JOHNNY GURKHA. [Author SIGNED copy.]

UK,8vo HB+protected dw/dj,SIGNED,1st edn.NFINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn but author's neat,handwritten,blue ink dedicated,dated and SIGNED inscrptn: 'John & Margaret With very best wishes Duncan.31 JAN 65.' to ffe and no price-clip to protected dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean, matt,khaki background with b/w illustration to upper panel+spine of dw/dj,designed by BIRO,with blue and b/w lettering; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - appears no major nicks or tears present - due to protected dw/dj.Top edges lightly dust-soiled, lightly aged and lightly thumbed/grubbed in vicinity of head of spine/backstrip (where book is pulled off a shelf by either thumbs of forefingers) and a couple of small spots,fore-edges brighter and cleaner with just slight ageing; contents bright,tight,clean - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,publisher's original,plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp, blocked blue fluorescent gilt letters to spine/backstrip and near immaculate plain white endpaapers - inscription excepted.UK,8vo HB+ protected dw/dj,1st edn,8-208pp [paginated] includes illustrations list/table with acknowledgements and maps list to reverse of last page of the illustrations list,a foreword by BRIGADIER SIR JOHN SMYTH,Bt, V.C.,M.C.,MP,15 chapters,14pp contemporary b/w photographs interspersed throughout the book and the text,3 double- page and 1 single page b/w maps,and an index,plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages and a contents list/table.
1965 is the 150th anniversary of the year the first Gurkhas joined the Army of Britain's East India Company.They have been serving under the British flag ever since in fair times and in foul,from Western Europe to Japan.
When India became independent in 1947 of all the many fine races of men in the Indian Army it was the Gurkhas alone who had the opportunity of transferring to the British Army.The reason was that they were not subjects of India but of Nepal.Yet,politics apart,it was fitting that this should be so,for with their indomitable sense of humour,their endurance and stubbornness in adversity and their indifference to politician and parson,they were the closest of all to the British soldier in temperament.
Ever since the siege of Delhi "Johnny" Gurkha has been the comrade in arms of the British forces and has earned their respect and esteem.
The future is,as ever,uncertain,but the Gurkha soldier,once he has pledged his gage,remains true to his salt.
In this book Duncan Forbes,who is himself an officer serving with Gurkhas and knows their homeland well,shows how it came about that the men of a small country in the Himalayas came to earn renown throughout Europe and Asia and to pull not a few British chestnuts out of the fire,where but for them they might have burnt to cinders.
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