The Sword of Honour Trilogy: Men at Arms, Officers and Gentlemen, and Unconditional Surrender. - Evelyn Waugh 1952 - Chapman &, London - First Editions An exceptionally fine set of Waugh’s Second World War trilogy.

‘This war has begun in darkness and it will end in silence ‘– Men at Arms.

‘There was a regulation that if they remained at large in enemy territory for some weeks longer, they could be repatriated to the United States. It was for this that they had made a hazardous parachute jump and destroyed an expensive, very slightly damaged aeroplane.’ – Unconditional Surrender.

‘Beautifully structured and deeply melancholy account of England and the Second World War, which also contains moments and scenes of pure hilarity. Written in a spirit of great tenderness and tolerance and a sort of humility.’ – Callil and Toibin.

‘The finest work of fiction in English to emerge from World War II’ –
The Atlantic (2001)

'Marvellous ... one of the masterpieces of the century' – John Banville,
Irish Times.
  ‘There was a regulation that if they remained at large in enemy territory for some weeks longer, they could be repatriated to the United States. It was for this that they had made a hazardous parachute jump and destroyed an expensive, very slightly damaged aeroplane.’ – Unconditional Surrender.

Evelyn Waugh was born in London in 1903. After brief interludes as an art student and a schoolmaster, he devoted himself to both travelling and writing. His novels are unusually highly wrought and precisely written, and prior to 1939, were often satirical. During WWII, Waugh’s writing took a more serious and ambitious turn. He died in Somerset in 1966.

Reference: Callil and Toibin,
Modern Library (200 Best Novels in English since 1950).

Three small octavo volumes (book size 19.1x13.1cm), pp. v [1] 314; [10] 335 [3]; [8] 311 [1]. All volumes in publisher’s dark blue cloth, spines lettered in gilt, dark blue top stains, lighter on the final volume. Dust jackets priced ‘15s. net’, ‘12s. 6d. net’ and ‘18s net’ respectively to lower front flap.
  Condition: Fine in fine dust jackets.   Ref: 111346   Price: HK$ 12,000