This is a specially produced bookplate featuring an original pencil drawing with white highlights by Steve Teasdale. The drawing, produced on sepia recycled card, includes the genuine signature of SAS WW2 veteran George Jellicoe professionally mounted underneath. Jellicoe was to have a highly distinguished war, rising to lieutenant-colonel at 26 and winning the DSO, MC, Croix de Guerre, Légion d’honneur and Greek War Cross. He was also to be mentioned in dispatches three times.
He was initially seconded to the newly formed Commandos and then to the group commanded by Robert Laycock, “Layforce”, where he became friendly with Evelyn Waugh; on leave, the pair were improbably involved in a brawl at a Soho dance club.
When Layforce disbanded, Jellicoe gravitated to the SAS, based in the Middle East, fighting with David Stirling and Paddy Mayne, before eventually commanding its water-borne raiding section, the Special Boat Squadron.