I’m looking for a PDF copy (or actual copy that isn’t hundreds of pounds) of an out of print book. The book is called ‘The History of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1919-1959’ by J.C Kemp.

I want to get a copy for my mother in-law as her father (my children’s great grandfather) was in the RSF during the second World war so would be a bit of family history.

My Google-fu has let me down on this so have come to ask for the Singletrack war and book enthusiasts to help me.

My guess would be that such a thing does not exist. Sorry.

Archive.org No joy. But other books on the Royal Scots.

As for out of print books and stupid prices I’m looking for…

Suspended Animation: An Unauthorised History of Herald & Britains Plastic Figures
Book by Peter Cole

Out of print 🙁 would love a pdf even for just a glimpse.

Not paying stupid prices, some sellers are robbers.

Tricky.

The British Library may have a copy – or more likely, knows of a library that has a copy.
You could try an inter-library loan.
You may need to go via an academic library for this, although your local library may be able to help.

Or contact the regimental museum, who are likely to have a copy in their library (but probably unwilling to lend it out).

Then you place a child in front of the scanner and get them to scan it.

ABebooks has a copy for sale: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?kn=The%20History%20of%20the%20Royal%20Scots%20Fusiliers%2C%201919-1959&sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-topnav-_-Results&ds=20

Have you tried here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1500014431

Looks like you might have to be a member or contact them to gain access

Here’s the British Library Record:
http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&ct=search&initialSearch=true&mode=Basic&tab=local_tab&indx=1&dum=true&srt=rank&vid=BLVU1&frbg=&tb=t&vl%28freeText0%29=The+History+of+the+Royal+Scots+Fusiliers&scp.scps=scope%3A%28BLCONTENT%29&vl%282084770704UI0%29=any&vl%282084770704UI0%29=title&vl%282084770704UI0%29=any

They have a copy available for loan.

So in 2007, someone linked to a Word version here:

http://www.militarian.com/threads/the-history-of-the-royal-scots-fusiliers-1919-59.673/

Link takes you to a dead end here: http://www.rhf.org.uk/Books/KEMP’S%20History%20of%20the%20RSF%201919%201959.doc

I’d contact them and ask. Regimental museums tend to be very helpful!

Anything on Project Gutenberg?
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=royal+scots&submit_search=Go%21

or Powells for physical copy
https://www.powells.com/searchresults?keyword=Royal+Scots+Fusiliers

Crispin is correct here. If you want something that’s been published you’ll find at the BL. I worked on moving newspapers (publishers used to post physical copies to the BL) to digital about 15 years ago and have to say BL is one of the most fascinating institutions I’ve ever come across.

The logistics of managing inbound content at that level of scale is mind blowing.

https://www.abebooks.com//servlet/SearchResults?tn=History+Royal+Scots+Fusiliers,+1919-1959

https://www.worldcat.org/title/history-of-the-royal-scots-fusiliers-1919-1959/oclc/1435011

https://search.nls.uk/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=44NLS_ALMA21513339380004341&context=L&vid=44NLS_VU1&lang=en_US&search_scope=SCOPE1&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&query=any,contains,The%20History%20of%20the%20Royal%20Scots%20Fusiliers,%201919-1959&mode=basic

available to read in glasgow

It clearly existed at rhf.org.uk – but they have re-organised the site is my guess.

Can’t find one using the usual moves.

I would ask on this forum if anyone has info on where it was moved to or has a copy.

http://1rhf.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=13&sid=90b511934200c83ec8aae474cdfc325a

Thanks for all the responses, looks like I’ve plenty of leads to follow.

As an aside, have you applied to MOD for a copy of the service records?

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

The book is downloadable from the copy of the RHF site on archive.org:

https://web.archive.org/web/20071211120449/http://rhf.org.uk/rhf/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=64

I downloaded it to check the link, so if you have any issues send me a PM

Nice work, I tried to find it on the wayback machine and could only find how many times it had been referenced – need to update my fu/special moves.

Is there anything by J R Hartley?

Thanks @greybeard, your Google-fu skills are impressive.

Happy to help, @didntnurt

need to update my fu/special moves

@infidel said it was linked in 2007, so I looked on archive.org in 2008. Sometimes you can be lucky and just land on the date they trawled the page you’re looking for!

I need to find a another book to find that’s even harder to find 😎👍

The logistics of managing inbound content at that level of scale is mind blowing.

I’ve often wondered about this! Feels like there should be a Tom Scott video about it

Is there anything by J R Hartley?

I’ve got a copy of Fly Fishing by him, somewhere.
Any help?

I do, actually, have a copy of Fly Fishing, by JR Hartley, somewhere or other. It was released as a special print run when I was working at a small print and publishing place back in the 70/80’s. Damned if I know where it is in the house now, though.

@greybeard

Impressive.

Bet you cant find Suspended Animation book I mentioned above.

Suspended Animation: An Unauthorised History of Herald & Britains Plastic Figures
Book by Peter Cole

😉

RT