Papers on the inter-war years, 1919-1939

References on this page: LIDDELL HART: 15/3/75-118

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/75-100 Papers relating to training of the Regular Army, 1917-1939

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/75

1917-[1924]

Papers relating to army training, mainly notes on map reading and topography by Lt Allen, 10 May 1917; notes on field engineering and improvised bridges, by R S M Pilch, Royal Engineers, 6 May [1917-1918]; notes for Staff College classes on methods of tackling a tactical scheme, use of detachments, offensive and defensive strategies and passage of rivers and canals in face of the enemy, by Bde Maj Bernard Law Montgomery, 8 Infantry Bde, Devonport, [1922-1923]; King's Royal Rifle Corps, 'Syllabus for recruits training and instructor's squad book' [1924]. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/76

[1924-1927]

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly situation outlines and operation instructions for 1 Div exercise in Aug [1924-1927], 2 Infantry Bde tactical exercises in [1924-1927] and Aldershot and Southern Command army manoeuvre scheme on Salisbury Plain, 22-25 Sep 1925, with seven maps showing positions of forces during stages of operation (Ordnance Survey, 1925), scale 1: 253440. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/77

1926-1927

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly comprising notes on trial use of an aeroplane for artillery umpiring and on umpiring tanks versus guns, by Col Archibald Percival Wavell, Chief Umpire, 3 Div, Bulford, Aug 1926; notes on use of screens and flags [1926]; 7 Bde combined training programme for Aug 1926, with scheme for attack by infantry, tanks and artillery, and administrative scheme; instructions for 2 Div exercises, Sep 1926 and 1927; notes for analysis conferences on 2 Div exercise No 1, 12-13 Sep 1927. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/78

[1926]-1927

Papers relating to army training and exercises, mainly Aldershot Command notes on general and artillery intelligence duties and artillery umpiring, Jan and Jun 1927; details of organisation and role of 4 Guards Bde machine gun company, Jul 1927; notes on kapok assault bridging by Bde Maj of 125 Inf Bde (not named) [1927]; remarks by Chief of Imperial General Staff, FM Sir George Francis Milne, on 1 Div exercises [1926-1927]. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/79

1928

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for 1 Cavalry Bde training operation, 4 Div inter-brigade tactical exercises and 2 Div exercises for 4 Guards Bde and 5 and 6 Infantry Bdes, with notes for analysis conferences, Aug-Sep 1928; notes on artillery training methods, schemes and provisions, author not known. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/80

1929

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Aug-Sep 1929, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for War Office exercises with troops on Salisbury Plain, Southern Command exercises on Salisbury Plain, exercises of 4 Guards Bde, 1 Div, 2 Div; 3 Div brigade training exercises for 7, 8 and 9 Infantry Bdes and 4 Div tactical exercises for 11 Infantry Bde and 10 and 12 Infantry Bdes. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/81

1930

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Aug-Sep 1930, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for 4 Div, 2 Div and 4 Guards Bde exercises; training operations under control of Gen Sir Archibald Amar Montgomery-Massingberd, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Command; Aldershot Command exercises on Salisbury Plain; 'Administrative instructions for 4 Div concentration in Aug and Sep 1930'. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/82

1931

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Jul-Sep 1931, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for 3 Div exercise on Salisbury Plain, 3 Div inter-brigade exercise for 7, 8 and 9 Infantry Bdes, 4 Guards Bde collective training scheme 'control in undeveloped countries' and Aldershot Command inter-brigade operations exercise for 2 and 6 Infantry Bdes; training programme for individual soldiers of 8 Bn, The Royal Warwickshire Regt, Whittington camp, Aug-Sep 1931, with guidance and tactical notes for training and exercises. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/83

1931

Papers relating to 1 Tank Bde training on Salisbury Plain, Aug-Sep 1931, mainly training programme, instructions for exercises, drill and signal instructions with exercises and flag signals instruction card. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/84

