Boeing's California assembly line for DB-7 bombers; Illustrated article entitled "The Arsenal of Democracy" - President Roosevelt's momentous address to the United States Congress; Great photo of depth charge exploding behind a British vessel in the Mediterranean; London bomb damage photos including BBC headquarters, Ave Maria Lane, and Paternoster Square; Full-page photo taken from atop St. Paul's looks down on the devastation caused to bookland; Photos of unsafe fire-damaged buildings being brought down by the Royal Engineers; Centerfold illustration by Montague B. Black shows the combined attack on Bardia by the Navy, Army and Air Force; Wonderful photos of the battle-scarred H.M.S. Carnarvon Castle and part of her crew as they pull in to Montevideo; Nice photo of Major-General Beresford-Peirse, Commander of the Indian Division, with two of his officers; Captured Italian booty; Panoramic full-page graphic of the battle for Bardia; A huge column of captured Italians in the desert; Bren carriers in battle formation; Illustrated article entitled "How the Ground Staff Keep R.A.F. Bombers in Order"; Full-page illustration of Bremen as an inferno of fire after a concentrated R.A.F. attack; Two nice photos of the new Blackburn Botha, a torpedo-carrying bomber; A commentary on the war this week; The Balkan war in pictures; Summary of the chief events in the war this week. Clean and unmarked with moderate wear. Binding tight. A quality copy.
Seller: RareNonFiction, IOBA, Ladysmith, BC, Canada
Price: US$275.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, only printing of Churchill's December 23, 1940 address to the Italian People. The end of 1940 found Britain having escaped the imminent threat of invasion, but nonetheless beleaguered and pinning many hopes on the United States, which was still months away from approving the Lend Lease Act and nearly a year from formally entering the war. "With his thoughts focused on the many dangers in the Aegean and Mediterranean, Churchill broadcast on the evening of December 23 to the Italian People." (Gilbert, Volume VI, p.960).The eight-page, wire-stitched pamphlet measures 6 x 9 inches (15.2 x 22.9 cm). Condition is near-fine. The paper is bright, clean, and crisp showing virtually no wear. The only flaw is a small .25 inch (.64 cm) roughly circular blemish at the upper right edge of the front cover. The pamphlet is protected within a removable, clear, archival mylar sleeve. Churchill spoke from the Central War Room, assuring the Italian People of Britain's historic friendship with Italy and placing the blame for the conflict on Mussolini. "That he is a great man I do not deny, but that after eighteen years of unbridled power he has led your country to the horrid verge of ruin can be denied by none." Churchill read his exchange of letters with Mussolini from the previous May when he had appealed to the Italian leader not to pit Britain and Italy against one another. "Any one can see who it was that wanted peace and who it was that meant to have war." Churchill cast Mussolini as having sided with the Nazis to the detriment of his own people and concluded: "One man, and one man only, has led you; and there I leave this unfolding story until the day comes - as come it will - when the Italian nation will once more take a hand in shaping its own fortunes."This pamphlet is one in a series of Churchill's speeches printed by the British Library of Information in New York. The British Library of Information published thirty-four editions of statements, speeches, and broadcast addresses by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (that number including some variant publications of the same speeches), beginning with his first speech as Prime Minister of 13 May 1940 and ending with the broadcast address of 29 November 1942. These editions were often issued within two or three days of delivery and "reveal the political determination of the British government to bring the inspiration and steadfastness of the Prime Minister and the British nation to an American nation not yet engaged in the war. Indeed, twenty-two of the BLOI speech pamphlets were published before Pearl Harbor." (Cohen, Volume I, p.513, A120)Reference: Cohen A137.1, Woods A63
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$275.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, only printing of Churchill's October 21, 1940 broadcast speech to the French people. This speech was made from the Cabinet War Rooms very close to the end of the Battle of Britain. This four-page folded paper leaflet measures 9.25 inches tall x 6 inches wide (23.5 x 15.2 cm). Condition is very good, particularly given the inherent fragility. The leaflet is complete, with only light wear, including mild creasing along the top and fore edges with a short closed tear to the lower fore edges. While there is modest age-toning, there is no spotting or previous ownership marks. Two small rust stains along the left edge of the front cover are almost certainly transfer from corroded staples binding another stapled pamphlet with which this pamphlet was long stored. The leaflet is protected within a clear, removable, archival mylar sleeve. In October 1940 Britains war was still not so much a struggle for victory as a struggle to survive. Churchill had become prime minister on 10 May 1940, and his first months in office