Reports and diagrams.

Paper written by Marshal Philippe Petain on the events of 16 April-23 October 1917, particularly on the spread of pacifism in France, lack of morale, strategic errors and mutinies among the French troops. Later published in ELS’s "Two men who saved France".

Minute from Major-General Sir George Aston, to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, reporting on the activities of the Naval Division in Belgium and France. [Carbon].

Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Ollivant (Dunkirk [France]) to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, reporting on the activities of the Royal Naval Division in France and Belgium. [Carbon].

Admiralty statement on the work of the Royal Naval Division in the defence of Antwerp [Belgium]. [Carbon].

Map of the Western Front, with forts and defences marked: scale 1:70,000.

Map of the area surrounding Antwerp [Belgium], showing Allied defences, scale 1:40,000.

Telegram from Admiralty to Major-General Sir George Aston, [Royal Naval Division] (Dunkirk [France]), reporting large enemy cavalry forces within 60 miles, and urging caution in using British Yeomanry cavalry as they were deficient in equipment. [Carbon].

Telegram from Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Ollivant [General Staff Officer, Admiralty], (Dunkirk [France]) to Admiralty, on the position of the Royal Naval Division. [Carbon].

Telegram from Major-General Sir George Aston, [Royal Naval Division] (Dunkirk [France]), to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, reporting his interview with the Governor of Dunkirk [Charles Bidon], on the employment of the Division. [Carbon].

Telegram from Admiralty to Major-General Sir George Aston, [Royal Naval Division] on the defence of Antwerp [Belgium] and Dunkirk [France]. [Carbon].

Telegram from Major-General Sir George Aston [Royal Naval Division] (Dunkirk [France]), to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on a request from French Territorial Forces at Douai for cavalry support. [Carbon].

Telegram from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Major-General General Sir George Aston [Royal Naval Division], placing him on the sick list, and ordering him home to London for a rest before resuming his duties, handing over command to Major-General Archibald Paris. Further temporary command changes are detailed. [Carbon].

Telegram from Admiralty to Major-General Archibald Paris [General Officer Commanding, Royal Naval Division] ordering him to bring back his battalion from Lille [France], and concentrate his brigade, and to be ready to move to Antwerp [Belgium] during the morning. The telegram states that the First Lord of the Admiralty [WSC] would arrive at Dunkirk at 0500 hours. [Carbon].

Telegram from Major-General Archibald Paris [General Officer Commanding, Royal Naval Division] to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on the military situation in Antwerp [Belgium]. [Carbon].

Telegram from Admiralty to Major-General Archibald Paris, [General Officer Commanding, Royal Naval Division] on the defence of Antwerp [Belgium]. [Carbon].

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher [1st Sea Lord] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] urging him to persuade Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] to send 100,000 men to Flanders [Belgium] at once. Fisher also comments on the lack of daring shown by General Joseph Joffre [Commander-in-Chief, French Army]. [Hand-written, with typescript copy].

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal Sir John French [Chief of Imperial General Staff, later 1st Lord Ypres], on a naval bombardment to support the advance of the Army on Ostende, Belgium, suggesting that the Navy attack Zeebrugge, the base of the German submarines, at the same time. Also includes Admiralty memorandum sketching out naval support for the army. [Hand-written drafts, initialled by WSC].

Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Chief of Imperial General Staff, later 1st Lord Ypres] (Headquarters, British Army) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] asking about the possible use of armoured boats on the canals. [Hand-written, signed by French, and initialled by WSC].

Letter from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Field Marshal Sir John French [Chief of Imperial General Staff, later 1st Lord Ypres] on his request for armed craft for service on the canals. [Hand-written copy, signed by WSC].

Telegram from Field Marshal Sir John French [Chief of Imperial General Staff, later 1st Lord Ypres] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], stating that the naval support of the Army's attack on Ostende [Belgium] had been "most useful". French recommends that the same co-operation be given the next day, with note by WSC, confirming that naval co-operation would be continued. [Initialled by WSC].

Telegram from Field Marshal Sir John French [Chief of Imperial General Staff, later 1st Lord Ypres] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], stating that the advance along the Belgian coast from Nieuport was not as fast as hoped, and asking for surprise bombardment by monitor and big gun ships. [Typescript copy].

Telegram from the Supreme Commander of the Russian Armies [the Grand Duke Nicholas] to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, accepting in principle the offer of assistance from the Royal Navy to a Russian Army landing on the North German Coast, if the British fleet gained command of the Baltic Sea. [Typescript copy].