1932

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Jul 1932, mainly situation outlines, operational and administrative instructions for 2 Infantry Bde 'test' exercise for 1 Bn the Duke of Wellington's Regt, 4 Guards Bde exercises and 1 Cavalry Bde versus 4 Guards Bde exercise. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/85

1932

Papers relating to 1 Tank Bde training on Salisbury Plain, Jul-Sep 1932, mainly timetable of exercises; directives and tactical notes for 2, 3 and 5 Bns, Royal Tank Corps and 1 Light Tank Bn; tactical notes for 2 Bn, Royal Tank Corps; situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for brigade exercises, tactical exercise without troops, 1 Light Tank Bn exercises, exercises in conjunction with 9 Infantry Bde and mixed Tank Bn exercises including tank versus tank. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/86

1932

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes under Aldershot Command in Surrey and Hampshire, Aug-Sep 1932, mainly list of brigade training exercises; situation outlines, operation instructions, administrative instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for mountain warfare exercise in North Wales, inter-brigade exercises of 2 versus 6 Infantry Bde and 2 versus 5 Infantry Bde, 1 Div exercise of 1 Guards Bde versus 3 Infantry Bde, 3 Infantry Bde exercises, 2 Infantry Bde exercise and 6 Infantry Bde exercises including 'guerrilla warfare'. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/87

1933

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Aug-Sep 1933, mainly list of all exercises taking place under Aldershot Command; general instructions for Aldershot and Southern Command exercises with troops on Salisbury Plain; situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for Southern Command exercise on Salisbury Plain, 2 Div training exercise on Salisbury Plain, inter-divisional exercise of 2 Div versus 3 Div on Salisbury Plain, 4 Guards Bde exercises on Salisbury Plain, Higher Training Southern Command inter-cavalry Bde exercise on Salisbury Plain, Aldershot Command air defence exercise, 1 Div exercises of 1 Guards Bde versus 1 Cavalry Bde, 1 Guards Bde and 2 Infantry Bde versus 3 Infantry Bde and 2 Infantry Bde versus 3 Infantry Bde. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/88

1934

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions, notes for directing staff, umpires, spectators and the press for Southern Command exercise on Salisbury Plain, 3 Div exercise, 1 Div exercise and 2 Div exercises, Aug-Sep 1934; newspaper cuttings; Aldershot Command guide to Royal Engineers demonstration of new equipment and modern methods of field engineering on 15 May 1934; brochures for indoor tactical training equipment, magnetic blackboard and sand model set, manufactured by Gale and Polden, Ltd. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/89

1934

Papers relating to training of 1 Tank Bde on Salisbury Plain, Aug-Sep 1934, mainly training timetables, situation outlines and operational instructions for exercises. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/90

1935

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for Army Manoeuvres scheme incorporating forces from Aldershot, Eastern and Southern Commands; exercise of Aldershot Command, 2 Div, 1 Div with troops, 11 Infantry Bde and 7 Infantry Bde including machine gun withdrawal with armoured machine gun carriers to cover marching personnel, Aug-Sep 1935; text of London District School of Instruction lecture on methods of advance and attack by infantry, May 1935. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/91

1935

Papers relating to training of 6 Infantry Bde under experimental re-organisation, 1935-1936, including memorandum on individual training; questionnaire to assess signal exercises undertaken in May 1935 and notes from post exercise conferences; report on motor transport night exercise, by Staff Captain Francis W Sandars, Jul 1935; march orders for motor transport and troop columns; answers of brigade major Capt Arthur Cecil French, Aldershot Command, to questions submitted by LIDDELL HART, Aug 1935, on results of night exercises, use of mechanised machine gun transport, light machine guns and rifle grenades; details of the organisation of the experimental brigade, in The Durham Light Infantry Regimental Journal [1935]. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/92

1935

Photographs of Royal Ulster Rifles, Royal Scots Fusiliers and 1 Bn, Middlesex Regt on training exercises in Egypt, Nile region, [1935], sent to LIDDELL HART by Ulrich van Bogaerde, Art Editor of The Times, 2 May 1935. 4 black and white photographs

