Correspondence relating to service as Commander-in-Chief Central Force, Home Defence, 1914-1915

References on this page: HAMILTON: 6

HAMILTON: 6/1-18 Correspondence as Commander-in-Chief Central Force, Home Defence, 1914-1915

HAMILTON: 6/1

1914 Jul 30-1914 Dec 4

Correspondence between Hamilton and FM Sir John Denton Pinkstone French, Commander-in-Chief BEF, including French's decision to decline Hamilton's request to serve in France as an Army Corps commander, 18 Aug 1914; French's praise of Hamilton's training of Territorial battalions as General Officer Commanding Central Force, 4 Dec 1914. 1 file, 5 letters

HAMILTON: 6/2

1914 Aug 6-1914 Dec 31

Correspondence, mainly personal and semi-official, of Hamilton as Commander-in-Chief Central Force, Home Defence, including his special order, requesting troops under his command to show full courtesy to civilians; letter from Walter Richard Sickert, artist, requesting introduction to Belgian military authorities in order to paint studies of Belgian troops; letter from Lt Hon George St John Brodrick, accepting post of Hamilton's aide-de-camp; correspondence with Brig Gen Edward James Montagu Stuart-Wortley, regarding readiness of his division for foreign service; Lt Gen Sir Bruce Meade Hamilton and Lt Gen Hon Sir Frederick William Stopford, regarding proposals of the War Office to replenish fatigued battalions in the BEF by voluntary drafts from Central Force. 1 file

HAMILTON: 6/3

1914 Aug 11-1914 Dec 29

Correspondence with active, retired and prospective officers and their relatives, seeking Hamilton's help with promotion, re-employment or commissions, including Maj Gen James Melville Babington; Maj Gen Francis Seymour Inglefield; Maj Gen Thomas David Pilcher; Maj Gen Herbert Aveling Raitt; Brig Gen Edward Aickin William Stewart Grove; Col Sir Thomas Sturmey Cave; Col William Selby-Lowndes; Col Robert Napier Smyth; Lt Col George Handcock Thesiger; Lt Col Walter R Ludlow; Maj Cecil Charles Cavendish; Lt Col Arthur Benison Hubback; Maj Henry Benfield Des Voeux Wilkinson; Maj Frank Bourne; Capt Walter Vavasour Faber MP; William Caldwell Ashmore; Sir John Michael Fleetwood Fuller, 1st Bt; Chief Constable Herbert Charles Metcalfe; William Maxwell, war correspondent; Rt Rev Monsignor Count Francis Browning Drew Bickerstaffe-Drew, Roman Catholic chaplain. 1 file

HAMILTON: 6/4

1914 Aug 13-1915 Jan 8

Correspondence between Hamilton and the War Office, mainly relating to administration of Central Force, Home Defence, including correspondence with Lt Gen Sir Henry Crichton Sclater, Adjutant General, regarding disorderly conduct of women near soldiers' quarters, 3-4 Nov 1914; Lt Gen Edward Cecil Bethune, Director General of the Territorial Force, regarding effect of Army Council decision to call for volunteers for service overseas on morale of Central Force, 30 Nov 1914; Lt Gen Sir James Wolfe Murray, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, regarding relative efficiency of Territorial divisions of Central Force, 9 Dec 1914; Maj Gen Frederick Spencer Robb, Secretary to Secretary of State for War, regarding Hamilton's appointment as General Officer Commanding 4 Army, 24-26 Dec 1914. 1 file

HAMILTON: 6/5

1914 Aug 22-1914 Dec 29

Correspondence between Hamilton and Rt Hon Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher, President of the London Territorial Force Association, relating to recruitment of Territorials for Hamilton's Central Force for Home Defence. 1 file, 13 letters

HAMILTON: 6/6

1914 Aug 22-1914 Nov 23

Correspondence between Hamilton and Maj Gen Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend, regarding Townshend's efforts to be transferred from service in India to active service in France or Egypt. 1 file, 5 letters

HAMILTON: 6/7

1914 Aug 30-1914 Oct 29

Correspondence between Hamilton and Lt Col Rt Hon Arthur John Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham, private secretary to George V, King of Great Britain and Ireland, mainly relating to the efficiency and equipment of King Edward's Horse (The King's Oversea Dominions Regt). 1 file, 8 letters

