Beschreibung:

An important album of original photographs and documentation appertaining to Brigadier-General C. L. Smith, V.C., M.C., the founder and leader of the Imperial Camel Corps 1916-18, who, ‘like Lawrence, combined an apparent indifference to heat, cold, hunger, thirst and fatigue, when he was in the desert, with a kind of undergraduate sense of humour and love of adventure, provided it was both dangerous and unusual’, the large leather bound album with 30pp., with subject matter for the period 1910-1928 on 55 used sides, comprising a plethora of career photographs (approximately 60), from Sudan 1910 to many unpublished images of the Palestine campaign, and beyond; letters to Smith from senior officers (4), namely Lieutenant-General Sir Philip Chetwode, requesting help from the Imperial Camel Corps (I.C.C.), dated 31 December 1916, Major-General S. W. Hare, thanking Smith and the I.C.C. for saving his men from a ‘warm hammering’, dated 23 April 1917, General Allenby officially thanking Smith and the I.C.C., dated 9 June 1918, General J. R. Longley, thanking Smith and the I.C.C. on a ‘magnificent performance’ in recent operations, dated 24 September 1918; wartime letters from Smith to family and friends (3), namely an account of the good conduct of the “Isle of Wight Rifles” and the death of ‘Charlie Seely’ at the 2nd Battle of Gaza, dated 11 March 1918, with related photograph of a tank “H.M.L.S. Nutty” (undoubtedly Captain C. G. Seely, 8th Hampshires, buried at Gaza), another to his mother, with news from the front, dated 24 April 1917 (‘We have been through a serious time ...’), and to his father, of a similar nature, dated 21 October 1918; assorted newspaper / magazine cuttings, and the General’s original Great War mention in despatches certificates (6), these latter comprising General Sir A. J. Murray’s despatches dated 1 July 1916, 13 October 1916, 18 March 1917 and 20 June 1917, General Sir F. R. Wingate’s despatch dated 8 August 1916, and General Sir E. H. H. Allenby’s despatch dated 3 April 1918, together with Buckingham Palace V.C. Garden Party invitation, dated 26 June 1920, and much besides, album corners and spine a little scuffed, contents in excellent condition (Lot) £1500-2000 Footnote Clement Leslie Smith was born in the Isle of Wight in January 1878, son of the Chaplain in Ordinary at Osborne, ‘where he was practically brought up with Princess Ena (later Queen of Spain) and her young brothers, sharing in all their games and pursuits, and often playing hockey with the young Prince George (later George V)’. Gazetted to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry from the Volunteers in May 1900, he served on the staff in South Africa 1901-02 and was advanced to Lieutenant in August of the latter year. In May 1903, he took up appointment as a Special Service Officer in Somaliland, and it was in this capacity that he was awarded the Victoria Cross (London Gazette 7 June 1904, refers): ‘At the commencement of the fight at Jidballi on 10 January 1904, the enemy made a very sudden and determined rush on the 5th Somali Mounted Infantry from under cover of bushes close at hand. They were supported by rifle fire, advanced very rapidly, and got right amongst our men. Lieutenant Smith, Somali Mounted Infantry, and Lieutenant J. R. Welland, M.D., Royal Army Medical Corps, went out to the aid of Hospital Assistant Rahamat Ali, who was wounded, and endeavoured to bring him out of action on a horse, but the rapidity of the enemy’s advance rendered this impossible, and the hospital assistant was killed. Lieutenant Smith then did all that any man can do to bring out Dr. Welland, helping him to mount a horse and, when that was shot, a mule. This also was hit and Dr. Welland was speared by the enemy. Lieutenant Smith stood by Dr. Welland to the end, and when that officer was killed, was within a few paces of him with his revolver. At the time the Dervishes appeared to be all round him, and it was marvellous that he escaped with his life.’ Em