saw, among other near-calamities, the Battle of the Atlantic, the fall of France, evacuation at Dunkirk, and the Battle of Britain. France had capitulated to Nazi Germany in late June 1940 and by the second week of July Hitlers Luftwaffe had begun a massive, sustained aerial assault across the English Channel, the preparatory effort to gain air superiority before a planned invasion of England. About this speech, Churchill wrote after the war: "I took great pains to prepare this short address, as it had to be given in French. I was not satisfied with the literal translation at first provided, which did not give the spirit of what I could say in English and could feel in French, but Mr. Dejean, one of the Free French Staff in London, made a far better rendering, which I rehearsed several times and delivered from the basement of the Annexe, amid the crashes of an air raid." (Churchill, Their Finest Hour, p.509) Appealing to French pride and reassuring the French of British intentions and resolve, Churchill asked: "Frenchmen - re-arm your spirits before it is too late. Now what is it we British ask of you in this present hard and bitter time? What we ask at this moment in our struggle to win the victory which we will share with you, is that if you cannot help us, at least you will not hinder us. Good night, then. Sleep to gather strength for the morning. For the morning will come." (Churchill, Their Finest Hour, pp. 511-512)This leaflet is one in a series of Churchill's speeches printed by the British Library of Information in New York. The British Library of Information published thirty-four editions of statements, speeches, and broadcast addresses by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (that number including some variant publications of the same speeches), beginning with his first speech as Prime Minister of 13 May 1940 and ending with the broadcast address of 29 November 1942. These editions were often issued within two or three days of delivery and "reveal the political determination of the British government to bring the inspiration and steadfastness of the Prime Minister and the British nation to an American nation not yet engaged in the war. Indeed, twenty-two of the BLOI speech pamphlets were published before Pearl Harbor." (Cohen, Volume I, p.513, A120)Reference: Cohen A132.1, Woods A61 British Library of Information edition, only printing.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$275.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, only printing of Churchill's December 23, 1940 address to the Italian People. The end of 1940 found Britain having escaped the imminent threat of invasion, but nonetheless beleaguered and pinning many hopes on the United States, which was still months away from approving the Lend Lease Act and nearly a year from formally entering the war. "With his thoughts focused on the many dangers in the Aegean and Mediterranean, Churchill broadcast on the evening of December 23 to the Italian People." (Gilbert, Volume VI, p.960).This is an eight-page, wire-stitched pamphlet measuring 9 x 6 inches (22.9 x 15.2 cm). Condition is very good plus. The pamphlet is clean, crisp, and complete and both original binding staples are intact with no corrosion. The top edge shows mild creasing, some age-toning is evident at the perimeter of the covers, and there is a tiny dot of stray ink at the lower left front cover and another stray ink mark in the lower right blank margin of the fifth page. The pamphlet is protected in a removable, clear, archival mylar sleeve. Churchill spoke from the Central War Room, assuring the Italian People of Britain's historic friendship with Italy and placing the blame for the conflict on Mussolini. "That he is a great man I do not deny, but that after eighteen years of unbridled power he has led your country to the horrid verge of ruin can be denied by none." Churchill read his exchange of letters with Mussolini from the previous May when he had appealed to the Italian leader not to pit Britain and Italy against one another. "Any one can see who it was that wanted peace and who it was that meant to have war." Churchill cast Mussolini as having sided with the Nazis to the detriment of his own people and concluded: "One man, and one man only, has led you; and there I leave this unfolding story until the day comes - as come it will - when the Italian nation will once more take a hand in shaping its own fortunes."This pamphlet is one in a series of Churchill's speeches printed by the British Library of Information in New York. The British Library of Information published thirty-four editions of statements, speeches, and broadcast addresses by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (that number including some variant publications of the same speeches), beginning with his first speech as Prime Minister of 13 May 1940 and ending with the broadcast address of 29 November 1942. These editions were often issued within two or three days of delivery and "reveal the political determination of the British government to bring the inspiration and steadfastness of the Prime Minister and the British nation to an American nation not yet engaged in the war. Indeed, twenty-two of the BLOI speech pamphlets were published before Pearl Harbor." (Cohen, Volume I, p.513, A120)Reference: Cohen A137.1, Woods A63\
