Item ASTON, GG 1/3 - Diary, 1910-1911, relating to service on the General Staff, South Africa

Diary containing daily entries relating to Aston as Brig Gen, General Staff, South Africa including account of visit to Bloemfontein, Orange Free State; progress of work on Letters on Amphibious Wars (John Murray, London, 1911, 1920); account of meeting with Japanese Gen Tamaka and his views on sea transport during the Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905; plans for 'Basutoland Scheme' (incorporation of the British Protectorate of Basutoland into the Union of South Africa); account of time spent at Government House, Pietermaritzberg, Natal; the claims of Maj Gen Charles Arthur Hadfield to an administrative position in South Africa; account of a discussion with FM Jan Christian Smuts on the Union of South Africa and the position of Governor General; the possible resignation of Gen Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen and his replacement by FM Viscount Horatio Herbert Kitchener; newspaper cutting describing a pamphlet by Aston dealing with the defence of South Africa with an introduction by Methuen relating to his support for compulsory military service; account of Louis Botha's speech outlining the programme of the new South African National Party; account of brigade training at Erasmus drift; account of discussion with Smuts on the peninsula defence scheme and his party's commitment to compulsory military service; account of exercises during a training camp; account of discussion with the Assistant Secretary for the Interior relating to local defence; Sir James Percy Fitzpatrick's views on Smuts' defence scheme; Col du Toit of Orange Free State's proposals to organise boy scouts in Orange Free State schools; the traffic in arms and ammunition to Basutoland. 1 file