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Papers of Louis Edward Wilson, 1914-1959, relating to World War One Fundraising Tank Campaign and to the waterproofing of tanks during World War Two, including: booklet, The German Raid on the Hartlepools, December 16th 1914 , with photographs of bomb damage and list of the dead, 1914; correspondence, photographs, brochures, programmes, invitations and publicity material relating to the National Tour around the UK of the Tank Campaign of the National War Savings Committee, 8 Jan 1917-19 Dec 1919; letters from Maj Gen Sir Ernest Swinton, contributor to the invention of the tank and first commander of the Tank Corps, 18 Aug 1922-18 Jul 1945; correspondence concerning Wilson's career and the process of tank waterproofing, 14 Sept 1939-28 Jun 1946 and 3 Jan 1959; papers relating to tank waterproofing, 1940-1945, including: notes on supplies for the Dieppe raid, Aug 1942; notes taken from minutes of Tank Committee meetings, Aug 1942-Jun 1943; lists of companies manufacturing tanks, 1945; summary of the uses of Bostik in tank wading, Aug 1940-Jan 1945; 'A Tank Goes for a Swim', illustrated article from Picture Post , 21 Oct 1944; German aerial photograph of Coventry, showing Armstrong Siddeley aircraft engine works, Oct 1940; photographs of tank landings on manoeuvres in the UK, 1943, in Sicily and Italy, 1943, and in Normandy, 1944; booklets containing waterproofing and wading instructions, 1943-1944, for tanks including the Churchill Mk I, II, III, and IV; Light Tank M5, M5A1 and Howitzer motor carriage with radio equipment; Sherman Mk III and Mk V; Stuart Mk III and Mk V; Car, Scout and Humber Mk I and II; Armoured Car and Humber Mk I, II, III and IV; Valentine Bridgelayer; Armoured Car, Staghound; Churchill AVRE; Churchill ARV; Centaur Mk IV; 3in gun motor carriage M10; Carriers; Crusader, Gun Tractor Mk I; Cromwell Mk I, II, IV, V, VI and Centaur Mk I, III, IV. Also copy of We Planned the Second Front by Maj John Dalgleish (Gollancz, 1945) with mention of the waterproofing efforts.

Papers and correspondence relating to Swinton's libel action brought against Herbert George (H G) Wells on the origin of the tank, 1941, including letters to Swinton from R Adm Sir Murray Fraser Sueter, H G Wells, B A Levinson and Sir Richard (Roy) Maconachie, 1940-1941. Typescript letter from Col Sir Maurice Paschal Alers Hankey, Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence, dated 5 May 1932, on the manuscript of Swinton's book Eyewitness. Being personal reminiscences of certain phases of the Great War, including the genesis of the tank (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1932). Two scrapbooks containing cuttings, photographs and memorabilia, 1915-1970, mostly relating to Swinton's military career. Edition of The supply of munitions. Part III. Tanks [1920], Royal Commission on awards to inventors. First Report (HMSO, London, 1921), The defence of Duffer's Drift by Swinton, (George Ronald, Oxford, 1949), and War commentary. Broadcasts delivered between October, 1939 and March, 1940 (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1940).

Typescript transcripts of letters home from Street, 1932, May-Sep 1938 and 1941-1944, including accounts of Allied evacuation from Greece, 1941, and Street's escape from an Italian submarine as a POW, 1943. Two narrative diaries relating to service in Palestine, Aug-Oct 1939, and Kenya, Jun-Dec 1940. Volume entitled 'Long ago and far away', typescript memoir by Annette Street, widow of Maj Gen Vivian Wakefield Street, foreword by Sir Fitzroy Hew Maclean, 1st Bt, with seven photographs, 1938-1945. Sixty one photographs relating to Street's career, 1938-1960, including rebellion in Palestine, 1938-1939, and Middle East, 1940-1943. Edition of Blackwood's Magazine, Mar 1947, with article by Street entitled 'Some men have nine lives', an account of the escape from the Italian submarine, 1943. Printed programme of official visit to Aden by Julian Amery MP, Under Secretary of State for War, and Gen Sir Geoffrey Kemp Bourne, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Land Forces, Sep-Oct 1957, with typescript itineraries of visit and four photographs. Comments on named individuals, Jordan, 1961 [CLOSED]. Newspaper cuttings and related papers on the award of the MC to Street, Palestine, 1938, the evacuation from Greece, 1941, and the escape from the Italian submarine, 1943.

Papers relating to his role in the development and production of armoured fighting vehicles, dated 1914-1959, 1964, 1994, principally comprising correspondence, memoranda and minutes relating to the Landships Committee, 1915-1916, and the Tank Supply Committee, Tank Supply Department (later Mechanical Warfare Supply Department) and Mechanical Warfare (Overseas and Allies) Department, 1916-1918; progress reports and memoranda on design and construction of landships, 1915; plans, drawings and blueprints for landships and tanks, 1915-1916; 'Notes on the employment of tanks' by Col Ernest Dunlop Swinton, printed at the Foreign Office, 1916; 'Mechanical warfare, a summary of British tank development, 1914-1918', typescript text by Stern, [1925]; papers relating to the establishment of the Allied Tank Factory at Neuvy Pailloux, Chateauroux, France, dated 1917-1918; notes and reports by Lt J Rackham and George Watson relating to the use of tanks on the Western Front, 1917; 'The tactical employment of tanks in 1918', unofficial report by Col John Frederick Charles Fuller, 1917; correspondence and memoranda relating to Ministry of Supply Special Vehicle Development Committee and the Tank Board, 1939-1943, and the design and development of TOG heavy tanks, 1939-1944 ['TOG' - The Old Gang, informal name for Special Vehicle Development Committee members, some of whom had worked on tank development during World War One], including correspondence with Rt Hon Edward Leslie Burgin, Minister of Supply, 1939-1940, Rt Hon Herbert Stanley Morrison, Minister of Supply, 1940, Rt Hon Sir Andrew Rae Duncan, Minister of Supply, 1940-1941 and 1942, Rt Hon William Maxwell Aitken Beaverbrook, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Minister of Supply, 1941-1942, Sir James Lithgow, Chairman of the Tank Board, 1941, and Rt Hon Winston (Leonard Spencer) Churchill 1940-1942, Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister of Defence, Sir William Tritton of Tritton, Foster and Co, and Cdr R H Stokes-Rees, 1943-1944; official reports by Lt Col Gordon Hall on British and Italian use of tanks in the Middle East, 1940-1941, dated 1941; specifications and technical reports relating to tanks, 1939-1944; minutes of Special Vehicle Development Committee, 1939-1942; papers relating to investigation of Stern's position in the Ministry of Supply, 1942, dated 1939-1942, including transcriptions of interviews with Stern, 1942; correspondence and memoranda relating to Stern's evidence before the Sub-Committee on National Production and Supply of the House of Commons Select Committee on National Expenditure; publications and printed material relating to tanks, 1915-1919, 1939-1946, 1959; photographs, 1915-1918, 1939-1945, principally comprising British, French and Canadian photographs of tanks, 1915-1918; photographs of TOG tanks, 1939-1942; films concerning the development of the tank, 1918, 1941-1942, 1957. Other papers relating to his life and career, notably including photographs relating to his service with the Royal Naval Air Service, 1914-1915; copies of personal correspondence, 1918-1919.

Two pilot's flying log books, 1933-1937 and 1937-1960. Typescript 'Report on GAF (German Air Force) night fighting from the interrogation of prisoners' by Wing Cdr W K Davison, Officer Commanding 88 Sqn, RAF [1944]; typescript report by James Lansdale Hodson entitled 'Night fighters' [1944]; typescript memorandum by Slade, 'Notes for new crews' [1944]; typescript 'Report on GAF night fighter system. A post mortem' [1945]. Photograph album with uncaptioned photographs of Slade's RAF service in Egypt and Iraq, 1933-1937. Fifteen photographic negatives and 185 photographs, 1933-1960, including aerial photographs of terrain, Iraq, 1934-1937, group photographs, 1942-1945, and Fairey Aviation Limited aircraft in flight [1960], notably the Gannet and the Rotodyne.

Capt Sir Basil Liddell Hart's papers reflect his position as the foremost military theorist in Britain between World Wars One and Two, as an influential military correspondent and as a prolific author of books on military theory and history. As such he sustained throughout his life an extensive correspondence with a wide variety of prominent individuals, including those in the armed forces, politicians, playwrights, journalists, military historians, embassy officials and clergymen.The collection includes Liddell Hart's files containing correspondence with several thousand individuals, as well as with government departments and military establishments, and clubs and political parties; his own military writings, including diary notes, memoranda, books, articles, letters to the press and texts of lectures; and an extensive collection of reference material, mainly comprising newspaper cuttings and pamphlets, covering a wide range of topics including military history, politics and society. The collection includes a small quantity of correspondence with Lady Liddell Hart, particularly after 1970.Correspondence with individuals, 1916-1970, with related papers, 1/1-780; general correspondence, 1904-1976, including with Embassy staff, Israeli military personnel, and researchers, 2/1-3241; correspondence with British and overseas publishers, military and non-military journals, news agencies, literary and legal advisers, 1919-1970, 3/1-196; correspondence with official institutions, 1927-1970, including government departments, military establishments and museums, with correspondence relating to official histories of World Wars One and Two, 4/1-39; correspondence with political parties, clubs and organisations, 1922-1970, 5/1-35; letters to newspapers and journals, 1927-1968, 6/1927/1-6/1968/2; writings relating to military matters, 1910-1925, including diaries and notebooks, 7/1910/1-7/1925/13; papers relating to early life and career, 1895-1925, including service in World War One, 8/1-355; manuscripts, typescripts, proofs and reviews of books written or edited by Liddell Hart, with related papers, 1925-1970, 9/1-32, which includes notes on talks with T E Lawrence, 9/13, papers relating to German generals of World War Two, 9/24, and correspondence and papers relating to tanks, 9/28; published articles, including book reviews, with related papers, 1925-1969, 10/1925/1-10/1969/19 plus miscellaneous and supplementary papers; unpublished papers, 1925-1970, including appointment diaries, records of conversations and papers on military matters, and papers relating to Leslie Hore-Belisha, 1937-1957, 11/1925/1-11/1970/1 plus undated memoranda; notes for lectures, speeches, broadcasts and interviews, 1926-1969, with related correspondence, 12/1926/1-12/1969/4 plus miscellaneous papers; papers including presscuttings and copy letters relating to life and career, 1925-1970, 13/1-112; non-military material, including papers relating to religion, philosophy, sport, aviation, science, psychology and fashion, 1913-1969, 14/1-93; reference material, including original and published papers and proofs of publications, relating to military history, politics and society, 15/1-7, 16; military manuals and pamphlets, 1870-1961, 15/8.

See below for those individuals who passed their own private papers to Liddell Hart.

The following individuals passed their own private collections of papers to Liddell Hart: Brig George Fothergill Ellenberger (1895-[1974]), 15/9; Maj Henry Ellis D Harris (1913-1983), 15/10; Maj Gen Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart (1885-1957), 15/11; Maj Gen George Mackintosh Lindsay (1880-1956), 15/12; Col Karol Lubinski (1890-[1972]), 15/13; Col Roderick ('Rory') Macleod (1891-1984), 15/14; Reginald William Winchester (Chester) Wilmot (1911-1954), 15/15.

Special service', typescript memoir covering his life and naval career, 1913-1945, notably his service in Norway, 1940 and 1942, his involvement in Motor Torpedo Boat operations in Norway, 1942-1943, his service with 12 (Special Service) Submarine Flotilla, 1943-1944, and his reconnaissance work with 30 Assault Unit in France, Belgium and Germany, 1944-1945, written in [1960-1970],with photographs, [1943-1946].

Papers and photographs relating to Caunter's career, 1908-[1960], including one photograph album, containing 90 photographs, newspaper cuttings and invitations, 1908-1933, notably photographs of Crefeld POW camp, Germany, 1916, Caunter's return to UK following his escape from Schwarmstedt POW camp, Germany, 1917, group photographs of officers, Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, 1922-1923 and Senior Officers Course, Hythe, Kent, 1927, with thirty five loose photographs, 1909-1941, including Salonika, 1918, Iraq, 1920-1921, Egypt, 1936, and Western Desert, Libya, 1941. Papers relating to the First Libyan Campaign, Western Desert, 1940-1941, and Caunter's command of 4 Armoured Bde in the capture of Fort Capuzzo, Battle of Beda Fomm, Libya, Feb 1941, including typescript memorandum by Caunter entitled 'Notes on the disposal of prisoners captured by AFV (Armoured Fighting Vehicle) units', 1 Oct 1940; two typescript 7 Armoured Div intelligence summaries, Dec 1940; typescript memorandum by Caunter entitled 'Some lessons from the campaign', [1941]; typescript account entitled 'The story of the 4th Armoured Brigade in the First Libyan campaign', Western Desert, 1940-1941; two letters from Capt Basil Henry Liddell Hart, dated Jan 1947 and Dec 1951, relating to Caunter's deployment of armoured forces in the Battle of Beda Fomm, Western Desert, Feb 1941. Memoranda and reports relating to Caunter's service as Brig General Staff and Deputy Director of Staff Duties, Armoured Troops, General Headquarters, India, 1941-1943, including typescript memorandum by Caunter, 'Defence of the North West Frontier of India and appreciation' [1942]; typescript report by Lt Col Rothwell H Brown, US Army, 'Report of conditions noted in armoured units and ordnance establishments by the US Army Tank Training Detachment', 10 Nov 1942; edition of Tanks and tank folk by Eric Kennington (Country Life, London, 1943).

