World War Two (1939-1945)

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World War Two (1939-1945)

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World War Two (1939-1945)

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World War Two (1939-1945)

4 Archival description results for World War Two (1939-1945)

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WILLERT, Gp Capt Paul Odo (1909-1998)

  • WILLERT
  • Collection
  • 1936-1946

Papers of Paul Willert mainly on his wartime service, 1939-45; including letters (6 files) to his wife, Brenda (nee Pearson), daughter of Weetman Harold Miller Pearson, 2nd Viscount Cowdray, 1936-1946, from Germany, New York and Paris, c.1936-1940; during RAF training, 1941; from the Isle of Man [c.1942]; from Northern Ireland [1943-44], and from Paris, 1944-1945; file on propaganda work, in London and Paris, 1940-41, including detailed note, 'Report of a conversation on the evening of January 7, 1940' with pencil addition, 'Georges Mandel, Colonial Minister', re German-Soviet relations, the dismissal of Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha as Secretary of State for War, morale in France, British propaganda in France, and propaganda in enemy; detailed notes on the present political situation in France, 10 Feb 1940; note criticising British propaganda to France, with suggestions for improvements, [c. 1940]; notes on the government of Paul Reynaud, France, dated Mar 1940; notes on 'France and its government, 27 May 1940'; 'Notes on the situation in France, May 14, 1940'; two letters to Willert from [?signature illegible], Political Warfare Executive (PWE), Electra House, London, re the staffing of Electra House and Willert's Paris office, and Willert's secret service activities in France, 31 May and 6 Jun 1940; correspondence (2 items) with Col Dallas Brooks, head of Electra House, 2 Jun and 6 Jun 1940, re arranging a military commission for Willert, and details of changes in the political situation in France; formal letter of introduction for Willlert from the British Embassy, Paris, signed by Donald Maclean, 9 Jun 1940; notes on the formation and operations of 'Department EH', Jul 1940, with criticisms of the division between Department EH (based at Electra House) and the Ministry of Information in disseminating propaganda to Europe; two letters, 26 Nov 1940 and 11 Dec 1940, re suggestion that PW should be appointed as representative of Special Operations Executive (SOE) at Gibraltar, working initially on propaganda, and his reasons for declining the post; detailed notes on the future of British relations with the USSR, c 1940; letter (to 'Sammy') [probably Samuel Hood, 6th Viscount Hood] re the organisation of propaganda and the deployment of the BBC overseas services, c 1941; letter to Dr Hugh Dalton re Willert's leaving SOE, 1941; two letters, from 'Sammy', [Samuel Hood, 6th Viscount Hood] 3 Jul 1941, and 'Gerald', 15 Jul 1941, both Ministry of Information, re suggestion that Willert should take charge of propaganda to France and Germany, and his refusal; detailed note on morale in the RAF, c 1942; file containing notes on individual members of the French resistance, [c 1944]; note on Gaston Bergery, 1930s pro-German French politician; official documents (3 items) re his post as Air Attaché (17pp) re service Sep 1939 - Jul 1940 (attached to propaganda mission in Paris, led by Noel Coward; details of work with co-operative Germans in Paris, for anti-German propaganda, subsequently helping some of them escape to England, after the German invasion of France; Willert's own escape and call up by RAF in Jan 1941; file of copy correspondence with and about Arthur Koestler, on the French resistance 1941-1943; file of copy documents from the former Public Record Office (PRO), now The National Archives, re planning, May 1940, for the evacuation of the French government and of the British Embassy from Paris; copy PRO documents re the evacuation of British civilians from France, Jun 1940; two signed photographs of Lord Northcliffe, 1913 and 1917, [friend of Willert's father, Sir Arthur Willert, _Times _correspondent, Washington DC, 1910-1920); manuscript diary, 21 Apr - 4 June1940, kept while serving with propaganda mission in Paris, attached to British Embassy.

