STAFF MANUAL - WAR
Provisional, 1912
GENERAL STAFF, WAR OFFICE, London, 1912
A rare 1912 edition of Staff Manual - War, a British Army officer's manual, published by the War Office just before the First World War. The book is signed on the front cover by its original owner, ‘Josselyn’. There was only one officer of that name in the British Army in August 1914, Captain J. Josselyn, 6th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (late Major, Madras Artillery).
Colonel John Josselyn D.S.O. (1872-1943): was a solicitor in Madras, where he also served as an officer with the Madras Guards and Artillery Volunteers, before returning to Britain and setting up a practice in Ipswich. He served as a Captain with the Suffolk Yeomanry from 1910. Mobilised in August 1914, he served on Coast Defence with the 6th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment until January 1915, when he was appointed Brigade Major with 185th Infantry Brigade. In May 1916, having been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, he took command of the 2/5th West Yorks. After training in England, the unit sailed for France in January 1917, subsequently seeing service in the trenches at Miraumont, Bullecourt and in a number of attacks on the Hindenburg Line. In August 1917 Josselyn was wounded near Croiselles and hospitalised, returning to the U.K. suffering from shell-shock. He was awarded the D.S.O. in January 1918, and was also awarded the Croix de Guerre, and was mentioned in despatches. In May 1918 Josselyn joined the North Russian Expeditionary Force, seeing service on the Murmansk Railway, in addition to commanding a Battalion on the Kern Front and the Dvina and Vaga River Expeditions, between August and October 1918. In June 1918 he had been awarded the O.B.E. 'For an act of gallantry not in the presence of the enemy'. Josselyn returned home in 1919 and was created a C.M.G., mentioned in despatches and awarded the 3rd class Order of St. Vladimir and 2nd class Order of St. Anne. Between 1920 and 1922 Josselyn was Deputy Director of the Russian Claims Department Board, while retaining his rank as Colonel with the Territorial Force. During the 1939-45 War he served with the Home Guard unti his death in October 1943.
Staff Manual-War includes details of the General Principles of Guidance of Staff Officers, covering subjects such as: duties of Staff Officers, duties of the Staff in war, operations of the Intelligence Section, information about the enemy, troop movements, relations between GHQ and the Intelligence Section, war diaries, information from prisoners, organization of the Secret Service, codes and ciphers, flags of truce, censorship, relations with the Press, maps, plans and sketches, topography, photography, Court Martial, transport, ammunition and equipment, Staff Duties in Brigades, etc. The maual is illustrated with fold-out charts.
Condition:
In very good condition. The boards are in good condition with general signs of use and some marks. The hinges and binding are good and secure. The text and fold-outs are in very good condition. The book is signed on the front cover by ‘Josselyn’.
Published: November 1912
Khaki boards with black titling
Dimensions: 110mm x 135mm
Pages: 105
