The Journal of James Hale.

I have been involved on a project to re-publish James Hale’s Journal. James was a Sergeant in the ninth Regiment of Foot, serving from 1806 to 1814, and fought with Wellington’s Army in the Peninsula Campaigns in Portugal and Spain through to 1814 when he and his brother Richard were discharged as the result of wounds. James was in the Light Company and Richard the Grenadiers. James was badly injured during the siege of San Sebastian in 1813 and Richard fought on until he was severely wounded in a skirmish outside Bayonne in 1814.

The book is a comparatively short volume written in a rather formal style. Its first and only edition was published in 1826 in Gloucestershire and as far as I can ascertain there are very few copies remaining. However it is clearly of considerable interest from a Regimental point of view and it is certainly of significance to the amateur and professional military historian. Therefore I have attempted to transcribe it, a total of about 40,000 words or 135 pages A5.

Research into the Hale family continues in order to provide background detail to the Journal however I have decided that that this information could be published separately in due course and could then perhaps be included in a 2nd edition.

I have produced a simple perfect bound book containing the text of the journal with only a short straight forward introduction added.

I am offering this book at a price of £8.00, I am happy to bring these along to NA events, however if you want the book posted there will be an additional charge of £1 for postage and packaging within the UK.

If you would like a copy please provide the appropriate details and I will contact you they are available immediately, if you want me to post you a copy please let me have a cheque made out to WBBUG for a total of £9.00. If you are resident outside the UK please contact me to discuss payment and delivery arrangements.

Peter Catley