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.

Official and personal correspondence and typescript and manuscript texts of speeches of Lt Gen Sir Napier Crookenden relating to service as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command, 1969-1972; correspondence relating to service as Col Commandant, Prince of Wales Div, 1970-1974;photographic slides, film, audiotape and related papers relating to Crookenden's Kermit Roosevelt Lecture Tour of the USA, 1971, relating to the Army's role in Internal Security, with specific reference to operations in Northern Ireland, 1969-1971; research notes and correspondence relating to Dropzone Normandy: the story of the American and British airborne assault on D Day, 1944 (Allan, London, 1976), Airborne at war (Allan, London, 1978) and Battle of the Bulge, 1944 (Allan, London, 1980).

Papers of AM Tim Garden, 1982-2006, including transcripts of lectures by Garden, 1982-2002; articles by Garden, 1984-2005 and papers reflecting his research on the Falklands War; Kosovo; Iraq; Iran; Afghanistan; nuclear weapons; Northern Ireland; military capabilities in Europe; NATO and the European Union. Papers include press cuttings, articles, correspondence, draft papers pamphlets and other published material.

Papers of Sir David Ramsbotham, including reports, correspondence, photographs, lecture texts, press cuttings and ephemera, relating to his career, 1974-1995.Papers relating to Northern Ireland including Northern Ireland intelligence summaries, 22 Mar-11 Aug 1978; reports including report on 2nd Bn, Royal Green Jackets, Northern Ireland operations, Nov 1974-Feb 1975 and related correspondence; report on the organisation and operation of Bn search teams, 8 Aug 1974; report to Brigadier Ramsbotham from J.H. Dunlop on the subject of education in Belfast, 7 Jan 1980; 'Report on the situation in Belfast as at 14 July 1980'; report by Ramsbotham while commanding 39th Infantry Brigade to Major General Glover Commander Land Forces Northern Ireland, 15 Jul 1980 and situation report 39th Infantry Bde, Belfast, July 1980; training notes and reports; operation statistics, 6 Dec 1978-5 Dec 1979; papers relating to riot and crowd control in Northern Ireland, 19 Sep 1978; correspondence, 1971-1993, including two letters from Dervla Murphy Oct and Dec 1987; transcripts and notes for lectures on 2nd Bn, The Royal Green Jackets' time in Ireland between 1 Nov 1974 and 28 Feb 1975 and press cuttings and articles on Northern Ireland, 1971-1990.Papers relating to the Falkland Islands including detailed account of Ramsbotham's tour, 23 Jun-1 Jul 1982; photographs; related press cuttings and notes on a 1989 visit.Transcripts of speeches by Ramsbotham on defence and peacekeeping, 1982-1995; transcripts of speeches on military subjects by various speakers, 1982-1995; articles relating to defence 1959-1989; articles and talks by FM Lord Carver 1971-1996; papers relating to HRH Silver Jubilee review of the Army 1977; papers relating to official visits; papers relating to the United Nations, 1993-1997; booklets on military subjects, 1962-1995 and memoranda and copies of articles on defence and the media, 1982-1985.Photographs including of the Falkland Islands visit; the opening of the Adjutant General Information Centre; Ramsbotham's early career; presentation of the Imperial Service medal to June Small; visit to the Guides Infantry; visit to the USA; visit to the UNISYS International management centre; visiting troops during winter training; visits by Col Gen Omelichev to Winchester and Winchester Cathedral; meeting soldiers on patrol; official visits in Germany; on exercise Lone Star; visiting commonwealth troops in India and Africa and a visit to Gibraltar.