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, only printing of Churchill's speech to the House of Commons of 5 November 1940, reporting on wartime challenges after six months as Prime Minister. The eight-page, wire-stitched pamphlet in self-wraps measures 9 inches tall x 6 inches wide (22.9 x 15.2 cm). It is the only stand-alone contemporary publication of this speech. Condition is better than near fine, crisp, clean, and complete with no tears, no losses, no creasing, no previous ownership marks, and no wear or soiling. Both binding staples remain firmly intact and bright, with no corrosion. Some age-toning is the only defect noted. The pamphlet is protected within a clear, removable, archival mylar sleeve.In November 1940 Britains war was still not so much a struggle for victory as a struggle to survive. Churchill had become prime minister on 10 May 1940, and his six first months in office saw, among other near-calamities, the Battle of the Atlantic, the fall of France, evacuation at Dunkirk, and the Battle of Britain. France had capitulated to Nazi Germany in late June 1940 and by the second week of July Hitlers Luftwaffe had begun a massive, sustained aerial assault across the English Channel, the preparatory effort to gain air superiority before a planned invasion of England. Churchill reported in his speech that "Fourteen thousand civilians have been killed and 20,000 wounded, nearly four-fifths of them in London." The night before this speech was delivered, on 4 November 1940, "London had its first night free of air raids for eight weeks but only because "The Luftwaffe had decided to extend its raids to industrial centres and ports around the country." In view of the ongoing danger to London, "In November, for the first time, the Commons met at Church House in Westminster, because it was considered safer than the Palace of Westminster It was the first time the Commons had sat anywhere else since the fire of 1834 " (Roberts, WWD, p.616)Churchill composed his speech at Chequers while listening to Strauss waltzes played on his daughters gramophone. As this speech was delivered, Churchill was contemplating the plight of Greece which Britain would fail to prevent and, with far greater anxiety and import, the outcome of the American election, hoping that Franklin Roosevelt would be re-elected, giving the American President a freer hand in supporting Britains war effort. Only after delivering his speech did Churchill receive "indescribable relief" with the news that Roosevelt had been re-elected. (Roberts, WWD, p.615-16)In his speech Churchill conveyed the extent of the loss of life and property, but also carefully mitigated the impact: " little damage has been done to our munitions and aircraft production None of the services upon which the life our great cities depend has been broken down " Churchill took pains to point out how Britain had taxed German aggression in the form of severely disproportionate loss of German aircraft and pilots, favorably comparing the tallies to his previously stated hopes "to destroy three enemy machines to one of our own lost, and six pilots to one." The balance of the speech was a ranging survey of the Battle of the Atlantic, the state and necessity of the Home Guard, and a warning "against relaxation", as well as surveys of the British position in North Africa and the plight of Greece. It was a sober speech, soberly concluded and explicitly without promises: "We will do our best. That is all I can say."This pamphlet is one in a series of Churchill's speeches printed by the British Library of Information in New York. The British Library of Information published thirty-four editions of statements, speeches, and broadcast addresses by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (that number including some variant publications of the same speeches), beginning with his first speech as Prime Minister of 13 May 1940 and ending with the broadcast address of 29 November 1942. Reference: A134, Woods A62
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, only printing of Churchill's "The War of the Unknown Warriors" broadcast speech of July 14, 1940, just days after the beginning of the Battle of Britain: "This is no war of chieftains or of princes. It is a war of peoples and of causes. There are vast numbers. who will render faithful service in this war but whose names will never be known, whose deeds will never be recorded." This four-page folded paper leaflet measures 9.375 inches tall x 6.25 inches (23.8 x 15.9 cm) wide. Condition is, improbably, fine, particularly given the perishable format. The pamphlet is crisp, immaculate, and complete, with no wear or creasing, no soiling or toning. The sole previous ownership mark is itself quite interesting contemporary provenance; a three-line, blue ink stamp on the upper left blank margin of the final panel reads "RECEIVED EXAMINER | REFERENCE LIBRARY | JUL 23 1940". The excellent state of preservation hence owes to the fact that within days of issuance, this leaflet became part of a newspapers reference library, where it evidently resided, unmolested, for many years. We have not offered a superior example. The pamphlet is protected in a clear, removable, archival mylar sleeve.Churchill had become prime minister on 10 May 1940, and his first months in office saw, among other near-calamities, the Battle of the Atlantic, the fall of