1940 UNIQUE HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DIARY AND LOG BOOK OF A BRITISH ARMY SCRIPTURE READER [AND INTELLIGENCE AGENT!], PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD TO THE TROOPS, AND ADVOCATING TO BETTER THEIR SPIRITUAL LIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

On offer is a very unique and one-of-a-kind diary, belonging to an O.S.S. agent and British Army Scripture Reader, as well as a member of the Soldiers’ & Airmen's Christian Association, serving in the Middle East during the beginning of World War II. The author of the diary, last name Clair, is obviously a deeply religious and spiritual Christian man, and the diary tell of his exploits in both Egypt and the Holy Land in attempting to get the British Army to build a venue for the troops to relax when off duty and attend to their spiritual needs. The diary details comprehensive lists of everyone he has had meetings with, including high ranking Generals and church members, Bishops etc., as well as observations of the civilian social life in Egypt. The diary entries begin on April 5, 1940. “We arrived at Alexandria @ 8 AM. The Rev. Horden came on board and called up us at the A.C.G.'s [Air Combat Group] ___. This was most courteous of him....We praise the Lord for all His Merries and especially for putting putting His Seal on the Testimony by Saving 13 Souls on board the we know of. Surely merry and goodness have followed us all our days.” His entries for everyday are quite long and filled with his stories of meeting with all sorts of people, advocating the necessity of places of spiritual and religious respite for the soldiers and militarymen stationed in the Middle East. Throughout the diary, Clair ‘calls upon’ dozens upon dozens of people to spread his message. Each person or organization is underlined in the diary, so they are very easy to find. Sometimes he meets with so many people in one day that he numbers them. “Called on A.C.G. and discussed our movements. He promised to get us a permanent pass for Palestine...He will also try and procure rail passes on reduced fares. He told me that, if at any time a Chaplain was found to be hindering or opposing the work, I must let him know at once and he would put a stop to it.” In May, Claire moves on to British Mandated Palestine, where he continues to preach the gospel and teach bible classes to soldiers, as well as advocating for more spiritual services for the men in uniform. On June 10th, Claire records that Italy declares war against Britain and France: “Over the wireless we heard that Italy had declared war on England and France.” Once war is declared by Italy, he buys a truck and travels to the front line at places like Mersa Matruh, Jerusalem, Tiberias, Haifa, Abbassia, Cairo, etc. and details the Army units he visited. Clair returns to Cairo at the end of June. “June 21, 1940. I had a long talk with Mj. Oates in wh. I discussed the various aspects of our work and we had prayer about it. I asked his opinion about Vernon being asked to look after the ___ at Mersa under himself as Reader as I did not think we should have any new workers...I said that as he was a Saved man the Lord cld. Teach him especially as he would be in a new atmosphere. Mj. Oates agreed.” In July, Clair spends a week on bed rest, with “Bronchial Catarrh wh. had affect the left lung.” These entries are very short and just concern his health, as he was not meeting with anyone during this time. By mid-July the entries are back to their normal length and description, and Clair is again fully engaged in preaching the gospel, teaching the bible, and advocating for a great spiritual presence in the British Army and Air Force. July is quite a busy month for Clair, and some days he calls up 8 or 9 different people. In August, he travels back to the Holy Land, going to Jerusalem for a number of days to help set up a location for a permanent post for the British Army Scripture Readers. He returns to Jerusalem as well as Tel Aviv in December. The book also includes a number of lists of professed Christians, “Addresses of Christians at Sarafand,” RAF ministers, tools and equipment in his car, items in his personal canteen, and colors of Army unit. The book is roughly 380+ pages in the length, with writing in at least 325. The months of January and February have fairly inconsistent writing, and the entries consist of the lists previously mentioned. The entries are consist after April 5th, through the month of August is has a number of days missing. The book is in good shape. The cover title has “Charles Lett’s POPULAR DIARY for 1940. No. 281” and “Charles Letts & Co.” written on the front. Clair has also written briefly on the cover: “O.S.S. Clair. Army Scripture Reader + S.A.C.A. Egypt.” (Background: The Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association commenced informally in 1818 amongst troops in the Woolwich Garrison. It expanded to such an extent that in 1838 concerned Christian Officers formed the Soldiers' Friends Society and The Army Scripture Readers; the then Chaplain General placed it on a more formal footing by issuing a Charter in 1854. In 1887 The Soldiers’ Christian Association(S.A.C.A.) was formed, becoming The Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Christian Association when the Royal Air force was formed. In 1938 the Army Scripture Readers and SACA amalgamated and in 1950 the name, The Soldier's’ and Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association was adopted. Usually known by the acronym, SASRA.); Manuscript; 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, BRITISH ARMY SCRIPTURE READER, SOLDIERS’ AND AIRMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, SASRA, CHRISTIANITY IN THE BRITISH ARMY, WORLD WAR 2 PASTORS, SPIRITUAL LIVES OF TROOPS IN WW2, CHRISTIANITY IN MODERN WARFARE, CAIRO, EGYPT, MERSA MATRUH, JERUSALEM, TIBERIAS, HAIFA, ABBASSIA, BRITISH MANDATED PALESTINE, PRE-ISRAEL MIDDLE EAST, THE HOLY LAND IN WWII, MIDDLE EAST THEATRE OF WORLD WAR II, ITALY’S DECLARATION OF WAR ON FRANCE AND BRITAIN, BRITANNICA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D’ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL