A BRIEF RECORD OF THE ADVANCE OF THE EGYPTIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE UNDER THE COMMAND OF GENERAL SIR EDMUND H.H. ALLENBY. G.C.B., G.C.M.G. July 1917 to October 1918, Compiled from Official Sources.

Cairo: The Palestine News; Produced by the Government Press and Survey of Egypt, 1919. First Edition, First Issue of the text. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece of General Allenby, signed in the plate, and a profusion of colour maps, 56 in all. 4to, publisher’s original tan wrappers, lettered in black on the upper cover and on the burnt-orange linen spine. [iv], 112 pp. A very well preserved copy, handsome with some light wear to the wrappers, a light bit of foxing to the end-leaves as usual, the text-block clean throughout, all maps in fine order. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, THE TRUE CAIRO PRINTING FOR THE PALESTINE NEWS. A core text for understanding the modern Middle East and the fall of Ottoman dominion over the land. This primary document gives a largely day-by-day progression of the events between July 1917 and October 1918 that led up to the Arab revolt against the Ottoman rule in Arabia, the defeat of the Ottoman Turks and ultimately, the fall of Damascus. This important work is one of the very best documents for understanding the conflict and the subsequent agreements settling the affairs of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan and greater Arabia at the end of the First World War. Included are two pieces by T.E. Lawrence, the famous “Lawrence of Arabia” and arguably, the most important of all the individuals involved with leading the revolt (see Seven Pillars of Wisdom). The two articles compiled from Lawrence's own writing concern the 'Sherifian Co-operation in September' and the 'Story of the Arab Movement' that accompany plates 49-50 and 51-53 (concerning the Arab Revolt and the fall of Damascus), as well as various military reports and numerous maps marking the daily positions of the troops as the final showdown grew nearer. This document was created so that “members of the Force may be able to take home with them an acceptable account of the great advance in which they have played a part” [preface]. This is one of the earliest accounts of that campaign, its details being still “fresh in the memory.” A fascinating and comprehensive record. Much of what is covered in the text is important in the establishment of the modern Middle East, including Israeli statehood and the various events leading up to it: the Balfour Declaration and the British Mandate.