T.L.s witten on the stationery of Wavell's residence at 23 Kingston House South, London SW7, and dated 23 December 1949.. T.L.s. FROM FIELD MARSHAL EARL WAVELL

1949. 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 declines Moore's invitation to attend the annual dinner, but carries Wavell's best wishes for the Club for the coming year during which he hopes to see tham in action. Field-Marshal Earl Wavell (1883-1950) was one of the twentieth century's most distinguished 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 consistently 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.