Key Information
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1941-2004 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent
1 file or 0.01m3
Scope and content
Papers relating to the career of Maj Peter Oldfield, 1941-1944, including: diary, Jun-Nov 1941, detailing work at Air Reconnaissance Unit at the Middle East Headquarters; typescript 'War Diary' of Peter and Elisabeth Oldfield, with excerpts from Elisabeth's memoirs of following Oldfield to Middle East and Oldfield's reminiscences of his experiences, written by a member of the family, [2004]; Elisabeth Oldfield's typescript memoirs; constitution of Special Air Service regimental association; photographs of the Western Desert, [1942], including Long Range Desert Group activities, Field Marshal Erwin Rommell, and surrendering Italian prisoners; photograph of ship being sunk off Tunisia, 1941; photographic copies of letters from Oldfield to his wife Elisabeth, VAD, 15 Scottish Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, 1943. Letters to family from William Gibbons of Knight, Frank and Rutley, including description of Oldfield's capture, 1943; postcards from Oldfield while Italian POW to family and friends, 1943; correspondence from Switzerland whilst interned including letters to his wife from Berne, Dec 1943; postcards from Oldfield to family, 1944. Press cuttings relating to POWs, Special Air Service and events of war. Papers relating to award of bronze statuette to Oldfield by 1 Special Air Service regiment, including letters from Lt Col David Stirling, 1981, and press cutting on reward.
System of arrangement
1 file as above.
General Information
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born Harewood, West Yorkshire, 1911; educated at Repton and University College, Oxford; worked for Knight Frank and Rutley, surveyors and auctioneers; commissioned into Warwickshire Royal Yeomanry; photographic interpreter; head of Air Reconnaissance at General Headquarters Middle-East c 1941; joined 1 Special Air Service regiment September 1942; captured near Tuorga, Libya, after destroying 20 aircraft on the ground, 17 Dec 1942; POW, Italy; escaped to Switzerland, October 1943; repatriated to United Kingdom c 1944; died 1992.
Repository
Custodial history
Presented to the Centre by the family in July 2004.
Conditions governing access
Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only.
Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, via the Archives.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Finding aids
This collection level description.
Alternative identifier(s)
Place access points
People and Organisations
- Stirling, Sir Archibald David, 1915-1990, Knight, Colonel (Subject)
- Long Range Desert Group (Subject)
- Special Air Service x SAS (Subject)
Genre access points
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000.