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/93

1935

Papers relating to army tank training, Jul-Sep 1935, mainly 1 Tank Bde training programme; situation outlines and operation instructions for 1 Tank Bde exercises on Salisbury Plain, Eastern Command instructional exercise 'army tanks with infantry' and 2 Infantry Bde controlled tank exercise. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/94

1936

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for combined operations exercise (probably units under Southern Command or Aldershot Command), Aldershot Command exercise and 2 Div exercise, Aug 1936; Catalogue of cinematograph training films, etc, issued by the War Office (HMSO, London, 1936), on artillery, infantry, tanks, weapons, mechanical skills, physical fitness and medicine, with letter from War Office, dated 12 Mar 1936, with policy on the format of instructional films. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/95

1936

Papers relating to army tank training, Aug-Sep 1936, mainly typescript extracts from 'Tank Brigade Report, 1936', on progress of training with particular reference to personnel, gunnery, organisation, co-operation with RAF and Royal Engineers and communication; instructional notes for Tank Bde training exercises; newspaper cuttings. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/96

1937

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Apr-Sep 1937, including Aldershot Command timetable of training exercises; situation outlines, operation instructions, notes for directing staff and umpires and lists of participating officers for War Office Skeleton Exercise, Aldershot Command inter-divisional exercise and 1 Div exercise; report on 1 Div training exercise without troops, author not named. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/97

1937

'First Division Training Report 1936/37', by division commander Maj Gen Charles Clement Armitage, 25 Oct 1937, including new divisional organisation; mobile troops for corps and divisions; movement of motor transport columns; staff duties; communication with RAF; weapon, anti-aircraft defence, artillery, engineer, signals and field administration training. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/98

1937-1939

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes carried out 1937-1938, mainly assessment of Southern Command training season, by Gen Sir John (Theodosius) Burnett-Stuart, Commander in Chief, Southern Command, Oct 1937; 'Notes on the new organisation of field and Royal Horse Artillery regiments and their tactical handling', issued by the War Office, May 1938; report and recommendations on infantry recruit training programmes and training depots, by Maj George Ellenberger, General Staff, West Riding Area, Nov 1938. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/99

1938

Papers relating to War Office Skeleton Exercise, Sep 1938, including operation instructions and narratives, situation outlines, list of participating staff and notes for directing staff and umpires, with map of southern England, including Salisbury Plain, containing military markings (Geographical Section, General Staff, No 3957, War Office 1938, fourth edition) sheet 11, scale 1:253440. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/100

1939

Papers relating to army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly general instructions, details of organisation, list of participating officers, situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for Aldershot Command Corps Skeleton Exercise, Jul 1939, with post-exercise report by Lt Gen Sir John Greer Dill, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Aldershot Command; notes on issues raised by recent exercises, by Gen Sir (William) Edmund Ironside, Chief of Imperial General Staff, Aug 1939; typescript report on 3 Infantry Bde exercise, author not known. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 5/3/101-111 Papers on the training of the Territorial Army, 1908-1938

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/101

1908

Extracts from a discussion led by Lt Gen Robert Baden-Powell, Commanding Northumbrian Div, at the Royal United Services Institution, 21 Oct 1908, on whether prominence should be given to teaching parade drill or fighting skills such as machine gun and artillery operation in Territorial Army training, including contributions from Lt Gen Sir Edward (Thomas Henry) Hutton, Arthur Lee, MP, Col Ivor Maxse, RT Hon Hugh Oakley Arnold-Forster, MP, Maj Robert A Johnson, 1 Volunteer Bn, Hampshire Regt, Col Edgar Lambart, Commanding London Territorial Artillery Bde, and Lt Col J R Hanson, Commanding 5 Durham Light Infantry. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/102

1924-1926

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly situation outlines, reports and operation instructions for 162 (East Midland) Infantry Bde exercise, Aug 1924; weekend course in Oxford for 48 (South Midland) Div junior commanders, with general regulations and situation outlines, operation instructions and tactical questions for exercises, Oct 1924 and [Jan 1926]; 132 (Middlesex and Sussex) Infantry Bde platoon training programme for annual camp at Shoreham, Jul 1925, and statistical results of inter-battalion weapon training competitions for winter 1925-1926; script of BBC radio broadcast by commander of 162 East Midland Infantry Bde, [Capt Eric S Bingham], on work of the Territorial Army particularly during recent manoeuvres, 14 Oct 1925. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/103

1926

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Jul-Nov 1926, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for 162 (East Midland) Infantry Bde exercises; papers for 162 (East Midland) Infantry Bde officers' promotion examination in Northampton, with list of candidates, exercises with instructions and questions and guidance notes for examiners; 163 Infantry Bde machine gun schemes, with instructions and lessons; Essex Bde Area officers' promotion examination papers with exercise and questions. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/104

1927

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Jul 1927, mainly situation outlines, operation instructions and notes for directing staff and umpires for 156 (West Scottish) Infantry Bde signal exercise at Fairlie camp; papers for 163 (Norfolk and Suffolk) Infantry Bde annual camp at West Runton, including training instructions, rules and programme, standing orders for organisation and administration of camp, tactical schemes and printed maps. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/105

1928-1929

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly notes and instructions for 144 (Gloucestershire and Worcestershire) Infantry Bde platoon exercises, [Aug or Sep 1928]; 47 (2 London) Div tactical scheme for Vesey Dawson Competition final, Aug 1928; 142 (6 London) Infantry Bde instructions for annual training at Rushmoor camp, Aldershot, [Aug] 1928; 139 Infantry Bde instructions for battle and deployment drills [1928]; 162 (East Midland) Infantry Bde instructions on action of infantry when attacked by tanks, written by brigade commander Col Sir Hereward Wake, 13th Baronet of Clevedon, for annual training camp at Arundel, Aug 1929. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/106

1928

Notices relating to Territorial Army training, comprising 5 Bn the Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) 'Definite standard to be reached by every NCO and man before camp', covering organisation, drill, weapon training, section training and duties of leaders and 'Syllabus of recruits' drills (1-20)', issued under Capt and Adj James B Taylor, dated 1 Jan 1928. Size: 51x76cm 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/107

1932

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, Jul-Aug 1932, mainly 19 London Regt training programme; 28 London Regt (Artists' Rifles) training programme and instructions for tactical schemes; D Company Artists Rifles training programme and instructions for schemes with solutions. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/108

1933

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, exercises and tactical schemes, mainly notes for 43 (Wessex) Div and Wessex Area Officers on preparing a tactical exercise without troops, including examples; 132 (Middlesex and Kent) Infantry Bde notes for conduct of a signal exercise and instructions for battle drill, annual camp, Crowlink, May 1933; draft paper on merits of Territorial Army training, intended as recruitment propaganda, by Col Walter Vyvian Nugent, General Staff Officer, Western Command, 25 Aug 1933; training cards for 47 (2 London) Div on a Lewis gun section in attack and use of colour coded casualty screens and flags, and for 19 London Regt, on ways to solve tactical problems. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/109

1934

Papers relating to Territorial Army training and exercises, May 1934, comprising 133 (Sussex and Kent) Infantry Bde notes for exercises on action against hostile aircraft and concealment from the air and proposal for a night exercise by brigade commander Col Richard Maule Birkett. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/110

1935

Papers relating to Territorial Army training, exercises and tactical schemes, Feb-Dec 1935, mainly 167 Infantry Bde training programme and general instructions for Roedean camp; 132 (Middlesex and Kent) Infantry Bde general instructions for annual training at Mytchett camp, by Bde Maj Geoffrey H Bull; 47 (2 London) Div instructions for conducting training exercises, by Lt Col Roderick Macleod, General Staff; comments on recent Territorial Army brigade tactical schemes, by Maj Roderick Macleod, 47 (2 London) Div; LIDDELL HART's programme of visits to training camps during Jul and Sep; memorandum for 48 (South Midland) Div annual training camp 1936, by Col Arthur Leslie Walter Newth, commander of 144 Infantry Bde, dated Nov 1935. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/111