France, evacuation at Dunkirk, and the Battle of Britain. The wars outcome is now long-settled history, making it perhaps difficult to viscerally understand how imperiled Britain was in early July 1940 after the fall of France. France had capitulated to Nazi Germany in late June and by the second week of July Hitlers Luftwaffe had begun a massive, sustained aerial assault across the English Channel, the preparatory effort to gain air superiority before a planned invasion of England. On the evening of 14 July, "Churchill delivered a broadcast that was heard by nearly two-thirds of the adult population of the United Kingdom." (Roberts, WWD, p.578) Churchill told his countrymen "We are fighting by ourselves alone; but we are not fighting for ourselves alone here, girt about by the seas and oceans where the navy reigns, shielded from above by the prowess and devotion of our airmen, we await undismayed the impending assault." Churchill struck a sternly resolute and unequivocally defiant note for his countrymen: "We must show ourselves equally capable of meeting a sudden violent shock, or what is perhaps a harder test a prolonged vigil. But be the ordeal sharp or long or both we shall seek no terms, we shall tolerate no parley. We may show mercy; we shall ask none."Home intelligence reported "universal approval across all regions of the country for the speech A typical comment, from Bristol, was Thats the sort of thing we want and hes the fellow we can follow." (Roberts, WWD, p578)This pamphlet is one in a series of Churchill's speeches printed by the British Library of Information in New York. The British Library of Information published thirty-four editions of statements, speeches, and broadcast addresses by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (that number including some variant publications of the same speeches), beginning with his first speech as Prime Minister of 13 May 1940 and ending with the broadcast address of 29 November 1942. These editions were often issued within two or three days of delivery and "reveal the political determination of the British government to bring the inspiration and steadfastness of the Prime Minister and the British nation to an American nation not yet engaged in the war. Indeed, twenty-two of the BLOI speech pamphlets were published before Pearl Harbor." (Cohen, Volume I, p.513, A120)Reference: Cohen A128, Woods A58
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: This is an exceedingly rare wartime speech pamphlet featuring Churchill's Address to the Italian People of 23rd December 1940. Broadcasting from the Cabinet War Rooms, Churchill sought to assure the Italians of Britain's historic friendship with Italy and place blame for the conflict on Mussolini. Churchill's speech is published here with two others - King George VI's Christmas Day Message of 25th December 1940 and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King's Christmas Day message to the Canadian Army. This speech pamphlet is unusual in several respects - its publication, its survival, and its superlative condition. Per Churchill Bibliographer Ronald Cohen (pages 530-532) the publisher - Universal Life Assurance and Annuity Company - was in business from 1902 to 1942. In an exuberant surge of patriotism, the company published over 40 booklets in the "Universal Life for Victory Series", a few of which were speeches by Churchill. Apparently, there were copyright concerns in the office of the Prime Minister, as well as with his British and Canadian publishers. Prickly correspondence was exchanged, but also some correspondence recognizing the propaganda value of Universal Life's efforts. Eventually the matter was closed. This copy, a remarkable survivor, is in truly outstanding, fine condition. The pamphlet is bound in wire stitched paper wraps, measures 6 inches x 3.5 inches, and is 14 pages in length. Churchill's speech occupies all of pages 8 through 14. The pamphlet is pristine inside and out - crisp, clean, and bright with no wear or markings of any kind. Searching for flaws, we note that one of the two binding staples (both still perfectly tight) shows just a trivial hint of rust, but not even enough to stain the adjacent paper. It is hard to imagine many copies of this perishable and unusual wartime publication still exist; a superior example is improbable. The pamphlet is protected in a removable, archival quality mylar sleeve. Bibliographic reference: Cohen D77, unknown to Woods.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: This is a collection of eight early Second World War pamphlets, each publishing British Prime Minister Winston Churchills speeches spanning 13 May 1940 to 12 November 1940. These pamphlets were published in Canada simultaneously by three Canadian newspapers on or about 13 December 1940. The newspapers were the Regina Leader-Post, Winnipeg Free Press, and Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Each of the three newspapers put out their own edition in their respective cities at the same time. A week later, there was also a collective edition with all three newspapers listed as publishers together on the title page. In total, there were eight variations each of the four publication issues bound in both yellow and green wraps, and orange and green wraps. As may be imagined, it is almost prohibitively challenging to assemble all eight