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HASTINGS**, MAX: : OPERATION PEDESTAL: THE FLEET THAT BATTLED TO MALTA 1942

LONDON.WILLIAM COLLINS/an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers,2021.

ISBN 9780008364946

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED+dated,1st edn. [Complete number line 1.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn but author's handwritten black ink signature and date thus: 'Max Hastings (underscore) 2021' to a bound in special limitation page before the half-title,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,matt, colour photographic (the tanker Oohio torpedoed on 12 August 1942) illustrated front panel of dw/dj,with capitalised,glossy embossed red-lettered author name,capitalised,glossy embossed part title and capitalised,glossy flat printed black-lettered subtitle and a black background with white lettered 'Signed by the author' circular adhesive label,spine/ backstrip with tumbnail colour photograph detail from front's photograph to foot of spine and glossy flat printed,capitalised red-lettered author name and flat printed,capitalised black-lettered part title and publisher's capitalised white lettered +illustrated colophon to foot of same,rear panel with contemporary b/w photograph (the cruiser Fiji fires her main armament during the night action of 12/13 August 1942) and white-lettered synopsis/extract. Negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing to edges and corners – no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean, solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,appears unread,other than my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,unblemished sharp-cornered, original plain black cloth boards with bright, crisp,blocked silver gilt lettered spine/ backstrip and similarly illustrated publlisher's colophon,a red+grey(?) striped headband,and immaculate repeated colour map/nautical illustrated endpapers (from S. W. Roskill,The War at Sea, Vol.II - See my book ID rja32859 for an example of this title and rja28217 and rja515 for other titles by same author.) UK,8vo HB+ dw/dj,author SIGNED LTD,1st edn,xii-xxxIIIpp+ 2-428pp [paginated] includes illustrations list/table, author's Introduction,The Pedestal Fleet and1pp of black silhouettes of some of the ships,a Glossary,13 chapters - 4 with 2 parts,1 with 3 parts,32pp contemporary b/w photographs in 4 blocks of 8pp apiece,between pp62/63, pp158/59,pp238/39 and pp334/35 respectively,an Appendix,Acknowledgements,References and Notes, an 8pp Bibliography,and an Index; plus Author SIGNED Limitation page,half-title+title pages,a dedication,an epigram (Norman Smart,a war correspondent accompanying the Pedestal fleet),a Contents list/table,and to the rear,2pp blanks.  Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It really is an exceptional,exemplary copy for its cleanliness and brightness and as an author SIGNED,Limited edition example too.                              In August 1942, beleaguered Malta was within weeks of surrender to the Axis, because its 300,000 people could no longer be fed. Churchill made a personal decision that at all costs, the 'island fortress' must be saved. This was not merely a matter of strategy, but of national prestige, when Britain's fortunes and morale had fallen to their lowest ebb. The largest fleet the Royal Navy committed to any operation of the western war was assembled to escort fourteen fast merchantmen across a thousand of miles of sea defended by six hundred German and Italian aircraft, together with packs of U-boats and torpedo craft. The Mediterranean battles that ensued between 11 and 15 August were the most brutal of Britain's war at sea, embracing four aircraft-carriers, two battleships, seven cruisers, scores of destroyers and smaller craft. The losses were appalling: defeat seemed to beckon. This is the saga Max Hastings unfolds in his first full length narrative of the Royal Navy, which he believes was the most successful of Britain's wartime services. As always, he blends the 'big picture' of statesmen and admirals with human stories of German U-boat men, Italian torpedo-plane crews, Hurricane pilots, destroyer and merchant-ship captains, ordinary but extraordinary seamen. 'Operation Pedestal' describes catastrophic ship sinkings, including that of the aircraft-carrier Eagle, together with struggles to rescue survivors and salvage stricken ships. Most moving of all is the story of the tanker Ohio, indispensable to Malta's survival, victim of countless Axis attacks. In the last days of the battle, the ravaged hulk was kept under way only by two destroyers,lashed to her sides. Max Hastings describes this as one of the most extraordinary tales he has ever recounted. Until the very last hours, no participant on either side could tell what would be the outcome of an epic of wartime suspense and courage.                                   Please contact seller because of the lighter weight of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!          N.B. ALL buyers please note,that stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE.    ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of any inexpensive book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED+ dated,Limited,1st edn.
Author SIGNED - without dedication - but dated.

