The Dawn Patrol and Other Poems of an Aviator
London: Erskine Macdonald, 1918. Small slim octavo pamphlet (signed in fours), printed wrappers, 40 pp. Wrappers rubbed, spine panel flaking, small inoffensive marginal stain affects the preliminary leaves; internally very good. Scare, third impression of the first edition, dated August 1918 (the first edition being 1917). This subsequent impression has a different title page but the same pagination.
The poems are variously sentimental, resentful, and nostalgic, and were composed at various locations in Britain, France and the Dardanelles (including the Isle of Grain, Isle of Sheppey, Ochey-les Bains, Eastchurch, and Luxeuil-les-Bains). One rather metaphysical composition, The Fringe of Heaven was actually penned in the air. Sadly, most of the poems concern the grim aspects of aerial warfare, including a memorial poem to his friend and comrade Carlton Berry, who was killed in an aeroplane accident in July of 1916.
Of special interest is the poem written to a fallen colleague, penned while Bewsher served on HMS Manica, a kite balloon ship stationed in the Dardanelles in 1915. The poem is titled 'K.L.H. Died of wounds received at the Dardanelles'. Reilly English Poetry of the First World War, A Bibliography, page 55; Noffsinger 209. Item #4154
Price (AUD): $350.00