Papers relating to early career, including material on early aviation, 1911-1913, and texts of lectures given at the RAF Staff College, Andover, 1922-1926. Material relating to post as Air Officer Commanding, British Forces in Iraq, 1928-1935, including correspondence, memoranda and telegrams relating to operations in Iraq and Kuwait, 1928-1930, and negotiations for the Anglo-Iraq Treaty, 1930; news cuttings and notes relating to political and military affairs in Iraq, and the situation of the Assyrians and Kurds, 1930-1935. Papers created as Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Air Defence of Great Britain, 1933-1935, mainly relating to a Royal Review of the RAF at Mildenhall, Suffolk, and Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Papers relating to post as Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Middle East, notably memoranda, cypher signals, letters and notes, 1931-1936, relating to RAF operations, mainly planning and preparation for the possibility of war between the League of Nations and Italy following the Italian invasion and annexation of Abyssinia; correspondence with ACM Sir Edward Leonard Ellington, Chief of Air Staff, 1935-1936; memoranda, telegrams, correspondence and newscuttings on operational matters relating to the Arab Rebellion against the British Mandate in Palestine, 1936; material collated by Brooke-Popham for lectures on the Middle East, 1930, 1936; correspondence, memoranda and minutes relating to the formation and working of an Executive Committee on Assyrian Settlement, 1943-1947. Papers relating to the creation and implementation of the Empire Air Training Scheme in Canada and South Africa, 1939-1945, including personal correspondence with Arthur William Street, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Air, 1940. Papers relating to post as Commander in Chief, Far East, notably telegrams and memoranda relating to the requirements of the RAF and Army in the Far East, 1940-1949; personal correspondence with Maj Gen Sir Hastings Lionel Ismay, Secretary to the Committee of Imperial Defence, 1940-1941; semi-official correspondence with Street, 1940-1941; material relating to the replacement of Brooke-Popham as Commander in Chief, Far East, Nov 1941; telegrams relating to reconnaissance sightings of Japanese convoys, the decision not to launch Operation MATADOR, the outbreak of war with Japan, and the sinking of RN battleships HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS REPULSE, Dec 1941; papers, correspondence and proofs relating to the publication of various despatches and reports concerning operations in Malaya, 1941-1947. Papers created whilst Inspector General of the Air Training Corps, 1942-1947, 1950-1952, mainly comprising inspection reports and material relating to the post-war organisation of the Air Training Corps. Booklets, memoranda, and reports collated by Brooke-Popham relating to RAF training, policy and operations, [1914]-1946. Material relating to research for and writing of articles, lectures and pamphlets, mainly relating to history, aviation or training, 1923-1952. Printed material, 1890-1953, mainly relating to aviation. Maps and photographs, 1917-[1945], including aerial photographs of the Western Front during World War One, 1917-1918.

