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Western Front (1914-1918)

 Subject
Subject Source: UK Archival Thesaurus

Found in 325 Collections and/or Records:

 Item

(Untitled), 06 Sep 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/44/113-116
Scope and Contents

Letter from Commander Charles Samson [Naval Air Service] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], reporting on the occupation of Lille [France] by a British and French force, following the withdrawal of German forces. [Typescript copy].

Dates: 06 Sep 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 29 Sep 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/44/134-137
Scope and Contents

Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Ollivant [General Staff Officer, Admiralty], to Colonel Macdonagh (War Office), on the formation of a Naval Motor Force at Dunkirk [France], and keeping in communication with the army. Also includes notes on the organisation of the Motor Force. [Carbon].

Dates: 29 Sep 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 08 Sep [1914]

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/45
Scope and Contents

Letter from Frederick Guest to WSC, on the military situation in France, including the halt of the German advance, the new French generals and the disappointing French cavalry.

Dates: 08 Sep [1914]
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 10 Oct 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/63-64
Scope and Contents

Letter from Sir Francis Villiers, [Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Belgium] to WSC, enclosing a letter from Colonel John Seely [later 1st Lord Mottistone] on the behaviour of the sailors and marines in the retreat from Antwerp.

Dates: 10 Oct 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 30 Oct 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/68-74
Scope and Contents

Letter from Francis Grenfell to WSC, asking for help in obtaining an armoured car with a machine gun for his squadron; also giving an account of an action at Neuve Chapelle [France] and of trench warfare generally, particularly the difficulties of keeping in touch with the artillery.

Dates: 30 Oct 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 09 Nov 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/75-78
Scope and Contents

Letter from Francis Grenfell, (Dublin [Ireland]) to WSC, giving an account of fighting at Messines [Belgium], problems with the artillery, the shortage of machine guns, and his being wounded.

Dates: 09 Nov 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 15 Jan 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/83-85
Scope and Contents

Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander- in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] to WSC, on meeting with General Joseph Joffre [Commander-in-Chief, French Army] on the military situation in France and Belgium, particularly the possibility that a joint expedition to Ostend might have to be postponed.

Dates: 15 Jan 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Jan 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/46/3-4
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher, 1st Sea Lord, on naval support for the army off the Belgian coast and also in the Dardanelles. Includes covering note from WSC, asking for Fisher's remarks, and adding that they never seemed to settle anything. [Hand-written copy, signed by WSC].

Dates: 04 Jan 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 08 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/47/25
Scope and Contents

Letter from Anthony Quilter, Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, to Edward Marsh [Private Secretary to WSC] on the state of his brigade, including problems with snipers, and suggesting that the Drake Battalion be added to the Hood, to make a 5 Battalion Brigade, adding that they would have a "really useful lot" in about a month.

Dates: 08 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 17 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/47/61
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to the Prime Minister [Herbert Asquith, later 1st Lord Oxford and Asquith] on complaints from Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] about responsibility for Naval units serving with the Army on the Western Front. [Hand-written draft, unsigned].

Dates: 17 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 17 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/47/64
Scope and Contents Letter from Herbert Asquith [Prime Minister, later 1st Lord Oxford and Asquith] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], on a complaint from Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], that WSC had offered Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Forces in France, later 1st Lord Ypres] a Brigade of the Naval Division and 2 squadrons of armoured cars for service on the Western Front. Asquith states that Kitchener felt that the Army had no need of...
Dates: 17 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 18 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/47/65-66
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], on his offer to send a brigade of the Naval Division and armoured cars to the Army in France. [Hand-written copy, unsigned].

Dates: 18 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 19 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/47/72
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], on the use of the naval battalions and armoured cars by the Army in France. [Hand-written copy].

Dates: 19 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 22 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/47/94-96
Scope and Contents

Letter from Colonel Thomas Bridges, British Military Mission with the Belgian Army, to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on the military situation, including suggesting the use of a dummy Fleet to draw fire, explaining that motor boats and armoured cars had no use in the present siege war, and commending various officers.

Dates: 22 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 09 Mar 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/48/53-57
Scope and Contents

Letter from General Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Forces in France, later 1st Lord Ypres], Head-Quarters, British Army to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], on naval support for a forthcoming attack.

Dates: 09 Mar 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 31 Oct 1916

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/41
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (France) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] returning papers [not present] for her to sign and discussing the difficulties in using horses for transport because of the mud.

Dates: 31 Oct 1916
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 31 Oct 1916

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/42-43
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (1st ANZAC, France) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] including; problems posed by the large amount of mud which has caused men to drown; concern about events in Romania; the death of [the Marquis de] Breteuil and the poor conditions in the trenches and dug outs. Envelope present.

Dates: 31 Oct 1916
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 23 Feb 1917

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/47-49
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (1st ANZAC [France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] including: a description of a visit to Paris with [General Sir William] Birdwood and the people he has seen who include Emily Yznaya; the isolation of the British embassy in Paris; discussion of affairs in Germany including scarcity of food; the attitude of Americans in Paris regarding the war. Envelope present.

Dates: 23 Feb 1917
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 24 Apr 1917

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/51-54
Scope and Contents Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (1st ANZAC [France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] including: censorship of letters; his anxiety about the loss of his job; a visit from Neville Lytton and Marefield who is researching a history of the Battle of the Somme; fears about cavalry casualties and concern about domestic arrangements. He encloses a newspaper cutting [CHAR 28/121/53] from an Australian newspaper which includes an account of the conditions on the Western Front and mentions...
Dates: 24 Apr 1917
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 17 Jul 1917

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/57-59
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (1st ANZAC [France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] including: a visit to Paris with General Sir William Birdwood to see a review; anxiety about the lack of knowledge of American officers and excitement over news from Mesopotamia [later Iraq]. Envelope present.

Dates: 17 Jul 1917
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 29 Sep 1917

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/60-62
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] ([France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] including: plans for "Goonie" [Gwendeline Churchill, earlier Gwendeline Bertie] to visit Paris with WSC; the failure of German defensive schemes and discussion of casualties; a meeting with WSC and "Eddie" [Edward Marsh]; and reports from prisoners about scarcity of food and boots in Germany. Envelope present.

Dates: 29 Sep 1917
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 11 Nov 1917

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/63-65
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] ([France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] including: discussion of news from Russia and Italy; the steady advance against Germany despite difficulties posed by the weather; his hopes to go to Blenheim for Christmas and worries about his employment prospects. Envelope present.

Dates: 11 Nov 1917
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 21 Apr 1918

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/68
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (Australian Corps Headquarters [France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] in which he anticipates renewed fighting on the Western Front as Marshal Foch inspires confidence among his troops, comments on the political situation in Britain and family affairs, and says that he is unlikely to be given leave.

Dates: 21 Apr 1918
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 21 May 1918

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/70
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] ([Australian Corps Headquarters, France]) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] in which he reports successes on the Western Front which have been achieved by the Australian forces, comments on the noise of overhead fighting and on WSC's popularity with the army [as Minister of Munitions] due to the good supply of munitions.

Dates: 21 May 1918
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 11 Jun 1918

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 28/121/73
Scope and Contents

Letter from "Jack" [John S Churchill] (Headquarters, 5th Army, British Expeditionary Force, France) to "Mama" [Lady Randolph Churchill] in which he says that WSC has given him a full account of her wedding [to Montagu Porch]; describes a visit to Paris and anticipates victory with the arrival of American troops; reports that he has been awarded the Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and comments that John [G Churchill] has settled down at school.

Dates: 11 Jun 1918
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open