KNOWLEDGE FOR WAR
Captain B. C. Lake
HARRISON AND SONS, London, 1916
A rare WW1 British Army officers trench warfare handbook. This is the 1st edition, undated, but published in 1916. It proved to be a very popular book with those serving at the front, and at least eight further editions were published during the war. The book is signed on the front endpapers by 'Cyril S. Greenleaf, 3/4 E.X.' and also includes some pencil notes made by Lt Greenleaf.
Lieutenant Cyril Staines Greenleaf (1897-1973): was from Lewisham in Kent and enlisted as a Private in the Honourable Artillery Company in December 1914. In November 1915 he was commissioned as a 2/Lt with the 4th Battalion of the Essex Regiment. He went out to France in September 1916, and joined the 7th Rifle Brigade on 4th October. Whilst with the Rifle Brigade 2/Lt Greenleaf saw action during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the First battle of the Scarpe in April 1917. He ws later promoted to Lieutenant and served with the Machine Gun Corps
Knowledge For War is a compendium of more or less everything a junior officer heading out to the trenches would need to know: from basic details of officers kit, to how to deal with gas attacks, build trenches and dug-outs, construct barbed wire defences, conduct bombing raids, look after weapons, and all the other duties of an officer in the front line. It includes a selection of inspiring verses that might help out in moments of crisis: Kipling's 'If' and Wordsworth's 'Freedom'. With advice on how to get a Machine Gun working in an emergency, how to use several different types of hand grenades and other more general hints on trench warfare, this is a very interesting window into the world of the junior officer in 1916. Near the end of the book there is a checklist of things an officer should constantly ask himself:
'I am here for two purposes—to do as much damage as possible to the enemy and to hold my part of the line at all costs. Am I doing everything possible to ensure my being able to do this?'
The book is very well illustrated with diagrams and line drawings and also includes a number of excellent advertisements for officers kit, such as trench coats and that other essential item, the luminous trench watch.
Condition:
In good condition. The boards are quite worn, with general signs of age and wear, creases, and marks. The binding and hinges are secure. The text and illustrations are in good condition, with some marks. The book is signed on the front endpapers: 'Cyril S. Greenleaf, 3/4 E.X.'
Published: 1916
Orange boards with black titling
Illustrated with line drawings and diagrams
Dimensions: 105mm x 155mm
Pages: 174
