Papers of Sir Frank Cooper, 1953-1999, primarily relating to his service as Permanent Under Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office, 1973-1976, as Permanent Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence, 1976-1982, and post retirement, 1983-1999. The papers include correspondence, articles, press cuttings, press releases, reports, speeches, interviews and conference papers on a variety of topics including: the Air Ministry in the 1950s and 1960s, including the Suez War and Operation MUSKETEER, 1956; the political situation in Northern Ireland, 1973-1976; the Falklands War, 1981-1982, particularly the reaction of the Ministry of Defence and of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the sinking of the Argentinean cruiser BELGRANO; the Civil Service, including relationships with the Government, structural reorganisations, Parliamentary Committees and policy making; the Ministry of Defence, including the Defence budget, management policy and accountability, the civilian contribution to the MoD, the relationships between defence procurement, industry and the economy; wider defence issues including the relationships between Britain, Europe, America and NATO, the importance of research and development collaboration, arms sales, the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), the European aerospace industry, American protectionism and technology transfer; British nuclear weapons policy, nuclear deterrence and disarmament, ATBM (anti tactical ballistic missile) defences and the management of the Trident, Polaris and Chevaline projects; British and French maritime forces; and Westland Helicopters PLC, including correspondence from Cooper's time as Director (1982-1985) and parliamentary reports relating to the sale of the company. Also papers relating to projects and study groups including the Joint Study of European Cooperative Measures for Aeronautical Research and Technology (EUROMART), 1978-1991; the EUREKA research and development programme, 1985-1986; EUROGROUP, 1982; the Foundation for International Security, 1984-1990; the British Rocketry Oral History Project, 1997-1998; the Defence Study Group of the Institute for European Defence and Strategic Studies, 1988-1990; and the Institute for Defence Procurement Studies, 1989-1990. Photographs of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in session, 1965-1977 and the Falklands War, 1982, including Royal Marines progressing through Port Stanley, surrendering Argentinean soldiers and piles of surrendered Argentinean weapons. Prints Ulster Impressions by Joan Wanklyn, 1974, RAF Aldergrove by Ken Howard, 1975 and The Great White Whale by Ronald Dean, depicting the SS CANBERRA, 1982.

Midshipman's log book, by Currey, 1876-1878, including service on HMS DUKE OF WELLINGTON, Flagship of Adm Sir George Elliot, Portsmouth, Dec 1876-Jan 1877, HMS ALEXANDRA, Mediterranean Fleet, Jan 1877-Aug 1878 and HMS CRUISER, Mediterranean Fleet, Aug-Sep 1878; papers and plans relating to anti-submarine warfare, 1913-1915, including typescript draft text of lecture by Currey entitled 'Hints on organised coast defence v submarines' [1914]; fifty six manuscript naval signals, Aug-Dec 1914, including signals to R Adm, 5 Battle Sqn from the Admiralty on support to be given to operations by Chatham Royal Marine Force at Ostend, Belgium, 26-27 Aug 1914, signals relating to the loss of the battleship HMS AUDACIOUS to a mine in the Atlantic, 27 Oct 1914, and signals ordering RN battlecruisers HMS INVINCIBLE and HMS INFLEXIBLE to sea, 4 Nov 1914 (prior to the Battle of the Falklands Islands, 8 Dec 1914); journal and signal book kept by Mid Richard Reynell on board Currey's flagship, HMS PRINCE OF WALES, 1914-1915.

Papers of Col Stephen Love on his military service, 1979-1983; principally comprising papers (3 files) on his service as Defence Attaché, British Embassy, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1979-1982; including details of organisation and deployment of Argentine army and air force; lists of senior army and air force officers; copies of Love's official correspondence on the threat of invasion of the Falkland Islands, Mar-Apr 1982; copy of Love's evidence to the Falklands Islands Review Committee, chaired by Oliver Shewell Franks, Baron Franks, Oct 1982; copies of English and Spanish language newspapers on the Falkland War, Mar-Apr 1982; file of correspondence and album of album of photographs on his work as Project Director of the 'Falklands Pilgrimage' by relatives of British casualties, 1983.

The television documentary _Woolly Al walks the kitty back _examines the international diplomatic efforts to prevent armed conflict between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, 1982, focussing in particular on the shuttle diplomacy of Alexander Meigs Haig, Jr, US Secretary of State, 1981-1982. The collection includes video recordings and transcripts of interviews conducted in the making of the documentary, as well as news footage and sound recordings relating to the conflict.

Interviews were conducted with eyewitnesses from the Argentine, Britain and United State of America, and included politicians, diplomats and military personnel involved in the development of the British and American response, both diplomatic and military, to the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), 2 April 1982.

Interviewees include Alexander Meigs Haig, Jr, US Secretary of State, 1981-1982; James M Rentschler, US Special Advisor to US President Ronald Wilson Reagan, and National Security Council Western European Department, 1982; Dr Jeane Duane Jordan Kirkpatrick, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, 1981-1985; Caspar Willard Weinberger, US Secretary of Defense, 1981-1987; Gen Vernon Anthony Walters, US Ambassador-at-large, 1981-1985; Thomas Enders, Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs, US State Department, 1982; Brig Gen Basilio Lami-Dozo, Commander-in-Chief, Argentine Air Force, and member of the ruling Military Junta, 1982; Ambassador Gustavo Figueroa, First Secretary, Argentine Foreign Ministry, 1982; R Adm Roberto Moya, Chief of the Argentine Military Household, and Naval member of the Malvinas Working Group, 1982; Dr Nicanor Costa Méndez, Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1982; Wenceslao Bunge, Argentine industrialist and unofficial diplomatic representative of the Argentine Air Force, 1982; Estaban Takacs, Argentine Ambassador to the US, 1982; Sir (John) Nicholas Henderson, British Ambassador the US, 1979-1982; Rt Hon Sir John William Frederic Nott, Secretary of State for Defence, 1981-1983; Francis Leslie Pym, Baron Pym of Sandy, Bedfordshire (Lord Pym), Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 1982-1983; Rt Hon Cecil Edward Parkinson, Paymaster General and Chairman of the Conservative Party, 1981-1983, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1982-1983; AF Terence Thornton Lewin, Baron Lewin of Greenwich in Greater London, Chief of the Defence Staff, 1979-1982; and Sir Robin (William) Renwick, Head of Chancery, British Embassy, Washington DC, US, 1981-1984.