A 6.25 inch by 9.5 inch book telling the History of the 48th Highlanders of Canada from 1929 to 1956, focusing on the 1st Battalion from 1939 to 1945 during WWII. Leather bound cover in red ; Gold Embossed buckle Badge in center of front cover, “Dileas” above in gold print and gold print on spine. 847 pages. The edges of the pages, seen when the book is closed, are gold.

This special presentation edition of the Regimental History is one of four, the first of which was presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Colonel-in-Chief of the 48th Highlanders of Canada.

The regular edition has a red hard cover with gilt printing, not embossed and regular page edges. These have a dust cover with colour illustration of the war painting entitled “Approach to Villa Grande” by Major C. F. Comfort, RCA, OSA painted when he was an Official War Artist attached to the 1st Canadian Division, of which the 48th Highlanders were part. The map reference for the painting fixes the scene on the objective of the 48th Highlanders for Operation “Morning Glory”, 18 December 1943.

Captain Beattie was one of the youngest Canadian Soldiers to enlist in the First World War. His 16th Birthday was spent in the trenches. He was wounded at Passchendaele at the age of 18. During the Second World War he was a press relations officer to the 1st Canadian Corp. Captain Beattie died in Toronto May 22, 1963.