Papers relating to bombardment of Hartlepool by three German battle cruisers, 16 Dec 1914, dated 1914, 1920, 1922, [1930-1940], 1934, 1938, notably including Trechmann's official report to Lt Col L Robson, Officer Commanding, Durham Royal Garrison Artillery, dated 16 Dec 1914; Robson's official report to the Fortress Commander, West Hartlepool, dated 16 Dec 1914; 'The bombardment of the Hartlepools' by Capt W A Murley, an offprint from the [Royal Regiment of Artillery] journal, [1930-1940]; The Great War: I was there! part 7 (1938), including an anonymous article on 'British pluck and luck at the Hartlepools'. Typescript text on his military service, 1914-1917, notably his experiences with the Heugh Battery, Hartlepool, 1914-1915, and with 41 Siege Battery at the Battle of the Somme, 1916, and Battle of Vimy Ridge, 1917.

Papers, 1899-1937, and 1964-1966, including personal letters to Alice Townshend, Lady Townshend, and to Comtesse Cahen d'Anvers from FM Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, 1906-1911, also single personal letters from Frederick Edward Grey Ponsonby, Assistant Private Secretary to Queen Victoria, 1899, FM Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, 1901, Brig Gen Sir William Riddell Birdwood, Bt, 1906, Christian Rudolf de Wet, Minister of Agriculture, Orange River Colony, South Africa, 1909, FM Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar, Pretoria and Waterford, 1911-1912, Rt Hon George Nathanial Curzon, Lord Privy Seal, 1915, Rt Hon Herbert Henry Asquith, Prime Minister, 1916, Paul Cambon, French Ambassador to Court of St James's, 1916, Lt Gen Sir Philip Walhouse Chetwode, 7th Bt, Military Secretary, War Office, 1919, and others; letter from Alice Townshend, Lady Townshend, dated 1916, to Mrs Morland, mother of Capt Walter Edward Thomson Morland, Aide de Camp to Townshend and captured with him at Kut el Amara, Mesopotamia, with information on the safety of her son, with three photographs of Townshend and the POW accomodation in Constantinople, 1916; scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, 1916, on the Mesopotamian campaign and the defence and siege of Kut el Amara, with signed printed portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1937; file of research correspondence by Lt Col Arthur James Barker for The neglected war (Faber, London, 1967) and Townshend of Kut (Cassell, London, 1967), 1964-1966, including correspondence with Capt Sir (Thomas) Noël Arkell, FM Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, Maj Gen George Osborne de Renzy Channer, Sir Reader (William) Bullard, Brig Kenneth Bredin Shakespear Crawford, Sir Ernest (William) Goodale, Capt Basil Henry Liddell Hart, Maj Gen Henry Hampden Rich, Col Clive Woodes Rogers, Col Eric Lechmere Stephenson, Countess Audrey de Borchgrave-Townshend, Brig Louis James Woodhouse.

Papers relating to his military career, 1940, 1943-1944, principally comprising unsigned draft report on Operation DRAGOON, Allied landings in the South of France, 1944; manuscript and typescript reports on training exercises undertaken by Tong and others, Camberley, 1940, written by [Tong and others], 1940.

One file comprising a copy transcript of Ruth Tomalin's diary, May-Dec 1938 as a Journalism student at King's College London, with brief notes on College lectures attended and giving an interesting flavour of student life in London during the late 1930s with descriptions of West End theatre productions, parties and the geography of London; lecture notes in two notebooks, 1938; copies of press articles by Ruth Tomalin, 1938-1945; colour copy of the cover for Green ink (written as Ruth Leaver, Harrap, 1951); first edition of The sound of pens (written as Ruth Leaver, Blackie, London, 1955), which includes a fictionalised version of of King's College as 'Thames College' (pp 28-30); copy of Garden house diaries: life on a country estate, 1930-1945 (Ruth Tomalin, Quercus Press, Eastbourne, 2003).

Numerous publications include: All souls (Faber and Faber, london, 1952), The garden house (Faber and Faber, London, 1964), Long since (Faber, 1989), Away to the west (Faber and Faber, London, 1972).

The diary of 85 (Essex) Medium Battery, Royal Artillery, 1943-1945', notably covering their service in North West Europe, 1944-1945, written by Tilney and other members of the officers' mess, printed in 1947.