different issues. Here is a full set of eight. All are in very good condition. The original binding staples are still intact. The illustrated card wraps bindings are still bright and unfaded with only modest wear to extremities and light soiling. The contents are bright and complete. The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix issue with orange wraps has some ink notation to the upper front cover and a short, closed tear at the upper spine. The Winnipeg Free Press issue with yellow wraps has a small moisture stain to the lower front cover fore edge, also affecting the blank inner margin of the first few leaves. The pamphlet title takes its name from Churchills speech of 18 June 1940 his famous "Finest Hour" speech after the Dunkirk evacuation and fall of France, just weeks into Churchills wartime premiership. Churchills speech was delivered first to the House of Commons and then broadcast. The speech concludes with the famous Churchill lines: "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire last for a thousand years, men will still say "This was their finest hour." This is iconically defiant, inspirational wartime Churchill oratory. His "This was their finest hour" speech was made after France had sought an armistice on the evening of 16 June.These pamphlets were published in early December 1940. At the time, Britains war was still not so much a struggle for victory as a struggle to survive. Churchill had become prime minister on 10 May 1940, and his first half a year in office saw, among other near-calamities, the Battle of the Atlantic, the fall of France, evacuation at Dunkirk, and the Battle of Britain. A fraught, full year would pass before the U.S. officially entered the war.Reference: Cohen A136; Woods mentions the publication under A66(a). First edition, both individual and collective issues.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1000.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, only printing of Churchill's "Speech on the Surrender of the Belgian Army" delivered in the House of Commons on 28 May 1940, just 18 days after Churchill became Britains wartime Prime Minister. This four-page folded paper leaflet measures 9 inches tall x 6 inches wide (22.9 x 15.2 cm). Condition is near fine, particularly impressive given the perishable format. The pamphlet is crisp, clean, and complete, with no wear or creasing, no soiling or toning. The sole previous ownership mark is itself quite interesting contemporary provenance; a three-line, blue ink stamp in the blank upper left portion of the front cover panel reads "RECEIVED EXAMINER | REFERENCE LIBRARY | JUN 21 1940". The excellent state of preservation hence owes to the fact that within days of issuance, this leaflet became part of a newspapers reference library, where it evidently resided, unmolested, for many years. The pamphlet is protected in a clear, removable, archival mylar sleeve.On 28 May 1940, the day he delivered this speech in the House of Commons "Churchill had been Prime Minister for less than three weeks. No hour had been free from bad news, worry, and the need for immediate decisions." (Gilbert, Vol. VI, p.421) That day, facing the fall of France, in the midst of the Dunkirk evacuation, Britain was confronted with the pre-dawn capitulation of Belgiums 38-year-old King Leopold III to Hitlers Germany, removing Belgium from the fight and beginning what would prove nearly five years of Nazi occupation.Churchill short speech on the Surrender of the Belgian Army to the House of Commons, was threaded with characteristic but, given the dire circumstances, subdued resolve. "Whatever our feelings from facts so far known to us, we must remember that the sense of brotherhood between the many people who have fallen into the power of the aggressor and those who still confront him will play its part in better days than those through which we are now passing Surrender of the Belgian Army in this manner adds appreciably to the grievous peril, but our troops are in good heart and fighting with the utmost skill and tenacity the house must prepare itself for hard and heavy tidings nothing which can happen in the battle can in any way relieve us of our duty to defend the world cause to which we have bound ourselves, nor can it destroy our confidence in our power to make our way as on former occasions in our history through disaster and grief to ultimate defeat of our enemy."This pamphlet is one in a series of Churchill's speeches printed by the British Library of Information in New York. The British Library of Information published thirty-four editions of statements, speeches, and broadcast addresses by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (that number including some variant publications of the same speeches), beginning with his first speech as Prime Minister of 13 May 1940 and ending with the broadcast address of 29 November 1942. These editions were often issued within two or three days of delivery and "reveal the political determination of the British government to bring the inspiration and steadfastness of the Prime Minister and the British nation to an American nation not yet engaged in the war. Indeed, twenty-two of the BLOI speech pamphlets were published before Pearl Harbor." (Cohen, Volume I, p.513, A120)Reference: Cohen A123, Woods A58
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.