MARCHING OR FLYING BY NIGHT
WITHOUT A COMPASS
Colonel W. A. Tilney
(Late 17th Lancers)
HUGH REES LTD, London, 1915
A rare original 1915 edition of Colonel W. A. Tilney’s guide to navigating at night without the aid of a compass. Introduced by Lt-General Douglas Haig, it was first published in February 1914. Intended to be a practical guide to night navigation without the aid of a compass, this manual would have been a valuable aid to soldiers and R.F.C. airmen who were, for whatever reason, unable to make use of a service or aeroplane compass at night. With clear instructions on how to navigate by using the positions of the stars at different times of the year, it includes detailed timetables of the direction of various stars throughout the years 1915 to 1920. It also includes two large coloured star charts at the rear of the book. There is a foreword, dated 9th February 1914, by
Lt. General Douglas Haig in which he stated:
'Anything that can be of assistance to officers and men in finding their way by night is of very direct value. Colonel Tilney's work towards this end has been tested and found successful. I have, therefore, pleasure in commending it to the notice of officers and men'.
The book is signed on the front cover by
‘F. C. Garrett’. This may be Lt-Colonel F. C. Garrett who commanded the 2/1 Northern Cyclists Battalion until 1918.
Condition: In good condition. The stiff card cover is in good condition, with general signs of wear and use and some marks. The binding is good and secure. The text is in good condition with a few minor marks. The fold-out illustrations are in good condition. There is an ink signature of ‘
F. C. Garrett’ on the front cover.
Published: 1915
Red card covers, with black titling
Illustrated with diagrams and fold-outs
Dimensions: 90mm x 150mm
Pages: 64 (plus two fold-out charts)
