S.O.E. An Account of the Operations of Second Army in Europe 1944-1945… Compiled by Headquarters Second Army. [London:] August 1945. 3 vols. [inc. Map vol.], first edition, being one of only 48 copies marked ‘Secret’, this being unnumbered, folio (333 x 209mm.) Foreword by Lieut. - General Sir Miles C. Dempsey, numerous colour maps, many folding including 18 large loose maps with tabs in separate volume, 18 photographic plates, some folding, photographic illustrations, including those of Bergen-Belsen, and diagrams in the text. (Toning, occasional light spotting, a few marginal tears to preliminaries of vol. 1, a few maps with light handling wear, 1 leaf loose in vol. 1.) Original red full morocco with the blue and white emblem of the Second Army to upper covers, the name ‘Major E.P. Clarke’ in gilt to upper covers (extremities and covers rubbed and scuffed, panel sides to map case split, heavily rubbed). Note: these maps, documents, photographs and observations of the ground campaign in Europe were hastily put together just after the end of the war ‘while memories were fresh’. They were intended for the most significant military and political figures involved at that moment. This unnumbered copy was owned by the inventor and military engineer Cecil Vandepeer who- working for the SOE- was going under the name ‘E.P. Clarke’. Vandepeer had been involved in the development of the ‘limpet mine’, had developed the ‘spigot gun’, and was involved in Operations ‘Josephine’ and ‘Anthropoid’. In 1944, Clarke had been in France with his latest invention- the ‘The Great Eastern Ramp’ vehicle. He wasn’t discharged from military service until November 1945. It’s likely that the maps in this volume had a practical value for him, even after the wars end. A heavy smoker, he died of a heart attack, aged 61. These volumes still carry the scent of tobacco. Provenance: ‘Major E.P. Clarke’ [Cecil Vandepeer Clarke] (gilt name to upper covers) (3).