Science-Fantasy Review's War Digest

UK newszine published by Ron Holmes and, at first, Leslie V. Heald in Liverpool as a follow-up to their earlier, slightly more substantial Science-Fantasy Review due to the growing War contingencies. The name is complicated (see variant spellings below), so for example Then uses the simple War Digest, although Science-Fantasy Review’s War Digest with the possessive, and sometimes even quote marks, was preferred as the full official name, trying to maintain the old brand in case it could be revived soon. The content was not really a digest in the sense as used elsewhere and later.

The original format was a single quarto (10×8 inches) sheet, typed in two columns. From #3 this same sheet was folded in half (see Digest Size), and the 4 pagelets of the “folio” were one-column, with wildly varying margins. (Fanac.org mistakenly lists these issues as 3-page, since the inner spread is scanned as a single landscape page.) Rarely they were numbered, but mostly this was unnecessary.

After Ron Holmes joined the Royal Army Medical Corps, the last, September issue was produced from his materials by J. Michael Rosenblum. From October 1940 (SFR)WD was incorporated into / replaced by Rosenblum's Futurian War Digest (the other half coming from his The Futurian, also through smaller Pseudo-Futurian).

#	Date	Pp	Notes
1	February 1940	2	Just War Digest in the masthead. "SFR in its old form is to be discontinued for a short period and its place is being taken by the WAR DIGEST." At the very end, "SCIENCE-FANTASY REVIEW WAR DIGEST [sic] will feature Wayfarer in next issue." No mention of editors, but the address (14 Henley Ave., Litherland – Heald's home) is identical as in the previous SFR.
2	March 1940	2
(3)	March 1940 (extra)	4	[masthead]: SCIENCE-FANTASY REVIEW’S "WAR DIGEST". "Here is S-FR in a new format, please let us know how you like it. As we type […] Full details will be given in the usual April issue, as this is an extra issue for March. You asked for it." There is "No." in the masthead but no number seems filled in. "Page Two" and "Page Three" marked inside at top, very badly duplicated/faded. "GLEANINGS Garnered by Ron. Holmes", news in brief, a. o.: "Next time we're in London we're going to hunt out Author Temple for the drink he owes us. This drink has a history, for it is proud to have originated with John Beynon Harris. Just another tribute to S-FR; untill [sic] he read it in our columns Author J. B. Harris was unaware of his duel [sic] appearance in the tenth ToW. Perhaps now he will subscribe..." WANDERINGS BY WAYFARER p. 4: "I am always gratefull [sic] for letters and contributions from readers. This issue I am printing several of those so kindly sent to me by A. Clarke of Welling, as promised." (3 capsule reviews of older books)
4	April 1940	4
5	May 1940	4
6	June 1940	4
7	July 1940	4
8	August 1940	4	SCIENCE-FANTASY REVIEW’S [linebreak] 'WAR DIGEST'. "Issued at least once a month (we hope!) from: 32, Rockfield Road, Liverpool 4," Holmes's address. "L.V. Heald is now in the L.D.V.s" [Local Defence Volunteers, from July Home Guard]
9	September 1940	4	"SCIENCE-FANTASY REVIEW’S 'WAR DIGEST'. Final issue, coming this time from" [Rosenblum's Leeds address]. GLEANINGS Garnered by Ronald Holmes: "I joined up for 7 years in the R.A.M.C." Editorial by J. M. Rosenblum p. 2: "read the first page of Pseudo-Futurian, enclosed with this magazine (!) Actually Ronnie Holmes should have got this last issue of SFR’s War Digest out, in order to round up decently the job of work he has been doing so well, but unforseen circumstances have prevented him. For that reason I have "taken over” a month before schedule tho' with the invaluable aid of material supplied by Ron." Weird Tales Club in Existence, info/advert by its Ass. Editor H. A. Perkins p.3 Wonderings by Waifairer [sic!], three spoof mini-reviews of books from the future p. 4

Science-Fantasy Review War Digest online at fanac.org (copies often badly faded or poorly reproduced)

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Publication

1940

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