Item CLIVE, GS 2/4 - Detailed personal diary, 1917-1918

Personal diary, giving an extremely detailed account of day-to-day activities whilst Head of British Missions at the French General Headquarters, especially liaison between the British and French Higher Commands, with regard to operations on the Western Front, notably a description by Clive of the British Mission to Russia, in which he acted as representative of the General Staff, including the journey to Petrograd (St Petersburg), a meeting with Tsar Nicholas II, and notes on some discussions, Feb 1917; preparation for, and reports of misgivings about, the Nivelle Offensive; attempts to reorganise the Missions, and Clive's reaction; the start of the Battles of Arras with the successful attack by the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) on Vimy Ridge; the opening of the Nivelle Offensive, Apr 1917, and its failure, leading to the dismissal of French Gen Robert Georges Nivelle in May; the dismissal of many of the French staff in the 3rd Bureau, following the fall of Nivelle; the promotion of French Gen Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Petain to Commander in Chief of the French army, and Clive's description of his working relationship with French Gen Ferdinand Foch; French troop disturbances, and the reasons for them; the progress of the third Battle of Ypres throughout Aug and Sep 1917; Clive's attempt to promote the idea of an Allied Commander in Chief to coordinate operations during 1918, without success, Oct 1917; the creation of an Allied Supreme War Council, with a permanent military committee of Foch, Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, Italian Gen Luigi Cadorna and US Gen Tasker Howard Bliss, and Clive's commentary on its purposes and future, Nov 1917; preparations for the Battle of Cambrai, Nov 1917; the replacement of Lt Gen Sir Launcelot Edward Kiggell with Lt Gen the Hon Sir Herbert (Alexander) Lawrence as Chief of General Staff on the Western Front, Jan 1918; the confrontation between the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister, and Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, culminating in Wilson becoming Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Feb 1918; negotiations and discussion between the British and French concerning the Inter-Allied Reserve, and its control and use, Mar 1918; description of the progress of the second Battle of the Somme, including the evacuation of the French General Staff to Provins; the appointment of Foch to coordinate Allied operations, Mar 1918, and the reaction of the French General Staff to this; personal meetings between Petain and Clive, in which the former's reaction to Foch's appointment and his own position is given, Apr 1918; Clive's attempts to arrange a conference between the three commanders, Foch, Petain and FM Sir Douglas Haig, culminating in a meeting in July; the progress of the third Battle of the Aisne, notably the problem of bringing up reserves with inadequate transport, and the conflicting views of the British and French command as to their use, Jun 1918; the Conference of the Heads of Missions in Paris, discussing the arrangements for the evacuation of British subjects from Paris, and the prospect of the French making peace with Germany, Jun 1918; unsuccessful attempts by Clive to leave the Mission and command troops; the suspicions of the British Government concerning French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau's role in the implementation of military policy, and Foch's reluctance to utilise the French General Staff, Jul 1918; the start and progress of the Battle of Champagne, including details of troop movements and the morale of the French Staff; Clive's appointment as Head of Intelligence at British General Headquarters, Aug 1918; Clive's appointment as Military Governor of Cologne, Germany, Dec 1918. 1 vol.