BATTLE of MESSINES, 1917 * Rare work with 12 Folding Maps, 4 photos * pub. 1917

Description

CONFIDENTIAL!
For official use only
NOT TO BE TAKEN INTO FRONT LINE TRENCHES
ARTILLERY OPERATIONS OF
THE NINTH BRITISH CORPS AT
MESSINES, JUNE, 1917
EDITED AT ARMY WAR COLLEGE
AUGUST, 1917
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1 9 1 7
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1917, 1st edition, original heavy paper wraps, 8 x 5 inches, pp. 124 + 16 folding plates and maps; condition VG++ with light wear to wraps, old faded owner's inscription in red ink to front cover, contents complete and in Near Fine condition.
The Western Front of 1914-18 was characterised by a continual series of bloody stalemates, but the Battle of Messines (7-14 June 1917, the British forces commanded by General Sir Herbert Plumer) was a relatively rare example of a successful offensive. It was a prelude to the Third Battle of Ypres, the preliminary bombardment for which began one month later. This attack by the British Second Army was near the village of Messines (now Mesen) in West Flanders, Belgium. The Germans were forced to move reserves to Flanders from the Arras and Aisne fronts, thus relieving pressure on the French.
This rare work, printed for the use of officers with strict instructions as to confidentiality, has four b/w photos of the battlefield and 16 maps, some in color.  All are fold-out, including the photos, with the largest map measuring 34 x 25 inches.
The battle began with the detonation of 19 mines beneath the German front position, which was devastating and left 19 large craters. It killed about 10,000 German soldiers and was heard as far away as London and Dublin. Determining the exact power of explosions is difficult, but this was almost certainly the largest planned explosion in history until the 1945 Trinity atomic weapon test; it killed more people than than any other non-nuclear, man-made explosion in history.
Please see the above photos for the Table of Contents. An internet search finds no other available example of this original printing, only recent reprints that do not include the elaborate folding maps.
Insurance is included with the postage.