Drums of the Fore and Aft (First Edition)

New York: Doubleday and McClure Company, 1899. FIRST AMER. EDITION, first printing. Light grey decorative binding with charming jungle scene stamped in darker grey and in white. Title page in red and black. 114pp. Printed in large type with wide margins on laid paper. A regimental tale. The "Fore and Aft" Regiment is the nickname of the fictional "The Fore and Fit Princess Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen-Anspach's Merther-Tydfilshire Own Royal Loyal Light Infantry, Regimental District 329A." It is mentioned in "The Drums of the Fore and Aft" by Rudyard Kipling. The real-life basis for the "Fore and Aft" Regiment might be a nickname of the Glocester Regiment, which has a cap badge on the front and back of its headdress. This is a battle honor earned when the regiment faced off two forces of enemy troops by standing its companies back-to-back. Kipling was probably playing cute by using a real regiment's nickname to provide realism but giving it a cover name to prevent embarrassing the real regiment. UncleAndy. First American Edition. Full Cloth. Very Good. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. Hardcover.