The Standard Bank of South Africa Memorial 1939–1945: Roll of Honour, Awards and Decorations, Active Service List

The Standard Bank of South Africa Memorial 1939–1945: Roll of Honour, Awards and Decorations, Active Service List (1952) is a uniquely focused commemorative volume that offers a meticulously curated record of Standard Bank staff who served in the Second World War. Published in Cape Town by The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd in 1952, this first edition stands as a tangible testament to corporate remembrance in the aftermath of global conflict.

Bound in deep green pebbled cloth with gilt titles to the spine and gilt‑edged pages, The Standard Bank of South Africa Memorial 1939–1945: Roll of Honour, Awards and Decorations, Active Service List presents its contents across 64 pages with a frontispiece photograph of the memorial and a contemporary staff letter laid in, making it a prized keepsake for historians and collectors alike.

The heart of The Standard Bank of South Africa Memorial 1939–1945: Roll of Honour, Awards and Decorations, Active Service List lies in its Roll of Honour and Active Service Lists. These sections record the names of staff members who served during the war, honouring both those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those who returned from service. The inclusion of awards and decorations details provides a further level of historical richness, documenting recognitions earned in theatres of war during the period from 1939 to 1945. As a publication from the early 1950s, The Standard Bank of South Africa Memorial reflects the post‑war era of commemoration when institutions and communities sought to preserve memories of service for posterity.

Collectors of military history and South African heritage will find The Standard Bank of South Africa Memorial 1939–1945: Roll of Honour, Awards and Decorations, Active Service List a valuable addition to their libraries. Its compact yet comprehensive format makes it an accessible reference, while its physical presentation — including gilt page edges and solid hardcover — ensures it is as much a display piece as a research source. This title is particularly relevant for those interested in corporate history intersecting with wartime service and remembrance.

Condition – Very Good Dark green boards remain clean and well-presented, showing light shelf wear with rubbing to the corners. The front hinge has a small 2 cm tear at the top, though the binding remains firm and the book structurally sound. Gilt lettering on the spine and gilt text block edges are bright and crisp, with no notable fading. Internally the volume appears clean, with no significant defects observed.