Portsmouth: The Mess Committee, Ward Room Mess, H. M. S. Vernon, 1930. First and only edition. This is a near fine copy. Illustrated in the striking dust jacket, the artist of which is not credited. It has some small closed tears to the top edge and some spotting to the verso. Not priced. In the blue buckram as issued, with gilt titling to the front panel – some light bumping to the spine tips. The text blocks are free from foxing, and internally, this book is very clean. This copy is, overall, in near fine condition, and remarkably scarce. The history of H. M. S. Vernon, inspired, according to the preface, by a remark heard at the annual Torpedo Dinner in 1928. The preface alludes that G. B. Sayer’s wife contributed the internal illustrations, and perhaps maybe the dust jacket art too. The jacket appears trimmed – however, there are 90 degree marks on each flap, confirming that it was trimmed by hand and mismeasured.