The collection covers Pyman's career from 1937 until 1963 when he suffered a severe stroke which forced his retirement in 1964. The earliest papers date from Pyman's work with the Royal Tank Cadre in converting the 17/21 Lancers from a cavalry to an armoured regiment. There are also papers from Pyman's period as an instructor at the Staff College in Quetta, India, 1939-1941. Pyman was involved in the World War Two campaigns by the 8 Army in the Western Desert, in 1941 as General Staff Officer with 7 Armoured Div, 30 Corps and in 1942-1943 as Commander of the 3 Royal Tank Regiment, 10 Armoured Div, 30 Corps. The papers consist mostly of Pyman's assessments of lessons learned from the ongoing campaigns particularly with regard to tanks and armoured units. In 1944-1945 Pyman was Brigidier General Staff, 30 Corps, 2 Army in the Normandy landings and the invasion of Northern Europe, with particular responsibility for organisation and planning of the Rhine crossing and advance to the Baltic. This is reflected in the papers which largely consist of planning studies and reports for the operations involved, this section also contains maps used in the campaign. Pyman's next appointment was as Chief of General Staff, Allied Land Forces, South East Asia, 1945-1946 which is documented by a series of diaries which reflect the tasks faced by Pyman in this command including dealing with the build up of tension between newly liberated former colonies keen to assert their right for independence and the former colonial powers such as France and Netherlands. Pyman spent 1946-1949 as Chief of Staff, Middle East Land Forces and kept monthly diaries which form the bulk of this section of the collection. The diary entries and additional papers reflect the debate over policy in the Middle East in the British Government and Military command, they include detail on the British withdrawal from Greece, the problem of illegal Jewish immigrants and their internment in Cyprus, the end of the British mandate in Palestine and the the effect of this on relations between Britain with Egypt and the other Arab states and the subsequent Arab Israeli conflict. This section of the collection also contains correspondence between Pyman and Maj Gen Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey on personal matters and on the Middle East. There are also papers from Pyman's work at the Ministry of Supply as Director General of Fighting Vehicles, 1951-1953, Director of Weapons Development, War Office, 1955-1956 mostly brief diary entries and lecture texts. Pyman was also General Officer Commanding, British Army on the Rhine, 1953-1955 and General Officer Commanding, 1 British Corps, 1956-1958 and the papers relating to these commands consist mostly of lectures, reports and directives reflecting his interest in armoured divisions and training. There are some papers, mostly personal correspondence and press cuttings, from Pyman's final command as Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The collection also contains correspondence relating to Pyman's role as Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment and The Royal Armoured Corps and a series of letters covering the reorganisation of the Berks and Westminster Dragoons, of which he was Honorary Colonel. The rest of the collection consists of diaries, correspondence, speeches, writings including the draft copy and papers relating to his autobiography, some preparatory work on a history of the 2 Army and reference works. The collection also includes the Boer War diaries and other papers of Col James Redmond Patrick Gordon who commanded the 1 Cavalry Bde of the South African Field Force 1900-1901 which were given to Pyman by a friend.

Papers relating to service in HMS GLOUCESTER, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, World War Two, including photocopy of diary, 1939-1940, naval messages, 1940-1943, and photographs; official service records, 1941-1958; and papers relating to naval career, 1949-1964, including article dated 1965, 'A Perspective View of Naval Engineering', on the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy.

Papers relating to his life and career, 1936-1961, principally comprising diary of tour of Germany to assess capacity of industrial installations, Apr-Jun 1945, written in [1945-1946] and including related reports and photographs of sites visited, 1945; record of service pocket book, 1936-1948.