HAMILTON: 6/8

1914 Sep 8,1915 Jan 6

Letters sent by Hamilton to Rt Hon Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill MP, First Lord of the Admiralty, including Hamilton's appraisal of the Royal Naval Division following his inspection, 8 Sep 1914. 1 file, 2 letters

HAMILTON: 6/9

1914 Sep 15-1914 Dec 12

Correspondence between Hamilton and Capt James Robert White (known as Jack White), relating to White's requests to publicise White's views, namely that the Irish Nationalist Volunteers should have the full support of the British Government, and should be officered by Irishmen. With letter from Hamilton to J Alfred Spender, editor of the Westminster Gazette, proposing that the Volunteers be equipped and instructed by the British Government, 19 Sep 1914. 1 file, 11 letters

HAMILTON: 6/10

1914 Sep 17-1915 Jan 15

Correspondence between Hamilton and Hon James Allen, Minister of Defence, New Zealand, including correspondence regarding Hamilton's appointment as Commander-in-Chief Central Force, Home Defence. 1 file, 3 letters

HAMILTON: 6/11

1914 Sep 20-1915 Jan 7

Correspondence between Hamilton and Leopold Stennett Amery MP, regarding Amery's request for staff work for himself and his brother Maj Harold François Saphir Amery, with Hamilton's 4 Army in France. 1 file, 3 letters

HAMILTON: 6/12

1914 Sep 25-1915 Jan 31

Letters from Hamilton to Lt Col Charles à Court Repington, military correspondent, mainly relating to the efficiency of Territorial Force troops of Hamilton's Central Force for Home Defence, 1914. 1 file, 12 letters (replies of Repington are missing)

HAMILTON: 6/13

1914 Oct 2-1915 Jan 7

Correspondence between Hamilton and Rt Hon Richard Burdon Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane of Cloan, including letters from Hamilton on the efficiency of Territorial Force troops of his Central Force for Home Defence, 2 Oct 1914; his proposal that the Entente powers should launch an offensive against Constantinople, 7 Jan 1915. 1 file, 9 letters

HAMILTON: 6/14

1914 Oct 31

Letter from Adm Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg, thanking Hamilton for his sympathy [following his resignation as First Sea Lord]. 1pp

HAMILTON: 6/15

1914 Nov 5-1914 Dec 31

Correspondence between Hamilton and Lt Gen Sir Alfred Edward Codrington, commanding 3 Army Central Force, Home Defence, including correspondence relating to deficiencies in the ammunition park of the North Midland Division; proposals of the War Office to replenish fatigued battalions in the BEF by voluntary drafts from Central Force; War Office proposals to merge Territorial units no larger than battalion size into the BEF. 1 file, 17 letters

HAMILTON: 6/16

1914 Dec 1-3

Correspondence between Hamilton and Raymond Asquith, regarding Raymond's request for advice on whether to gain a commission in the Royal Naval Division or 16 (County of London) Bn, The London Regt (Queen's Westminster Rifles). 1 file, 2 letters

HAMILTON: 6/17

1915 Jan 1-1915 Feb 27

Correspondence, mainly personal and semi-official, of Hamilton as Commander-in-Chief Central Force, Home Defence, including letters of congratulation on Hamilton's appointment as General Officer Commanding 4 Army; correspondence with Maj Gen Sir Cecil Frederick Nevil Macready, Adjutant General BEF, on Hamilton's appointment to colonelcy of the Gordon Highlanders; Brig Gen Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley, regarding scarcity of troops volunteering for foreign service within reserve battalions of 60 (London) Div; Lt Col Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington, regarding shortage of rifles for the Lanarkshire Yeomanry. 1 file

HAMILTON: 6/18

1915 Jan 1-1915 Feb 25

Correspondence with active, retired and prospective officers and their relatives, seeking Hamilton's help with promotion, re-employment or commissions, including Brig Gen Beauchamp John Colclough Doran; Col Ronald George Brooke; Col James Latimer Crawshay St Clair; Col William Maxwell Sherston; Lt Col S Maynard Rogers; Capt Charles Robert Graham Mayne; Sir Godfrey Yeatman Lagden. 1 file