Papers relating to Kennedy's career, 1911-1972, notably narrative diaries of his service on the Western Front during World War One, narrative diaries of his service with the British Military Mission to South Russia, 1919-1920; narrative diaries and papers relating to his senior planning role at the War Office during World War Two; typescript of, and papers relating to, an unpublished memoir of his period as Governor of Southern Rhodesia, 1969. A collection of official photographs relating largely to Kennedy's service at the War Office between 1939 and 1945, has been included at the end of the collection, as has a group of unpublished memoirs written by Col Roderick (Rory) Macleod, presented by the author to Kennedy in 1966.

Copy of detailed memoir, 'From air to chair', covering his RAF career, 1929-1961, including sections on his RAF training, bomber squadron service, 1930-1933, armament training and duties, 1933-1944 and service in Iraq, 1937-1939, Bomber Command, 1939-1940, the Air Ministry, 1940, 1947-1949 and 1954-1956, Malaya, 1946, Joint Services Staff College, 1947, Central Gunnery School, 1949-1951, Rhodesian Air Training Group, 1951-1953 and Technical Training Command, 1956-1961, written in 1985. Copy of chapter of personal family history giving an account of his father, Lt Col Lewis Collinwood Bearne, during the period 1878-1918, including his service in the Boer War and World War One, [1980-1985].