Mr Poilu: Notes and Sketches with the Fighting French

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1916. First edition. Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 10" by 7". Herbert Ward. A first edition of this moving volume by British adventurer and sculptor Herbert Ward. With forty six illustrations by the author tipped in. A first edition of this moving and beautifully illustrated volume by British adventurer and sculptor Herbert Ward. With forty six illustrations tipped-in. Poilu is an informal term for a French infantry soldier, and in this volume the author skilfully depicts the French army as a family of soldiers. As he tells of his engagement with members of this family through anecdotes and encounters, Ward invites the reader to see the French as worthy allies by showing a respect for their bravery, endurance, and the goodness they retained despite great suffering. The illustrations, which are monochrome and colour, depict spoiled lands and soldiers standing alone. Ward began life as an adventurer, and fought alongside colonial explorer Henry Morton Stanley in the Congo and Sudan, and then later had a second career as a sculptor in Paris. Found in the unclipped dust wrapper. In the publisher's original quarter cloth grey binding over hard boards, found in the unclipped dust wrapper. Eternally, lovely, with just a little light rubbing to the bottom edge of the front board. There is a chip in the wrap to the rear board, and a little loss to the rear extremity. There is also an inch-long closed tear to the wrap at the top edge of the front board. Internally, firmly bound, with bright and clean pages throughout. Very Good