Home / Browse / Military & Naval / A Resumé of Thirty-four Years' Army Service [together with;] Incidents and Occurrences during my Thirty-four Years' Service.

APPLEYARD, Frederick Ernest.

A Resumé of Thirty-four Years' Army Service [together with;] Incidents and Occurrences during my Thirty-four Years' Service.

First and only editions. Rare, privately-printed memoirs of service, COPAC has just BL and Cambridge for the first item, Oxford, Cambridge and BL for the second. Account of Appleyard's career from gazetting to the 80th Ft. in 1850, transfer to the Royal Fusiliers (with whom he served in the Crimea) in 1853 then 85th K.L.I. from 1861. Campaigns included Burma 1852-53, Crimea inc. all main battles. Commanded the 3rd Brigade in the 1st Division of the Peshawur Valley Field Force under Sir Sam Browne in the 2nd Afghan War, 1878-79. Although several times mentioned in despatches in warm terms by Sam Browne - "commanded a brigade of my division at the attack on Ali Musjid …always shewn himself to be a zealous & energetic officer" - he was not universally held in high esteem due to losses of transport animals and baggage. incurred by his command during the reconnaissance to Tarakai, and was in this connection barred from further employment in India after the Afghan War. The Viceroy accused him of "lamentable errors of judgement" and "an entire want of forethought." Most of the first-named, some 115 pages, consists of the author's excellent, detailed letters to his wife from the Afghan campaign, which form a cohesive diary of events from day to day, with extracts from the relevant despatches. The second instalment was published due to the "regret" of "some old brother officers that my reminiscences …were curtailed, [which] has induced me to add a few episodes..." Both items inscribed by the author on the front free endpapers, "Sergt. Major J Hollett, with all good wishes from Maj. Genl. Appleyard, C.B., Inkerman Day 1910. Tarakai, Surbiton." It is interesting that Appleyard should name his house after the scene of the controversial "errors of judgement" from which he no doubt felt fully vindicated. The house still defiantly stands!

2 volumes, octavo, original purple cloth, title gilt to upper boards of both and spine of the second-named. Portrait frontispiece to each. Cloth slightly rubbed and sunned, light browning, but overall very good.

Don't understand our descriptions? Try reading our Glossary

Ask Us a Question | Print | Add to wishlist
Email to a Friend