HASTINGS**, MAX: : OPERATION PEDESTAL: THE FLEET THAT BATTLED TO MALTA 1942

LONDON.WILLIAM COLLINS/an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers,2021.

ISBN 9780008364946.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn. [Complete number line 1.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,matt, colour photograph [tanker Ohio is torpedoed on 12 August,1942] illustrated front of dw/dj with authors' names in capitalised,glossy,embossed, red lettering; capitalised,glossy,embossed black-lettered part-title,capitalised, glossy, flat printed black-lettered subtitle - all to front of dw/dj; spine/backstrip with colour illustrated detail from front with capitalised, glossy,flat printed red-lettered author name and capitalised,glossy,flat printed black-lettered part-title,and publisher’s capitalised,white-lettered name and white illustrated colophon respectively,to foot of same,rear panel of dw/dj with nightime b/w photograph [cruiser Fiji firng a slavo,night of 12/13 August,1942] and white-lettered prose extracts overlaid.Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners – no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright with minimal,minor blemish but generally clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages’ corner tips – appears unread,apart from my own collation.Publisher’s bright,crisp,clean/unblemished,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked, capitalised silver gilt lettered spine/backstrip,a red+grey striped headband,and  immaculate repeated b/w map [Convoy to Malta - Operation Pedestal,11-15th August,1942 from S. W. Roskill,The War at  Sea, Vol.II] illustrated endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,xii-xxxiiipp+ 2-428pp [paginated] includes illustrations list/table,an Introduction,The Pedestal Fleet- Force F,Force Z,Force X and Force R + page of ships' silhouettes,a Glossary,13 chapters some with sub-sections - namely chapters 1,2,4,6,7,and 13; 32pp contemporary b/w photographs in 4 blocks of 8pp apiece,between pp62/63,pp158/59,pp238/39 and pp334/35 respectively,an Appendix, Acknowledgements,References and Notes,a Bibliography and an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a dedication,an epigram,a Contents list/table,and to the rear,2pp blanks.  Visually the exterior appearance is more than acceptable,and particularly internally,is in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It is only the minor fault described that prevents a slightly higher grading.Despite that,it really is still an exemplary example for its cleanliness, brightness and lack of other detracting faults.  In August 1942, beleaguered Malta was within weeks of surrender to the Axis, because its 300,000 people could no longer be fed. Churchill made a personal decision that at all costs, the 'island fortress' must be saved. This was not merely a matter of strategy, but of national prestige, when Britain's fortunes and morale had fallen to their lowest ebb.                      The largest fleet the Royal Navy committed to any operation of the western war was assembled to escort fourteen fast merchantmen across a thousand of miles of sea defended by six hundred German and Italian aircraft, together with packs of U-boats and torpedo craft. The Mediterranean battles that ensued between 11 and 15 August were the most brutal of Britain's war at sea,embracing four aircraft-carriers,two battleships, seven cruisers, scores of destroyers and smaller craft. The losses were appalling: defeat seemed to beckon. This is the saga Max Hastings unfolds in his first full length narrative of the Royal Navy, which he believes was the most successful of Britain's wartime services. As always, he blends the 'big picture' of statesmen and admirals with human stories of German U-boat men, Italian torpedo-plane crews, Hurricane pilots, destroyer and merchant-ship captains, ordinary but extraordinary seamen.                            'Operation Pedestal' describes catastrophic ship sinkings,including that of the aircraft-carrier Eagle, together with struggles to rescue survivors and salvage stricken ships. Most moving of all is the story of the tanker Ohio, indispensable to Malta's survival, victim of countless Axis attacks. In the last days of the battle, the ravaged hulk was kept under way only by two destroyers, lashed to her sides. Max Hastings describes this as one of the most extraordinary tales he has ever recounted. Until the very last hours, no participant on either side could tell what would be the outcome of an epic of wartime suspense and courage. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!                                            N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

UK,8vo HB+dw/dh,illustrated,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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