Scope and Contents

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

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents Telegram from the Director of Intelligence [Rear-Admiral Henry Oliver, Admiralty] to Major-General Archibald Paris [General Officer Commanding, Royal Naval Division] (Dunkirk [France]) reporting the statement of the Belgian Minister of War, that the Germans were taking the siege of Antwerp [Belgium] seriously and that it is not intended as a diversion; also stating that German forces had moved towards Mons [France] and that German reserve troops intended to occupy positions on the Meuse...

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents

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].

Scope and Contents Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] on the need for artillery on the Western Front, suggesting that territorial batteries be sent to India, and regular artillery brought home: "It is an awful pity to leave these splendid batteries keeping order among natives when trained artillery is our bitterest need. I think myself that every regular battery in India except mountain, ought to come home and be replaced by...

Scope and Contents Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in- Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on naval aircraft, recommending that they be sent back to Britain for refitting, as attempting to refit in France or Belgium would cause congestion. French states that the Royal Flying Corps would attack Zeppelin sheds as soon as the Zeppelins arrived, and that the help of the Royal Naval Air Service would be very desirable. He adds that the...

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] on air attacks on German Zeppelin bases. WSC states that all naval aircraft and armoured cars would be withdrawn to Dunkirk [France], "so as to keep quite clear of the British Army and its communications", but would remain there for the present. [Hand-written copy, unsigned].

Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres], on the military situation on the Western Front, offering to come over to see him to discuss the matter. [Hand-written copy].

Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] on a naval bombardment to support the advance of the Army on Ostende [Belgium]. WSC suggests that the Navy attack Zeebrugge, the base of the German submarines, at the same time. [Hand-written draft, unsigned].

Scope and Contents

Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel [George] Tom Bridges [Head of Military Mission with the Belgian Field Army] to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on the work of the Naval Division in Belgium.

Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres], regretting that the Royal Navy could not provide artillery support on the Belgian coast. WSC explains that small ships were not powerful enough, and it was not justifiable to expose battleships to risk of attack by submarines, except to support a land attack of primary importance. [Hand-written draft, unsigned].

Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] on the treatment of naval units serving with the Army in France. WSC argues that they should continue to be subject to the Naval Discipline Act, not given the choice to "become a soldier or be sent home"; he lists the five units concerned: armoured trains, motor omnibuses, aircraft, armoured cars and 15-inch howitzers. [Two draft carbon copies].

Scope and Contents Letter from Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the status of naval units serving with the Army in France. Kitchener states that while the War Office would welcome a Naval Brigade or Division, they did not think it necessary to have "irregular" Naval units serving in armoured cars or trains, which could be provided by the War Office. He adds that if these irregular units were only a means for "certain officers and gentlemen...

Scope and Contents

Memorandum by WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the need to secure naval command of the Baltic, in view of the stalemate on the Western Front. [Hand-written draft, initialled by WSC].