Description:

THE BATTLE OF MONTE CASSINO
(ZDZISLAW BRUNNE) An interesting archive of original photographs, pamphlets, books, newspaper clippings and other ephemera related to the Geographical Cartographic Division of the 2nd Polish Army Corp with an emphasis on the Battle of Monte Cassino, January through May, 1944. Offered here are the personal papers and mementos of Lieutenant Zdzislaw Brunne who was assigned to the 12th Geographical Company, sub-unit of service of the Polish Armed Forces who performed incalculable field work (surveying), through the use of photographic reproduction and the construction of a plastic table implementation of the area known as Monte Cassino. Though subordinate to the British 8th Army, Brunne was responsible for making sure all the regiments of Artillery Corps. worked in a rectangular coordinate system, then checking the CCTV and designating targets for Artillery accuracy. Thus, he contributed heavily to the Allied victory. Soon after the battle the Allied Forces published a folio of drawings and maps included in this lot, titled: "Sketches of Prospective Land Battles 2nd Corp. Monte Cassino", drawn by Brunne. Along with approx. 200 small snapshots dating from Brunne's service in the campaigns of North Africa, Iraq, Tunisia, Albania and eventually Italy, most being group shots of officers and the surrounding terrain. Other images include scenes of refugees and buildings destroyed by artillery bombardment. Publications include a scarce first edition of Melchior Wankowicz's 1945 book The Battle of Monte Cassino, in Polish, missing the preface map. The pages are brittle and the spine is loose but it is still a good reference volume. Also, as mentioned earlier in the description, Brunne's personal copy of his published folio of sketches and maps pertaining to Monte Cassino with what might very well be additional loose pages possibly designated for a second volume! Ephemera includes newspaper clippings, postcards (post-war), a 20th-anniversary book of recollections of Monte Cassino and mimeographed announcements of forthcoming reunions. Very good.

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June 4, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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