Beschreibung:

EDWARD VIII as Prince of Wales (1894-1972) A collection of 22 autograph letters and cards, altogether 39 pages, all in their original envelopes, the majority from Magdalen College, Oxford, the others from various army Head-Quarters, October 22nd 1913 - September 1st 1915, all written (with the exception of the final letter) to his college friend Bertram Pawle (1892-1915). The first two-page autograph card, from Magdalen College, reveals a young Prince of Wales offering his new friend: "a lift in my car if you aren't going with anyone" and an invitation to "come and have some lunch if you aren't already engaged?" The correspondence progresses, mainly with observations on beagling, until a year later when, with the outbreak of war, Bertram is posted to Aldershot to begin his army training before going on to the front. In a letter dated October 19th, 1914, Edward describes his frustration at being unable to join in the action: "I feel I must send you a line just to tell you what a bloody existence mine is. I am stuck in London ... having been left behind by the 1st. Batt. which is now in Belgium!! ... I have been kept hard [at] it, soldiering. But what a rotten form mine takes ... Of course it broke my heart being left behind by all my friends, for now I have hardly any left!!" By November 5th 1914, the letters begin to take on a more sombre tone: "Aren't these casualties ghastly? Only 6 Officers left unwounded from my poor 1st Batt. which I ought to have been with. It is all too ghastly for me." A letter dated May 26th 1915 establishes that Bertram himself is about to move to the front, Edward commiserating with him about the number of friends they have lost and declaring: "it is a most bloody war and no mistake ... I'm never allowed near the line and altogether lead a most bloody dull, monotonous and soft existence." The next letter of June 24th congratulates Bertram on becoming a Captain and discusses the progression of the war: "These bloody Bosches they seem inexhaustible ... But they'll fairly catch it in time ... If I am passing near Ypres I will of course look you up." This was the final letter Edward was to write to Bertram who was killed in action on 31st July 1915. The concluding letter to Bertram's brother is from H.Q. Guards Div., September 1st 1915 and states: "Thank you very much for your letter, giving me the only details as regards poor old Bertram's disappearance ... I hate not knowing what has happened ... Bertram was a very dear friend ... Let us pray he may be a prisoner." With the letters is a silver vesta case with an engraved inscription in facsimile of Bertram's hand: "Bertram from E. Xmas 1913," also three General Service medals with ribbons awarded to Captain Pawle, 1914-15, 1914-18 and 1914-19, a leather bound album with a covering letter, containing a manuscript memoir of Bertram written by Thomas Dewe, headmaster of Haileybury College, for his mother, and various newspaper cuttings recording his death. (22)