Papers of Ralph Thrale, 1916-1984, mainly relating to the Royal Observer Corps, including: memoir 'Seaborne', co-authored by Thrale, detailing experiences of Thrale and a colleague while Royal Observer Corps 'Seaborne' volunteers posted to merchant shipping as aircraft identifiers, 1944; Thrale's Royal Navy certificate of service, 1944, and Royal Observer Corps certificate of war service, 1946.The collection also includes publications collected by Thrale on related topics, including books: Aircraft of the fighting powers by H J Cooper and O G Thetford (Harborough Publishing Company, Leicester, 1941); Britain's wonderful Air Force edited by Air Cdre Peregrine Forbes Morant Fellowes (Odhams Press, London, 1942); Forewarned is forearmed: the authorized history of the Royal Observer Corps by T E Winslow (William Hodge & Co, London, 1948) and Observers' tale: the story of Group 17 of the ROC edited by H Ramsden Whitty, Commandant, 17 Group, Royal Observer Corps (London, 1950). Journals: The Journal of the Royal Observer Corps Club, Oct 1941-Nov 1942 and an incomplete run of Aircraft recognition Sep 1942-Sep 1984. Ministry of Information publications: The Battle of Britain, August-October 1940 (HMSO, 1941); Coastal Command (HMSO, 1943) and Combined Operations, 1940-1942 (HMSO, 1943). Also The Bystander's Fragments from France, volumes of cartoons by Bruce Bairnsfather detailing life in the trenches (numbers 1-6, c 1916-1918) and article, 'The reply to English propaganda' by Joseph Paul Goebbels, translated from German and reprinted from Völkischer Beobachter, 14 Jul 1939.

Printed volume entitled 'Recollections', a memoir of Thornhill's life, 1898-1992, including service on the Western Front, World War One, 1917-1918, including the Battle of Vimy Ridge, 1917; India, 1920-1924, and North Africa and Italy, World War Two, 1942-1945, notably the Second Battle of El Alamein, Oct 1942.

Thompson's correspondence with Maj Sir Desmond John Falkiner Morton (1943-1976), Maj Gen Eric Edward Dorman O'Gowan (formerly Eric Edward Dorman Smith) (1960-1974) and Capt Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart (1952-1974). The letters mostly relate to Thompson's military writing and concentrate on his studies of on Rt Hon Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill and FM Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.

Four issues of a special edition of the Westminster Gazette concerning the relief of Kimberley, Orange Free State, South Africa, by Gen John Denton Pinkstone French, during the Second Boer War, 16 Feb 1900

Eleven volumes of The Sunday Times Diary of the War (Withy Grove Press, London and Manchester, [1939-1945]), each volume includes six months of newspaper extracts from Sunday Times, 1939-1945, relating to political, diplomatic, and operational events during World War Two

Pamphlets, handouts and notes, 1974-1985, issued to Sergeant C T Holt while on Territorial Army training courses, including: 'Soviet Weapons Whiz Wheel', a guide to the identification of various weapons, Sep 1975; nuclear, biological and chemical defence training pamphlets, produced by the Ministry of Defence, comprising: 'Pamphlet 2: The Effects of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Attack', Aug 1974, 'Pamphlet 3: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Equipment', Oct 1978, 'Pamphlet 4: Radiac Instruments', Oct 1977, 'Pamphlet 5: Personal Protection and Decontamination', May 1975, 'Pamphlet 6: NBC Defence of Airfields and Landing Sites', Jan 1975 and 'Pamphlet 7: The Organisation of Unit Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence', 1974; notes and handouts from a Combat Signals Course, Royal School of Military Engineering, including pamphlet 'Royal Engineer Communications: Signal Procedure & Radio Notes', 1981; notes and handouts from a course on nuclear, biological and chemical warfare for non-commissioned officers, 1982; 'Survive to Fight', Army Training drill sheets describing procedures in case of nuclear, biological or chemical attack, Jun 1983; notes and handouts relating to exercises, including nuclear, biological and chemical warfare tactics, 1983; 'Warning and Reporting Aide Memoire', issued by Defence Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Centre (Defence NBC Centre), Winterbourne Gunner, Salisbury, Wiltshire, Jul 1984; Training Information Folder Edition No 5', issued by 'Training Wing, Defence Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Centre (Defence NBC Centre), Winterbourne Gunner, Salisbury, Wiltshire, 1985.Handout from a Brigade and Regimental Intelligence Course (BRIC); handouts introducing the Geneva Convention, prisoner handling and tactical questioning, analysis of methods of interrogation and indoctrination, and Communist methods of interrogation and indoctrination; handouts from a course on field defences; handouts relating to the Soviet Army issued by the Soviet Training Branch, Defence Intelligence and Security School; notes and handouts relating to training on MAPCO, a method of encoding map references.Also a sealed Decontamination Kit labelled 'personal No 1, Mk 1'.

