The 1980/90s 'HMSO Series' on MVs

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by von Poop, Sep 23, 2018.

  1. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Triggered by the 'Book-Buying Problem' thread.

    In 1980-90-something, possibly published for the Tank Museum, as the blessed Fletcher has his hand in so many, there was a fine series of softback books published under HMSO on MV history.
    I believe I have all but one.
    All still fantastically useful, and three covering British armour in a way that I'm not sure anyone else has.
    Some have become ridiculously over-priced (though it's calmed down since a peak about 10 years ago).
    Any missing here?
    The list, as far as I know.

    What I think of as 'The Fletcher Trilogy', though most seem to ignore the interwar volume which I think superb:
    • Mechanised Force - David Fletcher - British Tanks Between The Wars - 1991 - ISBN 0 11 290487 4
    • The Great Tank Scandal - David Fletcher - British Armour in the Second World War Pt 1 - 1989 - ISBN 0 11 290460 2
    • The Universal Tank - David Fletcher - British Armour in the Second World War pt. 2 - 1993 - ISBN 0 11 290534 X
    The manuals:
    • Churchill Tank - Vehicle History & Specifications - 1983 - ISBN 0 11 290404 1
    • Cromwell Tank - Vehicle History & Specifications - 1983 - ISBN 0 11 290403 3
    The rest:
    • War Cars - British Armoured Cars in the First World War - David Fletcher - 1987 - ISBN 0 11 290439 4
    • Landships - British Tanks in the First World War - David Fletcher - 1984 - ISBN 290409 2
    • Moving The Guns - The Mechanisation of the Royal Artillery 1854-1939 - Philip Ventham & David Fletcher - 1990 - ISBN 0 11 290477 7
    • Vanguard of Victory - The 79th Armoured Division - David Fletcher - 1984 - ISBN 0 11 290422 X
    And the one I haven't got:
    • Breakdown - A History of Recovery Vehicles in the British Army - Brian Baxter - ISBN 13 9780112904564

    Are there more?

    Covers, plundered from the Internet:

    21571411206.jpg 61s-4EML3jL._SX401_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg 71OX3MGbWGL.jpg HMSO_Churchill.JPG 91VVp97kFsL._AC_UL320_SR240,320_.jpg md22767758976.jpg landships.jpg 56276.jpg 22729608376.jpg 59799.jpg



    Some of these, particularly the British tank trilogy are crying out for a reprint.
     
  2. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    And I just ordered Breakdown, In case anyone gets any funny ideas & takes the 'cheapest' copy from the Internet.
    FFS...
     
  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Just hope you havent used that river that flows through Brazil :mad::whistle:

    TD
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Ah I was just about to say
     
  5. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    No, but did use a seller from there on eBay. Saving about 20p...
    Have a look at the Great Tank Scandal on there... FFS. Think I paid about £20 a decade ago.
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    some friends recently have had massive problems with that river - river banks being eroded and not the fault of the river - of course
     
  7. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Those books have never been bettered. Fletcher was well placed to do detailed research since he was librarian/archivist at the Tank Museum. He also had a wide knowledge and a good, readable writing style.

    The pre war titles are particularly interesting.

    Don't forget his 'British Military Transport' on softskins. Also his many learned and interesting articles for magazines.

    I hope Adam realises that reprints would destroy the value of his collection.

    Mike.

    I realise that I have written of Fletcher in the past tense. He is still with us of course.
     
    Waddell and von Poop like this.
  8. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Amen to all of that, Mike. Especially about the interwar stuff - an area you get dribs & drabs about, but so few dedicated quality titles.

    Funny thing is, I don't think I'm really a proper bibliophile.
    I treat even quite expensive books quite badly, and am rarely precious about them.
    Not unlike this place's raison d'etre, would always prefer the info was out there & spread around than mantled.

    British Military Transport? Investigating...
     
  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    OK, so that's one more HMSO I was somehow unaware of.

    BRITISH MILITARY TRANSPORT 1829-1956 - Fletcher - 1998 - ISBN: 0112905706

    A few on Abe.

    Oh bum!
     
  10. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    And... ordered. Ebay. c.£13
    Thanks, Mike.
    No, really, thanks.
    Sort of. :unsure:
     
    Rich Payne and Trux like this.
  11. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    'tis a disease, I tell 'ee !
     
  12. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    It's sort of unnerving is what it bleeding is.
    Can't seem to currently help myself.
     
  13. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Do I need to contact anyone from your family via FB in order that they can quickly obtain help for you ?
     
  14. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    She's mostly laughing at my slightly worried face...
    So probably not.
     
  15. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Surely you let her indoors know a book would be acceptable and wait patiently.

    Mike
     
  16. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    VP to quote you "FFS" you started all this book malarkey
     
  17. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    While looking through my books for some uniform details I came across 'Great Regiments' bought new in 1970 for 8 guineas. Nice book but that was a third of my weekly income. Made me realise what good value books are today.

    Mike
     
    Chris C likes this.
  18. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    I always think it feels like 'things' have got cheaper, while consumables get more expensive.

    Unless the things are slightly obscure/rare military books...
     
  19. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    von Poop likes this.
  20. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Good thought.
    Funny feeling I've rejected that in the past as it was somewhat superceded by the Vanderveen directory, but really not sure.
    I see it intermittently in the secondhand shops so might take a closer look before pushing this completist mania any further.

    Though... It is indeed very cheap in some quarters.


    Edit.
    Ah, hang on. I've conflated it with the unhelpfully near-identically titled Olyslager/Vanderveen book.
    Errrm.
    Looking again. This may be why I've disregarded it in the past.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2018

Share This Page