The Story of the Ninth. A Record of the 9th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps. July 1939 - July 1943

(Johannesburg: 9th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps, [1948]). 8vo; original red cloth, with gilt lettering and regimental emblem to upper cover; endpaper map; pp. 161; plates in monochrome and colour; line drawings in text; some maps. Spine a bit sunned; occasional fox spot. Very good condition. A very attractively illustrated unit history. "THE STORY OF THE NINTH will be eagerly sought after by all past and present Sappers. Not only will it be treasured as a valuable personal memento by all who knew the 9th Field Company at close quarters, but by contributing to the funds of the Sappers Association it will assist in perpetuating the memory of Those Comrades of all S.A.E.C. Units who did not return. It became apparent in the early planning days of 1939 and 1940 that South Africa, with its high proportion of artisans and technicians, would be able to make a larger contribution in Sapper personnel than was ever likely to be needed for our own Divisional and L. of C. requirements. Rather than use this surplus of skilled man-power in a non-technical rôle, the General Staff wisely agreed to organise and train both full- and part-time Sappers for any emergency likely to arise and, as near as possible, to anticipate the need for specialized Engineer units for a multitude of purposes. The fact can now be proudly recorded that, due to this early foresight, no request for Sapper assistance from any of the various Force Headquarters, however complicated, was ever made to the U.D.F. in vain." .