Showing 1409 results

Notes on a meeting held at Chantilly, France, between FM Sir John Denton Pinkstone French, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, and French Gen Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre, Commander in Chief, French Armies on the Western Front, concerning future operations on the Western Front; their opposition to a 'passive defence' as advocated by the British Cabinet; the situation of the Russian Army, notably the shortage of guns, rifles and ammunition; the need for British Army reinforcements to be sent to the Western Front. 4pp.

Notes of a conference held at the Commander in Chief's house on 17 May, between Robertson, the General Staff and the Corps Commanders, notably raising points concerning the administration, interior economy, training, and discipline of the BAOR (British Army of the Rhine). 2pp.

Notes on a British Cabinet meeting for the attention of FM Sir John Denton Pinkstone French, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, requesting information concerning the lines of defence and retreat of the French, German, British and Belgian forces, and suggesting an Anglo-French strategy conference. 1p.

Notes by Sir Edward Grey, 3rd Bt, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, commenting on telegrams from Capt [(William Archibald) Howard] Kelly, Naval Liaison Officer with the French Marine, concerning the use by the French authorities of British troops at Salonika, Greece, for a naval demonstration at Athens, Greece, without the consent of the War Office (see 7/4/22 and 24). 3pp.

Handwritten notes and analysis by Victor Bonham-Carter, (author of A Soldier True, (Frederick Muller Ltd, London, 1963) a biography of FM Sir William (Robert) Robertson, 1st Bt), on the diary of FM Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig; correspondence between Robertson and Haig; correspondence between Haig and Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher; and The Private Papers of Douglas Haig, 1914-1919, edited by Robert Blake (Eyre and Spottiswoode, London, 1952). 121pp.

Notes by Robertson on the reasons for his removal as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, namely the lack of confidence of the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, Prime Minister, and the War Cabinet in his abilities, and Robertson's lack of faith in the methods used by the War Cabinet in the military conduct of the war. 2pp.

Notes by Robertson on the events of 11-15 Feb which led to his resignation as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. 2pp.

Notes by Robertson on the conduct of the war, mainly the lack of adequate planning and communication relating to the Salonika, Greece, operation, and the need for Great Britain to take a more active role in operational decisions and actively cooperate and liaise with the French in order to formulate a clear strategy for future military action. 5pp.

Notes written by Robertson for use in teaching, giving a description of the final battles of the Franco-Prussian War, Oct 1870-Jan 1871, following the creation of the French Third Republic in Sep 1870. 12pp.

Notes written by Robertson following a visit to the United States, giving his opinions on the character of the American people, and a description of his travels by various methods in New York and Michigan. 10pp.

Notes by Robertson relating to a Staff College Senior Division visit to the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War. 6pp.

Notes written by Robertson following a visit to the Balkan Peninsula, giving his impressions of various military installations in Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Macedonia, and personal conclusions reached as to possible alliances between them. 10pp.

Unofficial notes by Maj (George) Sidney Clive, Head of British Missions, French Headquarters, on conversations held with officers on the French General Staff concerning proposed operations on the Western Front during Jun and Jul, namely an attack on the Vimy Plateau, an offensive in Alsace, and an attack in Champagne. 5pp.

Return by the General Staff, British Armies in France, giving the distribution and strength of the British Armies in France on the Western Front. 1p.

Handwritten note on the career of French Gen Ferdinand Foch from his removal as commander of the Group des Armées du Nord to his appointment as Chief of Staff to French Gen Henri-Philippe Benoni Omer Pétain, Commander in Chief, French Armies on the Western Front. 2pp.

Note to Robertson requesting information regarding a paper on Mediterranean shipping. 1p.

Distribution sheet showing, in French, the attendees of the Conference and the papers which have already been distributed. 3pp.

Note to Maj Cecil Courtenay Lucas, Aide de Camp to Robertson, from Arthur Charles Pedley, Principal Secretary to the War Office, informing him that the application of Gen Sir James Willcocks to attend the memorial service for FM Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, has been misplaced. 1p.

Note to FM Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, Secretary of State for War, from the Rt Hon Sir Edward Grey, Bt, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, considering Italian demands made during negotiations for Italian entry into the war on the Allied side. 1p.

Note to Robertson from S Farnham, on the non-reply of Harry Lauder to Robertson's letter of the 17 Aug, refusing his offer to be a member of a committee for the administering of a fund of £1,000,000 for disabled soldiers. 1p.