Key Information
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1914-1956 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent
2 boxes or 0.02m3
Scope and content
Papers relating to the career and publications of Lieutenant General Cyril Durnford, 1914-1956, notably correspondence including letters of thanks and congratulations from colleagues, government officials and industry figures; progress reports and testimonials; official notices regarding promotion, awards and transfers; sailing orders; leave arrangements; mess arrangements and pay information, 1914-1947. Administrative papers including minutes, memorandums and reports including: "Summary of the Principal Military Reasons for the Urgent Construction of the Tauda China - Wana Road", 1930; "Passage of troops via the Imphal Road", 1942; "Despatching Stores along the Imphal Road", 1942; "Reorganisation of Command in Deccan District and Sind Area", 1943; "Report on Operations on Shatt Al Charraf (Sharaf) by 34 Brigade Column"; minutes of extraordinary meeting of the War Projects Coordination and Administrative Committee to consider Inter-Branch Subjects, 18-20 May, 1943; file regarding coordination of administrative functions at General Headquarters, India, 1943. Papers relating to Durnford's publications, including copies of articles "Imperial Organisation in Relation to Imperial Defence" and "The Arab Insurrection of 1920-21", [1924-25]; copies of The Journal of the United Service Institute of India , Vol LX, No 261, Oct 1930, including Gold Medal Prize Essay by Durnford on the subject of assisting economic development of tribal territories and finding employment for tribesmen; copies of The Journal of the United Service Institute of India , Vol LXIX, No 294, Jan 1939; including Highly Commended Essay by Durnford on modern army strategy and tactics; correspondence with Edward Machie of The Statesman newspaper, Mar-Sept 1947, regarding a series of articles by Durnford on 'The Foundations of India's Security', with drafts of the articles entitled: 'A Strong Man Armed Keepeth His House', 'Threats to India's Security', 'Can an Independent India Stand Alone?', 'The Bases of Defence Planning' and 'Internal Unity'; draft of article, 'Forgotten Men', Jan 1949, about the officers of the Indian Army; copy of 'Planning, Development and Operation of the Assam Lines of Communication, 1941-45', by Maj Gen George Neville Russell and Brig Richard Gardiner, 1951, with annotations by Durnford and related memo from Quartermaster General's Branch regarding maintenance of troops in Kalewa, Burma, 1942; correspondence with the Observer newspaper regarding Durnford's review of Defeat into Victory by FM Sir William Joseph Slim and correspondence with others regarding the review, 1956. With portrait photograph of Durnford, July 1943.
System of arrangement
6 files arranged chronologically.
General Information
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born 1891; educated Merchant Venturers' School, Bristol; served in ranks, 4 Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, 1908; commissioned into 123 Outram's Rifles, Indian Army Reserve of Officers, 1914; Egyptian Expeditionary Force, 1915-1916; Lieutenant, 1916; British Mandate of Iraq, 1920-22; Rajputana Rifles, Waziristan, India, 1923; Staff College, Camberley, 1924-1925; Brevet Major, 1930; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, 1935; Brigadier General Staff, Northern Command, India, 1940; Deputy Quartermaster General, General Headquarters, India, 1942; Major General in charge of administration, Central Command, India, 1943; temporary Lieutenant General, 1945; Quartermaster General, India, 1945-1947; retired 1947 with honorary rank of Lieutenant General; died 1965.
Repository
Custodial history
Presented by the family, May 2007
Conditions governing access
Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only.
Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, via the Archives.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Uploaded finding aid
Existence and location of originals
Please note: We require 7 days notice to retrieve this collection as part, or all of it, is held off-campus. Read more ›
Related materials
Note
CB, CIE, Cravat of the Cloud and Banner (China)
Alternative identifier(s)
Place access points
People and Organisations
Genre access points
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000.
Script(s)
Archivist's note
Entry compiled by Katharine Higgon