WAKE, Major-General Sir Hereward. Laugh With Me.
Privately printed, 1946.
First edition, first impression. Privately printed presentation copy from the author to Charles Portal.
Quarto. Original patterned paper wrappers, printed title label to upper cover in red and black, plain spine, illustrated with line drawings and comic sketches, contents printed on good quality paper.
Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: “To a distinguished Air Marshal / from the author / Hereward Wake / 1948.”
A rare privately printed collection of verse, parody, sporting pieces, family jokes and country-house humour by Major-General Sir Hereward Wake, 13th Baronet, CB, CMG, DSO. Wake states in the opening note that the book was not issued for the public market, but privately printed for those within his family and friendship circle: “So I launch my rhymes into print just for those of my family and friends who can put up even with parody so long as they are reminded of good days and how we laughed.”
This copy comes from the personal collection of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Frederick Algernon Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford, Chief of the Air Staff during the central years of the Second World War. Wake and Portal do not appear to have served in the same unit or direct command, but their worlds clearly overlapped within Britain’s senior defence establishment. Wake was a decorated King’s Royal Rifle Corps officer, won the DSO in the Second Boer War, and served during the First World War in the secretariat of the Allied Supreme War Council at Versailles, where his work concerned enemy strength and supply. In the Second World War he returned to national service as commander of the Northern Home Guard from 1940 to 1943, while Portal, appointed Chief of the Air Staff in 1940, directed the RAF through the main strategic air war. Wake also chaired the Northamptonshire Territorial Army Association, placing him firmly within the wartime home-defence establishment.
A charming and highly personal survival, made more important by its presentation to one of Britain’s foremost wartime commanders. Near fine, with bright wrappers, clean label, crisp contents and only light handling. Extremely rare in commerce, and especially desirable with Portal provenance.