Garth Smithies Taylor, 1896-1916', written by his sister Dorothea Taylor in 1971, and principally comprising copies of original documents, 1914-1917 and 1959, mainly letters to his family, 1914-1916, and extracts from his diary, 1914-1916, relating particularly to his service near Ypres, 1916, and in the Battle of the Somme, 1916.

Collection includes four copies of printed leaflets, 'No 1 Workshop Group, REME, Chillwell', relating to the organisational structure of the Royal Electical and Mechanical Engineers, 1945; printed leaflet, 'The Part a British Oil Company played in the War', reprinted from the Petroleum Times, 28 Apr 1945, concerning asbestos compound waterproofing of Allied tanks and vehicles for Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of France, 1944; reprint of photograph of US Sherman tank approaching French beachhead, 1944

Papers, maps, publications, photographs and newspaper cuttings relating to Maj Gen Dennis Edmund Blaquière Talbot's life and career, 1929-1992, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, India, 1929-1930. Papers relating to Talbot's service as Bde Maj, 30 Infantry Bde, British Expeditionary Force (BEF), France, Apr-Jun 1940, the defence and fall of Calais, and Talbot's escape from German captivity and return to the UK, 1940, including five printed maps of France and Belgium, 1937-1942; photograph of HMS VESPER, the destroyer that picked up the escape party, 17 Jun 1940; typescript report for MI9, War Office, by Talbot, Capt Edgar Alexander Wilmot Williams, 2 Bn, 60 Rifles, and Lt W Millett, Royal Corps of Signals and Bde signal Officer, 30 Infantry Bde, entitled 'Report compiled by three officers of the 30th Infantry Brigade who were captured at Calais on the evening of the 26th May 1940, escaped on the 30th May and finally arrived in England on the night of 17th June 1940', dated 22 Jun 1940 manuscript text of lecture by Talbot on the defence of Calais, 1940, with two large wall charts, sketch maps of the campaign in France, 1940, and of the defence of Calais, May-Jun 1940; correspondence, dated 1940-1941, with relatives of men captured or killed at Calais, 1940, including typescript list of killed, wounded, missing and captured, 1 Bn, The Rifle Brigade, 1940; three editions of The defence of Calais by Eric Robert Russell Linklater (HMSO, London, 1941); typescript letter, dated 13 Jul 1971, to Talbot from Airey Middleton Sheffield Neave MP requesting information and recollections on the defence of Calais in 1940 to be used in a book later published as The flames of Calais: a soldier's battle (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1972).

Papers relating to Talbot's service in the North West Europe campaign, 1944-1945, including typescript copies of monthly War Diary, 7 Bn, Hampshire Regt, Jun 1944-May 1945, with typescript citations for gallantry awards, 1944-1945; typescript account '7th Bn The Hampshire Regiment in the North West European campaign during the period 13th July 1944 to 17th June 1945', with list of honours and awards and order of battle, 43 (Wessex) Div, 1945; five photographs, 1944-1945, notably officers of 7 Bn, Hampshire Regt, 1944, and victory parade, Bremerhaven, Germany, 1945; edition of The story of the 5th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment in North West Europe, 23rd June, 1944 to 5th May, 1945 by Maj G R Hartwell, Maj G R Pack and Maj M A Edwards (Henry Ling, Dorchester, Dorset, [1946]); correspondence relating to the North West Europe campaign, 1944-1945, mostly with veterans of 7 Bn, Hampshire Regt, 1951-1959 and 1983-1991.

