A Boy's First Reference Book-- 1968/2002

[Rick Research]

In 1968, my town's librarian ordered this book for me. Not a book just like this, this EXACT book. It was my sole Imperial reference book right through college! The end of the '60s into the early '70s, I wore THIS book out, laboriously retyping its list of regiments by division, copying badges and insignia out by hand. You see, young grasshoppers, there were no copy machines then, not that made pho-to-graphs, only ones you hand typed for text stencils on rotary drums.

I just found THIS book--- "MY" book, on sale today at our monthly militaria show at the other end of the state. My town library had discarded it (without telling me!!!!!), and by another amazing coincidence, my former high school French teacher picked it up at a flea market at the other end of the county.

And TODAY, 34 years after Francis Howarth ordered it to please a strange child who read voraciously, it is OFFICIALLY mine at 95 cents less than it cost in 1968!

[Glenn2438]

The book

Hi Rick,

I picked up a copy of this about, oh twenty or so years ago. It was one of the first books I ever got on the Imperial German Army. Not withstanding some of the errors at the back (the first picture in the German army section 1914-1918) is of Leutnant Guido Jaconcig of an Austro-Hungarian Kaiserjäger Regiment), it is a veritable mine of information. I particularly like the renditions of the helmets and shakos. I wonder where the original illustrations of those came from?

Glenn

[David S]

That was my first book too!!!

I saw it in a bookstore in San Pedro and knew I had to have it.

My second book was also by WE, Inc...German Military Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945

Both were invaluable at the time. Being damned little else!

David

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Rick,

May we take a look inside? Or did you scribble pubescent "things" in there? Honestly, what is it like from the inside, please show us grasshoppers your favourite page!

Cheers, Frank H.

[Mark S.]

One of my first books I still have, though it is barely together anymore. I wore this one out carting it around everywhere. I have had this book since I was at least 11 years old.

It is called "Heraldry and Regalia of war" and covers the 1918-45 period with a few other eras thrown in here and there. All aspects: headgear, uniforms, war pop art, even regimantal british ties and cap badges. Most of the pictures seem to have come from the Imperial War musuem and some place called Spinks and Son.

Here are a few pages..(tell me this wouldnt inspire the imagination of little kid)

[Mark S.]

some medals and stuff...

[Mark S.]

and an excerpt from the WW II section...I spent hours gawking at these pictures as a boy..now I have the real thing (some of it anyway)

[Richard]

It was a great reference. I purchased it in a three book set, the others being Warplanes & Air Battles of World War II (with some of the most complete coverage of the conceptual aircraft that the Germans had on the drawing board) and Tanks & Weapons of WWII. All were put out by Beekman House. I kept this one at home, but there was a section that got me interested in headgear. I thought all the helmets from so many different countries looked cool together and went on a helmet quest.


My own personal favorite was Nazi Regalia by Jack Pia. This was my bible in the early 70's and I wore this thing out. This should be obvious in the scan where I pulled some pages that had become separated out to show how large some of the photos were that were in the book. It covered a lot of ground for such a little paperback, however I cannot believe some of the badge pictures are of genuine badges as they are all perfect.
Richard V

[Sam]

Hi Rick,
Geez, just like Lassie- found it's way home after all this time. Being as I'm MUCH younger than you, I never saw any imperial reference material and started out longing for third reich stuff, Jack Pias Nazi & SS Regalia were my bibles- still have them on my bookshelf, although somewhat tattered. Eventually I was saved from the dark side of collecting with some WWI aviation books showing some aviators with REAL decorations
Sam

[Rick Research]

Draw closer to the camp fire, grasshoppers:

This was the FIRST-- and for more than 10 years the ONLY English language "reference book," put out in 1958 by the ahead-of-his-time James Sawicki. Note that although this book is almost as old as me, it is still--after all these years--in almost Mint Condition (something which, alas, cannot be said of me!)--

[Rick Research]

And here is a sample page, from the Era of Four Cent First Class Postage:

Yes, boils and germs, it is entirely LINE DRAWINGS with brackets to check off the ones one got!

Cave Paintings! Aaahooo, wugga wugga! Throg Want Badge!

[Rick Research]

Poor Mr. Sawicki was ahead of his time! And in that distant Long Agotime, this was actually my SECOND "real" reference book, after the 1970 U.S. edition (some guy named Bender--anyone ever heard of him?) of Littlejohn & Dodkins, "Orders, Decorations & Medals..." received for birthday 1971. Those two Third Reich books, and a then mint (and like the Sawicki, equally "unwanted") 1966 Klietmann "Pour le Merite und Tapferkeitsmedaille" actually got me through the 1970s, with a little help from friends like our very own Histaria, turning an Inquiring Young Mind into...


what it is today!

[Frank Heukemes]

Oh my god, and the caveman paintings are even wrong in proportion. Look at that Narvik shield or the glider badge!

Cheers, Frank H.

[George Stimson]

I still have Nazi Regalia, SS Regalia. and Sawicki's book on my reference shelf.

George

[Eric Stahlhut]

Don't Forget

Mr. Mericka and Mr. Werlich, please!