MALTA SIEGE VERSE 1941 - 1942 - 1943

First edition, first printing. Signed and inscribed by the author to "Laddie Lucas". Publisher's original white cloth with titles in black to the spine, in dustwrapper. Illustrated with black and white photographs and drawings. A very good copy, the binding square and tight with a small spot to the head of the upper board and a minor bump to the head of the spine and the lower board. The contents are clean and crisp throughout and remain free from any previous owners' inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the very good, unclipped dustwrapper which has a few small nicks and a little crumpling to the top edges and a touch of fading to the spine.

Signed and inscribed by John Snook in black ink to the title page "To: Laddie Lucas / with thanks for your / contribution. / John Snook / May 1990." A book of "rhyme, verse and poetry" describing the Siege of Malta by the RAF pilot and Siege veteran John Snook, presented to fellow-veteran and author of the work's foreword, the legendary spitfire pilot Percy Belgrave "Laddie" Lucas, CBE, DSO and Bar, DFC (1915-1998). Lucas joined the RAF in June 1940, travelling to Canada to undertake flying training at the Flying Training School. On completion, he was assigned to 66 Squadron in August 1941, with whom he flew combat missions until the end of 1942. Arriving in Malta in February 1942, he commanded No. 249 Squadron during the Battle of Malta, after which he was awarded the DFC. In 1943, he took command of No. 616 Squadron, later commanding the Spitfire wing at RAF Coltishall, and then, between 1944 and 1945, serving with the RAF Second Tactical Air Force in North-West Europe. Lucas was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in January 1944, and then a bar to his DSO in October 1945 for making numerous attacks on enemy communications, often in dangerous conditions. An excellent association copy.