Talbot's course notes, RN Staff College, Greenwich, 1946; copies of Talbot's confidential annual reports, 1946-1955. Typescript text of radio broadcast by FM Sir William Joseph Slim entitled 'Our Army', 2 Nov 1952. Papers relating to the Malayan Emergency, 1949-1955, including printed leaflet entitled 'Security hints', Malaya, 1952; typescript 'Appreciation of the situation in Malaya' by Lt Gen Sir Hugh Charles Stockwell, General Officer Commanding Malaya, 15 Oct 1953; Flying Log Book, Malaya, Oct 1953-Oct 1955, with group photograph of 1911 Light Liaison Flight RAF, Royal Naval Air Station Sembawang, Singapore, Aug 1955; twenty seven uncaptioned photographs relating to Talbot's service in Malaya, 1953-1955; eight printed maps of Malaya, 1953-1955; typescript copy of memorandum by Lt Col John Hamilton Allford, 2 Bn, 7 Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles, entitled 'The location and attack on CT (Communist Terrorist) camps and cultivations in jungle', Jan 1954; typescript report entitled 'Malaya Command. Demonstration of field defences in atomic warfare', Dec 1954; typescript Operational Instructions, Malaya, 1954-1955, including Operation MOHICAN, Nov 1953-Mar 1954, and Operation LATIMER NORTH, South Pahang, Malaya, Sep 1954-Apr 1955; typescript copy of translated statement by Ng Heng, Representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters of the Malayan Racial Liberation Army, on negotiating a settlement to the Malayan Emergency, 1 May 1955; typescript memorandum by Talbot, commanding 99 Gurkha Infantry Bde, entitled 'Psychological warfare', May 1955; typescript 'Handing over notes' from Talbot to Brig Edward Philip Townsend on relinquishing command of 99 Gurkha Infantry Bde, Jun 1955, with related correspondence, May-Sep 1955; typescript situation reports from Maj John Eric Heelis, Headquarters, 99 Gurkha Infantry Bde, Malaya, Oct 1955-Oct 1956;.

Also, printed leaflet 'Edward VIII. His Coronation route', 1936; printed leaflet 'Code of battle signals' [1940]; three printed pamphlets entitled Notes from France,, Nos 1-3 (War Office, London, Jan 1940); printed pamphlet entitled Summary of events. Flanders campaign, 10th May-3rd June 1940 (War Office, London, Jul 1940); edition of The Regimental Officer's Handbook of the German Army (War Office, London, Aug 1943); edition of The history of the Hampshire Regiment (37th and 67th Foot) (Gale and Polden, Aldershot, Hampshire, 1944).

Typescript and manuscript versions of memoir covering his service with 2 Seaforth Highlanders in North Africa, 1942-1943, including the second Battle of El Alamein, 23 Oct-4 Nov 1942, and Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944, notably action around Francofonte, Sicily, Jul 1943, written in [1944]. Copy of 'The prisoners of the Vatican: the war-time life of the Diplomatic Corps', anonymous article from Catholic journal The Tablet, Apr 8 1944.

Photographs relating to bomb-aiming, 1943-1944, taken by Sutton during raids on North West Europe.

Typescript text on 'The birth of the Intelligence Corps', BEF, 1939-1940, written in [1962-1970].

Transcripts of interviews relating to political, diplomatic and military aspects of the Suez Crisis of 1956, with Rt Hon Julian Amery, Baron Amery of Lustleigh; Sir Harold Beeley; Sir Frederick Arthur Bishop; Rt Hon Sir Frank Cooper; Sir Patrick Henry Dean; Sir (Arthur) Douglas Dodds-Parker; Sir William Goodenough Hayter; Rt Hon Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel; Brig Kenneth Hunt; Rt Hon Douglas Patrick Thomas Jay, Baron Jay of Battersea; Gen Sir Frank Douglas King; Sir Donald Arthur Logan; Roger Mellor Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield; Sir Guy Elwin Millard; Sir David Bruce Pitblado; Sir Richard Royle Powell; (George Frank) Norman Reddaway; Sir (D'Arcy) Patrick Reilly; Sir Archibald David Manisty Ross; Sir (Charles Arthur) Evelyn Shuckburgh; Sir Denis Arthur Hepworth Wright. Copies of the Protocol of Sèvres, 24 Oct 1956, recording the agreements reached between the governments of Great Britain, France and Israel during discussions held in France, 22-24 Oct 1956, on a joint politico-military response to Egypt's nationalisation of the Suez Canal.