Download this summary catalogue (PDF) ›CHATER, Maj Gen Arthur Reginald (1896-1979)

Identity statement

Reference code(s)

GB0099 KCLMA Chater

Title

CHATER, Maj Gen Arthur Reginald (1896-1979)

Date(s)

1915-1978

Level of description

collection level

Extent and medium of the unit of description (quantity, bulk, or size)

6 boxes or 0.06 cubic metres

Context

Name of creator(s)

Chater, Arthur Reginald, 1896-1979, Major General

Administrative / Biographical history

Born 1896; entered Royal Marines as 2nd Lieut, 1913, serves with RM brigade in Flanders, 1914; Gallipoli, 1915 (despatches, French Croix de Guerre); Grand Fleet, 1916-1917; Adjutant of RM Bn which landed from HMS Vindictive at Zeebrugge, 23 Apr 1918; served in Egyptian Army, 1921- 1925; Sudan Defence Forces, 1925-1931; commanded Sudan Camel Corps, 1927- 1930; commanded military operations in Kordofan, 1929-1930; Senior RM Officer, East Indies Station, 1931-1933; Home Fleet, 1935-1936; Commanded Somaliland Camel Corps, 1937-1940; commanded defence of British Somaliland, 1940; Military Governor and Commander troops British Somaliland, 1941-1943; Commander Portsmouth Div Royal Marines, 1943-1944; Director of Combined Operations, India and South-East Asia, 1944-1945; MGGS, 1945-1946; Commander Chatham Group Royal Marines, 1946-1948; one of HM's Body Guard of Honorary Corps of Gentleman-at-Arms, 1949-1966 and Harbinger, 1952-1966; Col Commandant Somaliland Scouts, 1948-1958; Member Berkshire Cricket Club, 1955-1961; Member of Anglo-Somali-Society, 1960-1979; died 1979.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Placed in the Centre by Chater in 1964 and 1976 and by his executors in 1979.

Content & structure

Scope and content

The papers cover the period 1915-1978, and include papers on his service in World War One, in particular extracts from diary on Galliopoli offensive May 1915 and Allied raid on Zeebrugge, Apr 1918; correspondence, narratives of operations and photographs from service as Officer Commanding Sudan Camel Corps, 1927-1930; reports on defence of British Somaliland and accounts of Italian invasion of Somaliland from service as Officer Commanding Somaliland Camel Corps, 1937-1940; papers on service as Military Governor and Officer Commaning, British Somaliland, 1941-1943; papers on service as Officer Commanding Portsmouth Div Royal Marines, including narrative of Operation OVERLORD, 1943-1944; papers on service as Director of Combined Operations, India and South-East Asia, including notes on Operation LIGHTNING, 1944-1945; papers on service as Commander Chatham Group Royal Marines, including lecture notes1946-1948; unpublished manuscripts on aspects of Allied war effort in British Somaliland; papers on service as Honorary Colonel Somaliland Scouts, 1948-1958, and membership of Anglo-Somali-Society, 1960-1978.

System of arrangement

Arranged chronologically in sections reflecting military service. Maps and photographs are grouped separately.

Conditions of access & use

Conditions governing access

Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, attention of the Director of Archive Services.

Language/scripts of material

English

Finding aids

This detailed Catalogue, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Allied materials

Existence and location of originals

King's College London College Archives

Related units of description

The Papers of Gen Sir (Alfred) Reade Godwin-Austen cover the period of Chater's service as Officer Commanding, Somaliland Corps. The Imperial War Musuem holds a copy of Chater's 'Galliopoli Memoirs' relating to his service at Galliopoli, Turkey, 1915, and a typescript account by Chater of his service in the Royal Marines 1913-1920. The Royal Marines Musuem, Portsmouth, holds a diary by Chater, 1915; photograph album of Zeebrugge, Belgium, 1918, narrative of his career 1913-1927, diary for 1944, and transcript of interview with Chater from 1958.

Publication note

The Imperial War Musuem holds a copy of Chater's 'Galliopoli Memoirs' relating to his service at Galliopoli, Turkey, 1915, and a typescript account by Chater of his service in the Royal Marines 1913-1920. The Royal Marines Musuem, Portsmouth, holds a diary by Chater, 1915; photograph album of Zeebrugge, Belgium, 1918, narrative of his career 1913-1927, diary for 1944, and transcript of interview with Chater from 1958.

Notes

Note

Decorations: OBE, DSO, CVO, CB

Description control

Rules or conventions

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

This catalogue is made available under the Open Data Commons Attribution License. This catalogue may be updated from time to time in order to reflect additional material and/or new understandings of the material.