1936-1938

Papers relating to Territorial Army training and exercises, including 4 Bn Northamptonshire Regt official statement of achievements and activities in 1936; instructions for conducting training exercises, by Lt Col Roderick Macleod, General Staff, 48 (South Midland) Div, Dec 1937; extract from a letter to [LIDDELL HART] from Maj Gen Russell Mortimer Luckock, commander of 54 East Anglian Div, criticising standard of Territorial Army training in 1938; report on preliminary training of recruits particularly poor standards and need for greater resources, by Maj Gen Frederick Alfred Pile, commander of 1 Anti-Aircraft Div, Jun 1938. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/112-118 Papers on the training of all armed land forces, 1924-1939

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/112

1924-1939

Newspaper cuttings and journal articles relating to the junior and senior division of the OTC (Officer Training Corps) in public schools and universities, and the Cadet Corp at secondary schools, particularly training and government grants; views on the purpose and military, educational and moral value of the OTC; discussion on whether military training of young boys produces aggressive militarism. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/113

1926-1939

Newspaper cuttings and journal articles relating to training in the Regular Army, Territorial Army and the Militia, or Supplementary Reserve, mainly reports on training exercises and manoeuvres, notably at Salisbury Plain, Amesbury and Tilshead in Wiltshire, Aldershot, Farnborough and Stockbridge in Hampshire, Arundel in West Sussex, Colchester in Essex and Bisley in Surrey, including infantry, tank, armoured cavalry, anti-aircraft and combined land, air and sea operations, use of new small arms, artillery, and motor vehicles, mechanisation and re-organisation of units, night operations and drill. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/114

1926-1939

Army Training Memoranda issued by the War Office, 1926 and 1937-1939, including summaries of training exercises, instructions for future training, standards of Territorial Army, Supplementary Reserve and OTC (Officer Training Corps) training, developments in organisation and equipment, and replies to questions raised in Command reports on training. 8 booklets

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/115

[1927-1939]

Extracts from Army Training Memorandum, 'collective training period' 1927; No 15 'collective training period' 1935; No 17, Jan 1937; No 21 Dec 1938; No 22, Apr 1939, issued by the War Office, including summaries of training exercises undertaken, instructions for future training, notes on standards of Territorial Army, Supplementary Reserve and OTC (Officer Training Corps) training and developments in organisation and equipment. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/116

1929-1937

Papers relating to OTC (Officer Training Corps) and Cadet Corps recruitment and training camps, including letters to LIDDELL HART; battalion organisation, camp standing orders and training programmes for Tidworth Pennings OTC Camp and Tweseldown OTC Camp, Jul-Aug 1929; University of London OTC training programme for annual camp, Eastbourne, Jul 1929; draft of 'Observations on OTC and Territorial summer training' signed by [G] Budden, 15 Aug 1937; comments on Oxford University OTC composition, standards of training, instructors, attitude of members, discipline and links with Territorial Army, author not named [1930-1938]; souvenir brochure of 6 Cadet Bn the Essex Rgt, the Plaistow Cadet Corps, annual camps, 1929-1936. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/117

[1930]-1938

Papers relating to vocational training in the army for soldiers entering civilian employment, particularly organisation and instructional methods, comprising 'Regimental land settlement and training centres', a scheme for solution of unemployment particularly amongst ex-soldiers, by Capt Edward K Walkington, 10 Jan 1935; 'Army vocational training, Territorial Army Reserve and the road to employment' reviewing schemes at Army Vocational Training Centres, in 22 London Regiment (The Queen's) [1930-1935]; newspaper and journal cuttings. 1 file

LIDDELL HART: 15/3/118

1931-1937

Papers relating to OTC (Officer Training Corps) training comprising general instructions, situation outlines and operation instructions for South Midland Area OTC Field Day exercise, Mar 1937, with map of operational area around Stroud and Chepstow (Geographical Section, General Staff No 3907, War Office, 1931) sheet 103, scale 1:63360, and training programme of University of Bristol OTC, Jul 1933. 1 file