Saving Lives: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Campaign for Body Armour, 1914–18 by Phillip Abbott front cover

Saving Lives: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Campaign for Body Armour, 1914–18

£14.99

Inspired by a collection of letters received by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle during the First World War, Philip Abbott sets out to explore the campaign to provide body armour to British soldiers serving in the trenches.

Setting the letters in the context of the terrible losses suffered during the Battle of the Somme, Abbott reveals the actions of the War Office and Ministry of Munitions in providing better protection for the troops. He examines Conan Doyle’s personal motives for involvement, and investigates the part played by another Edinburgh graduate, Caleb Saleeby, in promoting the development of helmets, body armour and shields.

Saving Lives is an absorbing account of how the creator of Sherlock Holmes used his fame to campaign against the horrific casualties on the Western Front.

Reviews:

"This account of Conan Doyle's campaign to protect soldiers, particularly after the horrors of the Somme, shows the surprising compassion of one of Britain's best known writers. It is a most compelling read".
— General the Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL

"By exploring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's largely unknown efforts, Philip Abbott reveals an important and overlooked chapter in the rebirth of modern body armor – a story that continues to unfold in conflict zones around the world today".
— Donald J. La Rocca, Curator, Department of Arms and Armor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

"A fascinating and superbly researched connection between a beloved author of fiction and the brutal reality of industrial warfare".
— Jonathan Ferguson, Curator of Firearms, Royal Armouries

 

More information View images

Brand: Royal Armouries

Genre: WW1

Author: Phillip Abbott

Publisher: Royal Armouries

Date: 30.08.2017

Pages: 88

Cover: Paperback

ISBN: 978 0 948092 82 4

Christmas 2024

Last order dates for Christmas delivery. Orders placed after these dates aren't guaranteed to arrive before Christmas.
 SERVICE LAST ORDER DATE
UK Standard 16th December 2024
UK Express 18th December 2024

The museum will be closed on 24th, 25th and 26th December. Orders placed from 23rd December onwards may not be processed until 27th December. 

Shipping

We process orders daily, Monday to Friday.

Collect instore (Leeds Museum)
Collect within 7 days 		FREE
UK Standard - 3-5 Working Days £3.95
FREE on orders over £60
UK Express - 1-2 Working Days

 £5.95
UK Express - 1-2 Working Days - AGE CHECK For full-size replicas (Swords, Gimli's Axe, Gandalf Staff) £14.50
International Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout based on destination and weight.

Please ensure that someone is available at the delivery address to receive your order. Any undelivered or uncollected parcels will be returned to sender. We will automatically issue a refund for all products once they have been received back at the museum, however, shipping is non-refundable.

Age Check - 18+

All sales of replicas and alcohol require age verification. You will be asked for proof of age at point of delivery.

Collect in store

  • Collections can be made from the shop at Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds during opening hours.
  • You will be notified via email once your order is ready for collection.
  • Once you receive this notification, we will hold your order for 30 days.
  • Please bring your order confirmation and ID that matches the name on the order.
  • Limited short stay, road-side parking is available on Clarence Road or Citipark operate the nearby Leeds Dock multi-storey car park. Please note that parking charges may apply.

International Shipping

The estimated delivery time for Europe, USA and Canada is 7-10 working days and 10-14 working days for rest of the world, however this is not guaranteed. 

Please note that some products are not available to ship outside of the UK. A full list can be found on the Restricted Items page. Orders placed with a non-UK delivery address that include a restricted item may be subject to cancellation and a refund will be issued. If you are unsure, please contact us before ordering.

Please be advised that you are responsible for any import duty that may be charged on delivery of your order. If you are unsure, we advise you to check with your own customs and excise department before placing an order.

Contact us

You can find all the ways to contact us on our Contact Us page

You may also like

Recently viewed