Papers relating to Bethell's life and career, 1894-1932, and to his death in action, as First Lt, HMS NESTOR, 13 Destroyer Flotilla, Battle of Jutland, North Sea, 31 May 1916, including Birth Certificate and Certificate of Baptism, 1894; RN record and certificates relating to Bethell's naval career, 1907-1915; one Christmas card, 1913, and three letters to his sister Agatha [Hilda] Bethell, 1915, and eight letters to his mother, Hilda Mary Bethell, Lady Bethell, 1914-1916. Two letters from the Admiralty notifying the family of Lt Bethell's death, 1916; two letters to Hilda Mary Bethell, Lady Bethell, from Cdr Hon (Edward) Barry (Stewart) Bingham, Capt of HMS NESTOR, on Lt Bethell's heroism and on the loss of HMS NESTOR at the Battle of Jutland, 1916; two letters to Agatha [Hilda] Bethell from Lt William Stephen Richard King-Hall, HMS SOUTHAMPTON, on the Battle of Jutland and the sinking of HMS NESTOR, with extract from account of Jutland by Lt Harold Percy Keeley, HMS ATTACK, 1 Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet, Jun 1916; seven letters and telegrams of condolence, notably including HM King George V, Rt Hon Arthur James Balfour, First Lord of the Admiralty, V Adm Sir David Beatty, 1 Battlecruiser Sqn, Grand Fleet, Capt Wilmot Stuart Nicholson, HMS AURORA, and Capt Charles Edward Le Mesurier, HMS CALLIOPE, 1916-1918; three letters on the loss of HMS NESTOR and the death of Lt Bethell from Surgeon Probationer Alexander Joe, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, 1918. Edition of Supplement to the London Gazette, containing details of the award of a posthumous Mention in Despatches for Lt Bethell, 4 Oct 1918; nine letters between Adm Hon Sir Alexander Edward Bethell and the Admiralty relating to whether Lt Bethell's heroism was worthy of the award of the VC, Jan-Feb 1919; edition of Parliamentary debates, House of Commons (Hansard) containing questions asked in Parliament by Rt Hon Thomas James Macnamara, Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, relating to Lt Bethell's heroism during the Battle of Jutland, 12 Mar 1919. Photograph of Bethell [1914]; edition of Falklands, Jutland, and the Bight by Cdr Hon (Edward) Barry (Stewart) Bingham, RN (John Murray, London, 1919); official scroll and bronze plaque, sent to the next of kin of servicemen killed in action [1919]; certificate of Mention in Despatches, 1920. Copy of manuscript poem relating to the loss of HMS NESTOR by Robert Malise Bowyer Nichols entitled 'The souls of the righteous', 1931, with related correspondence from John Masefield, Poet Laureate, Cdr Hon (Edward) Barry (Stewart) Bingham, RN and Lt Dudley Rowe, RN, 1931.

Papers relating to Beaufoy Brown's life and RN career, 1925-1979, including scrapbook with newspaper cuttings and fifty five photographs, Aug 1927-Jul 1929, including Atlantic Fleet exercises, 1927, the loss of HM Submarine H47, off St David's Head, Pembrokeshire, following collision with HM Submarine L12, 9 Jul 1929, and photographs of HMS REVENGE, HMS FORRES, HMS RODNEY, HMS HOOD, HMS NELSON and HMS ADVENTURE, 1927-1929. Two Midshipman's journals, 26 Aug 1927-12 Jul 1930, relating to service on HM Ships REVENGE, RODNEY and WALKER, including manuscript sketches and maps, two photographs of the main armament of HMS RODNEY, and photograph of HMS CENTURION, RN radio-controlled target ship, Portland, Dorset, Nov 1928, with twelve loose photographs, 1925-1929, including HMS RODNEY, HMS STURGEON and group of Cadets, Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Devon, 1925. Typescript report by Beaufoy Brown on the visit to Malta of the Yugoslav training ship JADRAN, 9-11 Jul 1934. Papers and photographs relating to the development and deployment of X craft midget submarines and Chariot manned torpedoes, 1943-[1950], including sixty seven photographs relating to the training of crews for X craft midget submarine operations, 1943-1945, notably six aerial photographs, taken by 544 Sqn, RAF, of Bergen harbour, Norway, before and after Operation GUIDANCE, the sinking by X Craft of German merchant ship BARENFELS, Apr 1944, and Operation HECKLE, the destruction of a floating dock, Laksvaag, Bergen, Norway, Sep 1944; edition of The Illustrated London News, 15 Dec 1945, with article on X Craft operation against Japanese cruiser TAKAO, Singapore, Jul 1945; edition of The Dittybox, the Navy's own magazine, containing article by G V Galwey entitled 'Life in a midget submarine', Feb 1948; typescript text of lecture by Beaufoy Brown on World War Two midget submarine operations [1950]. Photograph album containing 111 photographs relating to Beaufoy Brown's service as Executive Officer, HMS GAMBIA, Mediterranean and East Indies, 1951-1952, including peace keeping patrols, Port Said, Egypt, 1951, and inspection of ship by acting Adm Louis (Francis Albert Victor Nicholas) Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Commnder-in-Chief Mediterranean, Malta, 1952. Typescript Curriculum Vitae for Beaufoy Brown [1965], and obituary, 1979.