The Anzac book. Written and illustrated in Gallipoli by the men of Anzac (first impression, first issue)

London : Cassell and Company, 1916. First impression, with the 2’6 price on upper wrapper. Quarto, illustrated wrappers with yapp edges (edges worn and frayed, a couple of short splits to foot of spine), pp. xvi; 170, scattered foxing, colour plates and other illustrations, general wear. First impression, the poem ‘Trojan War’ maintaining its misattributed to J. Wareham, and first issue, with the error on p. 5 (the date incorrectly reads 15 April 1915, this would be corrected in the second issue to 25 April 1915).

“In the year 1916, for the benefit of Patriotic Funds, Cassell & Co., published The Anzac Book with this significant note : “Written and illustrated in Gallipoli by the Men of Anzac.” and an introduction by Lieut. General Sir William Birdwood, the only “outside” contribution, as noted at p. xiv by the editor, Dr. C. E. W. Bean, in his introduction, being Mr Edgar Wallace’s poetic tribute to the Australian and New Zealand force, which was included with the consent of the author.” As collectors always desire to procure not only first editions, but better, first impressions, The Anzac Book presents an interesting problem in primogeniture. If you look carefully at p. 104, of a genuine “first,” you will find there a poem of six stanzas entitled “The Trojan Way, 1915.” It is signed “J. Wareham, 1st Australian Field Ambulance.” One copy, in my collection, is so inscribed and is bound in blue leather t.e.g., with the decorated dust-jacket in colour which became the front cover of the second impression, the earlier one being suppressed because it was soon discovered that “The Trojan War, 1915” was in reality the work of Arthur H. Adams, a member of the staff of the Bulletin, who was not an Anzac, and not even a soldier. If again you look at p. 104, in most copies of The Anzac Book you will find that, though typographically the two impressions are identical, the later has “J. Wareham” changed to “Arthur H. Adams” and contains the note : “These verses were not actually written at Anzac, but were selected by the editors for inclusion in this volume as an Australian’s tribute to the spirit of Anzac.” The explanation of the error in attribution of the poem to “J. Wareham,” whoever he was, I still have to learn.” – George Mackaness, The art of Book Collecting in Australia, Sydney 1956, p. 171.

‘This book was originally intended as a Christmas and New Year diversion for soldiers facing a harsh winter in the trenches on Gallipoli. In November 1915 a committee was formed to produce the publication and a notice seeking contributions was circulated at Gallipoli. Prizes were offered for various categories and 150 submissions were received, although not all were incorporated in the book. After the evacuation of Gallipoli, official war correspondent Charles Bean and his assistant, Arthur Bazely, edited the contributions. The drawing on the front cover, “Gallipoli 1915” is by David Baker. Over 100,000 copies of the book were sold. About half went to the AIF and many could also be found in Australian households. It cost 2/6. The illustrations, stories, cartoons and poems for this book were created by soldiers under enemy fire and in extreme hardship.’ – Victorian Collections website https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5b06463d21ea690cb48ae326

Scarce.