Papers relating to the RAF Levies (Iraq), 1955-1959, including typescript copy of speech by Sir Michael (Robert) Wright, British Ambassador to Iraq at the RAF Levies (Iraq) disbandment parade, RAF Habbaniya, 2 May 1955; typescript copy of report to the Air Ministry by Riall entitled 'The Royal Air Force Levies (Iraq) [1955]; typescript 'The RAF Regiment bulletin report on the RAF Levies (Iraq) - the final two years', 15 Jun 1955; typescript 'Iraq Levies - history prior to disbandment', 1955; edition of The Arab World with article entitled 'The Aden Protectorate Levies', Jun 1959. Papers relating to RAF training, 1950-1958, including edition of Air Ministry Restricted booklet 'Manual of ground defence for the Royal Air Force. Volume 1, Active defence', Jun 1950; typescript course notes, Senior Officers Course, Civil Defence Staff College, Sunningdale, Ascot, Berkshire, Feb 1958; typescript notes on nuclear, biological and chemical warfare, Mar-Dec 1958. Papers relating to the Royal Exodus Hunt, Iraq, 1937-1938 and 1953-1954, including correspondence, bills and accounts, May 1937-Feb 1938; manuscript hunting diary and typescript accounts, 15 Nov 1953-7 Feb 1954.

Copies of papers and photographs relating to his military career, 1915-[1921], dated 1915-[1921], [1970-1980] and 1983, principally comprising letters to his father, 1915-1916; his flying log book, 1915-1917, covering his service with 1 Reserve Aeroplane Sqn, Royal Flying Corps, UK and with 8 and 12 Sqns, BEF, France; notes and texts of lectures relating to aerial combat tactics, produced by instructors at the Royal Flying Corps School of Aerial Gunnery, 1916; his diary, 1918, including details of his work [as an experimental pilot with the Aircraft Directorate and the Air Board]; notebook containing notes on the performance of various aircraft, [1918-1921]; 'Memoir of service with the Royal Flying Corps, 1915 and 1916', written in [1970-1980].

Twenty seven letters from Capt Basil Henry Liddell Hart to Russell, 1927-1943, mostly relating to books and articles by Liddell Hart, with four typescript articles by Liddell Hart, 'The problem of quickening manoeuvre', Dec 1942; 'Arms for the attack', Dec 1942; 'Where are our airborne troops?', Jan 1943; and 'Is our soldiership carrying too much top hamper?', Feb 1943. Also two typescript copies of 'Historical note on the defence plan that foiled Rommel's invasion of Egypt in 1942 - by the officer who designed it (E E Dorman Smith)', Apr 1943, with newspaper cuttings, 1943, 1957-1970, and edition of Picture Post, 15 May 1943.

Papers relating to his life and career 1928-1981, including correspondence, (letters, reports, memoranda, training programmes, photographs and maps) relating to the Allied invasions of North Africa and Sicily (Operation TORCH and Operation HUSKY), 1942-43; correspondence between Salmon and the Air Ministry relating to the daily running of RAF Regt units under his command in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia, 1942-1945; correspondence with Maj Gen Claude Liardet, Commandant of RAF Regt, 1942-1945; Salmon's retrospective war diaries (2 vols.) detailing RAF Regt unit operations in Mediterranean theatre, 1942-1945; maps of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Greece and Yugoslavia, 1928-1944; photographs of RAF Regt units in Greece, North Africa and Italy, 1942-1945; papers relating to 'Ground-Air Landmark' (GAL) operations conducted by RAF Regt, 1944-1945.

Papers relating to the campaign in France, 1940, including copy of typescript War Diary, written by Scott Elliot, of 154 Infantry Bde, 1-30 Jun 1940, on the withdrawal and evacuation of 'Ark Force' from Cherbourg, 15 Jun 1940, and copy of typescript 'ARK Force Operation Order No 2', 11 Jun 1940. Papers relating to Sicily and Italy, 1943-1945, including copy of typescript War Diary, written by Scott Elliot, Commanding Officer, 8 Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), on the attack on Centuripe, Sicily, Aug 1943, with typescript retrospective account entitled '8 Bn The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders at Centuripe' [1947]; typescript account by Scott Elliot on operations of 167 (London) Infantry Bde, Italy, Sep-Oct 1944; copy of typescript memorandum by Maj Gen John Yeldham Whitfield, General Officer Commanding 56 (London) Div, Italy, entitled 'Battle absentees', Apr 1944, with typescript article by Scott Elliot entitled 'The 5th casualty: battle absentees' [1947]; copy of part of map of northern Italy, entitled 'Coriano', scale 1: 50, 000 [1945]; typescript of 'Operations of British, Indian and Dominion Forces in Italy, 3 Sep 1943-2 May 1945. 56 (London) Div', with maps, prepared by the British Historical Section, Central Mediterranean Forces [1945]; typescript account by Capt Close Brooks, Adjutant, 7 Bn, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, entitled 'Anzio beach-head' [1946]. Typescript lecture notes by Scott Elliot entitled 'The mental training of the soldier' [1949].

Correspondence, [1940-1989], about his texts, mainly in regard to the work of William Wordsworth and John Bunyan, including one photocopy of a letter from Professor Clive Staples Lewis about Bunyan, 1963; proofs, offprints and typescript texts, reflecting Sharrock's own literary work (including poems), and literary criticism including Spiritual autobiography in the pilgrim's progress , Keats and the young lovers , preface for Classic English short stories 1989; copy of a booklet by Sharrock The chemist and the poet: Sir Humphry Davy and the preface to lyrical ballads (Reprinted from Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, vol 17, no 1, May 1962).

Photograph albums relating to his military career, [1914-1942], notably his service in Northern Ireland, 1920, Hong Kong and Shanghai, 1930, North Africa and India, [1930-1940], and Kenya, 1940-1942, with associated papers, [1914-1942], notably a diary of C and D Companies, 1 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt, Belfast, 28 Jul-30 Jul 1920.

Curriculum vitae covering the period 1940-1984, dated 1984. Order of service of thanksgiving, texts of memorial addresses and letters of condolence to his widow, 1986-1987.

Microfilm copies of papers relating to his naval career, 1942-1946, principally comprising 'Africa Navy blues', an illustrated account of his experiences in the RN, 1942-1946, written in 1946, covering his service on HMS BIRMINGHAM in a convoy from Egypt to Malta (Operation VIGOROUS), June 1942, and on anti-submarine trawlers in the Bay of Bengal, 1942, during the Allied invasion of Madagascar, 1942, and in South Africa, 1942-1945; diary, 1943-1945. 'War time trawler', a transcript of a broadcast by James McClurg of the South African Broadcasting Corporation concerning his experiences on board an anti-submarine trawler during World War Two, written in [1940-1945].

Papers, 1868-1932, of and concerning Walter William Skeat, including correspondence relating to the English Dialect Society, 1887-1912, letters to Skeat, 1868-1912, fragments of letters and drafts of letters by Skeat, 1873-1905, and correspondence of the Skeat family, 1914-1928. The bulk of the collection comprises working papers, almost all undated, including notes and transcripts of various manuscripts and texts, sometimes unattributed but among them Beowulf , The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Piers Plowman by William Langland, Bodleian manuscripts, works of William Shakespeare, homilies, and proverbs; bibliographical references; dictionaries, thesauri, word lists, glossaries; notes on etymology, grammar, place-names, and pronunciation; lectures including 'The Language of Chaucer'; articles including philology, the language of Edmund Spenser with special reference to his Faerie Queen , emendations in Piers Plowman , and phonetics; proofs (largely undated) including an English dictionary, publications relating to Chaucer, The Kingis Quair , Pierce the Plowman's Crede , and an incomplete proof copy of The Seven Sleepers ; printed material by Skeat including William of Palerne (unbound, uncut), 'Souvent me Souvient' (reprinted from Christ's College Magazine), Troilus and Criseyde (incomplete) and A Charter of Canute (a passage from the York Gospels, edited by Skeat); printed material relating to Skeat's interests, including articles on etymology and the derivation of words; leaflets (1911) advertising the proposed University of London Institute of Phonetics; an incomplete copy of The Annual Register 1771 (1772); and an examination questions paper (1911) in English Language and Literature for King's College, University of London.