Willert, Paul Odo, 1909-1998

WEISS, Steve (1925-2020)

  • WEISS
  • Collection
  • 1943-1945

Memoir of World War Two service by Steve Weiss with photographs, 1943-1945; comprising a memoir of his service in 36 Div, US Army, in Italy and France, 1943-1945. Based on his 'Experience of War' lectures given in the Department of War Studies, King's College London; photocopy photographs relating to his service in 36 Div, US Army, 1943-1945. Subjects are: Steve Weiss and others at Camp Blanding, Florida, 1943; recently destroyed bridge at Viviers on the River Rhone, France, Jul 1944; Weiss and others embarking at Naples, Italy, Aug 1944; with unidentified US war correspondent, Lyon, Sep 1944; Steve Weiss and others near Remiremont, Vosges, France, Oct 1944; in Paris, France, 1945; Caserne, Jeanne d'Arc, Reims, France, 1945; Weiss and others on the stairs to the hayloft that had been his wartime hiding place, near Valence, France, Jul 1972; 2 commercial videotapes, Victory in North Africa and D Day heroes .

Weiss, Stephen, 1925-2020

SPEARS, Maj Gen Sir Edward Louis (1886-1974)

  • SPEARS
  • Collection
  • 1851-[1974]

Papers, mainly on World War One compiled by Sir Edward Louis Spears, 1851-[1974]; notably including official World War One correspondence and telegrams, to GHQ, 1 Army, Gen Douglas Haig, Lt Gen Sir Henry Wilson and other officers, on infantry composition, munitions and artillery, lists of officers, colonial troops, morale, observation and intelligence gathering, the lessons of specific campaigns, the employment of tanks, casualties, prisoners of war (POWs), training, public opinion, operational orders for the French 6 Army by Gen Emile Fayolle, and more generally relations between the French and British armies, meetings, views and opinions by and concerning French C-in-C Henri-Philippe Petain, French Northern Army Commander, Ferdinand Foch, and Robert Nivelle, French C-in-C, 1916-1917, an interview with Georges Clemenceau, French Prime Minister from Nov 1917, US, Japanese, Greek and other correspondence and communications over Siberia, Japan, Finland, Bulgaria, and demands for independence by Eastern European peoples, US participation in the War and opinions on President Woodrow Wilson, Italian military offensives, precis of interviews with corps and army commanders, manuscript diary (1915), on the Russian civil war, post-war commerce, correspondence with Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill on post-war claims, the current political and military situation, especially in Russia, and Versailles peace conference papers, 1914-1920 (Spears Section 1); unpublished material collected by Spears for his publications on the War, including a report of events for 122 Bd, Royal Field Artillery (1916), detailed memoranda and correspondence concerning operations notably comprising copy letters between FM Sir Douglas Haig, Gen Nivelle, and others including to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and on reinforcements, the German postions, the Calais Agreement of February 1917, 1 and 3 Army operations, Franch Army mutinies in 1917, extracts from a diary covering the Battle of Arras, Apr 1917, the politics of liaison, interviews with French and British officers, including French C-in-C Henri-Philippe Petain and Lt Gen Sir Launcelot Edward Kiggell reflecting on strategic and other concerns, 1916-1938 (Spears Section 2); printed material by other authors on World War One used by Spears in his published studies, [1917-1964] (Spears Section 3); draft notes and chapters for Spears' published works on World War One, [1919-1974] (Spears Section 4); original source material and notes by Spears on the 1870 Siege of Paris, mainly rough notes and draft chapters on the Siege, original and copy letters from participants describing events and an exercise book containing lecture notes redating the Franco-Prussian War, [1851-1974] (Spears Section 5); newspaper reviews of Spears' books and critics' letters, 1930-1969 (Spears Section 6); material relating to a war memorial at Mons, 1936-1968 (Spears Section 7); personal papers, mainly articles on the life of Spears [1918-1974] (Spears Section 8), maps, principally of Arras, Bullecourt and Mons, during 1917 [1917]-1959 (Spears Section 9); photographic material, post cards and watercolour sketches, including of trenches, damaged buildings, troops and officers, and a visit to the Balkans in 1920, 1914-[1920] (Spears Section 10); photocopies of some items of Second World War material transferred to Churchill College, Cambridge, mainly on the fall of France, General de Gaulle, and French resistance, [1940-1943].

Spears, Sir Edward Louis, 1886-1974, 1st Baronet, Major General

FRENCH RESISTANCE WORK IN NORMANDY AND BRITTANY, 1944

  • MISC24
  • Collection
  • 1987

Typescript account, in French, by Leonce Dussarrat, President, Société d'Entre'aide des Membres de la Légion d'Honneur, Section des Landes, concerning French Resistance operations in Normandy and Brittany, 1944; reprint of captured German photograph of sabotaged electrical pylon on the Hendaye-Paris railway line, 1944.