A.L.s witten on the stationery of The Athenaeum Club, London, and dated 20 November 1947. A.L.s. FROM FIELD MARSHAL EARL WAVELL

Single sheet, a near fine copy. Signed simply 'Wavell' in the writer's usual manner, the letter is written to Geoffrey Moore, founder of the Buccaneers Cricket Club, and demonstrates the soldier's keen and continuing interest in the sport. It is noteworthy that Wavell was particularly proud of his membership of the MCC at Lords. The letter confirms that Wavell will propose the toast at the Buccaneers' annual dinner (held at Lords). Field-Marshal Earl Wavell (1883-1950) was one of the twentieth century's most distinguished British soldiers. Following considerable success against the Italians in North Africa, his career reached its peak with his appointment as Supreme Allied Commander, South West Pacific, ABDA (American, British, Dutch and Australian) Command in 1942 and subsequently as an outstanding Viceroy and Governor General of India from 1943-1947. He was recognised also as a scholar, compiling the well-known anthology of poetry 'Other Mens's Flowers' (1944). The bulk of Wavell's papers are now housed in the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives at King's College, London. Founded in 1930, The Buccaneers is one of the oldest and most famous 'wandering' clubs in English cricket (a 'wandering' club has no fixed home ground but plays as an away team relying on the hospitality of the home clubs against which it competes). The Club's history has been written twice, by Clifford Bax in 1956 and more recently by Howard Spencer. ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS SIGNED BY WAVELL ARE EXTREMELY SCARCE.