Bound copies of illustrated French military magazine Le Miroir nos 75-108, 1915. Transcripts of diary entries and letters describing his service in France and Belgium, 1914-1917, notably the Battle of Le Cateau, Aug 1914, first Battle of the Marne, Sep 1914, first Battle of the Aisne, Sep 1914, and first battle of Ypres, Oct-Nov 1914, with related photographs, newspaper cuttings and correspondence, 1914-1920.

Copy of typescript diary of his service on the Western Front, 1915-1917, notably in the second Battle of Ypres, Apr 1915, the Battle of the Somme, Aug-Sep 1916, and the Battle of Arras, Apr 1917.

George Charles Moore Smith's undated transcripts, first lines and titles of 17th-century poems before 1660. The sources include British Library Additional MSS, MSS Sloane, Lansdowne, Dyce, Harleian and Egerton; Oxford University, Bodleian Library, MS Ashmole, MS Malone, MS Rawlinson Poet; Corpus Christi Library, Oxford, MS 32B; Cambridge University Library, Add MS 4138; manuscripts at St John's, Emmanuel, Jesus and Corpus Christi Colleges, Cambridge; commonplace books including those by Anthony Scattergood and W E Preston; poets including Anthony Sleep, Thomas Coriat, Peter Hausted (Halstead), Edward Forset, John Eliot, Henry Molle and Thomas Masters. Much of the material is written on the reverse of examination scripts in English (some identified as University of Sheffield).

Working papers of Alexander Souter, 1889-1930s and undated, comprising 20 notebooks, 1889-1913, on his studies in Aberdeen and Cambridge and on classical and patristic sources for his later work in Oxford, Aberdeen and Italy, and also including a diary for 1890, with entries noting work completed, news cuttings relating to his interests, and a book containing short publications such as Souter's The Predicative Dative Especially in Later Latin (1926) and A fragment of an unpublished Latin text of the Epistles to the Hebrews with a brief exposition (1924); manuscript texts for articles and lectures, mostly annotated with the dates and places of delivery, 1911-1936, including 'Classical Studies in the United States of America', 'Four Great Scholars', 'The Latin Bible', The History of Latin Lexicography', 'Statius: the Poet of the Silvae', 'Statius Silvae, with special reference to the manuscript tradition', 'Pelagius's Commentary on the Epistles of St Paul', 'Recent Advances in Palaeography', 'St Augustine', 'Recollections of a Travelling Scholar' and 'Beginnings of Christianity in Africa'; manuscript catalogue of editions of Latin authors in Souter's collection (1918).

Papers relating to her life in Singapore, 1941-1942, dated 1941-[1959], principally comprising diaries and personal letters describing her voyage to Malaya, 1941, and life in Singapore, 1941-1942; press cuttings, 1942, 1945-1946, relating to R Adm Ernest John Spooner's appointment as R Adm Malaya, 1942, and to his death on the island of Chibia (Tjibia, Tjebia) following his escape from Singapore, 1942; photographs, 1940, 1946, notably of Capt Sir David Bone and his search party on Chibia during their search for R Adm Spooner, 1946; correspondence relating to Megan Spooner's claim for war damages, 1945-1947. Also an account, 'Fall of Singapore and the Dutch East Indies and defence of Ceylon' by Capt Andrew Nichol Grey, RN, detailing his experiences on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, ACM Sir (Henry) Robert (Moore) Brooke-Popham and subsequently Gen Sir Henry Royds Pownall, from early 1941 to Feb 1942, written [1946].

Memoir of his service with the Royal Scots Greys in the Middle East, 1942-1943, Italy, 1943-1944, and North West Europe, 1944-1945, written from his own experiences and using regimental war diaries, 1947.

Diary, Jul 1944-Jun 1945, covering his service as Consulting Surgeon, 8 Army, Italy.