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Writings, including drafts and versions of his autobiography

 Series
Reference Code: GBR/0014/GILC 1

Scope and Contents

Three sections have been published: "Malaya, 1941" (being an account of the fall of Singapore and Malaya [later part of Malaysia] and the events leading up to 1941 from his perspective in the Bangkok Embassy); "Bangkok Top Secret" (being an account of his work with the Special Operations Force 136, 1945-6); "Cod Wars and How to Lose them" (being an account of his service as Ambassador to Iceland 1956-59).

AUTOBIOGRAPHY Sir Andrew wrote and rewrote his autobiography over a number of years. The working title for the earlier sections is A Diplomatic Apprentice. The file titles are AG's own. 1/ A "First and longest draft" (i) loose working notes; (ii) List of contents and preface; (iii - vii) Books 1-5 and Postscript. 1/B "Autobiography Copy 3 ch 15-18 missing." This actually begins with Ch 6. The chapter and book titles are not always the same but the content corresponds with Books 2-5. 1/C Cut copy "A Diplomatic Apprentice" - Flimsy typed and stapled version. Corresponds with 1 A but incomplete - various sections torn out; pages 109-117, 128-14 7, 15 8-173 & 3 5 7 to end missing. 1/D Further version of above - glued; heavier paper. Appears complete. 1/E Notes and alterations to lD, including "early chapters discarded from publishable version" . 1/F "2nd & 3rd copies of the draft prepared for Cooper - early chapters missing." This appears to correspond with the later part of lD. 1/G "As prepared for Leo Cooper" as above but with the earlier chapters included. 1/H "Auto biog Mark 1 > 1942" typed version in chapters as 1 A/iii. 1/J "Auto - Old Chapters - ?useful". This includes post 1942 material and covers the period 1947-51 spent in the German Department of the Foreign Office. 1/K "Germany typed". 15 chapters. Covers the period 1946 -1951. 1/L "Autobio Germany". Shorter version of lK. 1/M No title - Introduction and Retrospect for the German book and odd chapters. 1/N "Germany including some background" - further copies of lK & lL with title page Working on Germany Under Bevin. 1/0 "German text" with file note that this could be used to compile the final version - additional drafts of chapters. 1/P "Shooting in Germany"/ "Chapter 11" material relating to the period immediately following his Stuttgart appointment - several versions, plus other Stuttgart chapters. 1/Q "Odd Chapters - Misc including Iceland" Germany and Iceland materials and some early chapters from Apprentice. 1/R No title - all materials re Jakarta - several draft chapters and background materials. 1/S No title - four chapters from Apprentice plus two new appendices. 1/T "Mixed Bag - useful for Auto" mostly writings on sport. 1/V "BTS" (Bangkok Top Secret) Foreign Office clearance and a copy of the Internees Journal. 1/W Complete ms on Sport in his various postings - mostly compiled from other ms but with some new material and presented as a continuous narrative, typed. 1/X Chapters for later autobiography?: "Elegant Holidays"; "The Financial reward". Written during Dublin posting. 1/Y Draft, with differing chapter titles to above copies covering ca 1946-1950. Includes letter to Dr Dockrill from Gilchrist, April 93, thanking him for returning his fathers papers and a letter from Veronica Warner, 2023, which explains how the letters passed through different hands before ending up being sent to the Archive.

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

The collection is mostly open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Language of Materials

English

Finding aid date

2004-11-01 12:11:05+00:00

Repository Details

Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository

Contact:
Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB3 0DS United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 336087