GB 0099 KCLMA Chater - CHATER, Maj Gen Arthur Reginald (1896-1979)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0099 KCLMA Chater

Title

CHATER, Maj Gen Arthur Reginald (1896-1979)

Date(s)

  • 1915-1978 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

6 boxes or 0.06 cubic metres

Context area

Name of creator

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.

Archival history

GB 0099 KCLMA Chater 1915-1978 Collection (fonds) 6 boxes or 0.06 cubic metres Chater , Arthur Reginald , 1896-1979 , Major General

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.

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

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.

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

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

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.
English

Detailed catalogue available on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

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.

Decorations: OBE, DSO, CVO, CB
Sep 1999 Armed forces Belgium British Somaliland Chater , Arthur Reginald , 1896-1979 , Major General East Africa Europe Gallipoli India International conflicts International relations Middle East Military engineering Military operations Military organizations Operation Lightening, 1944-1945 Operation Overlord (1944) Organizations Photographs RN , Royal Navy x Royal Navy Royal Marines Somalia South Asia South East Asia State security Sudan Turkey Visual materials War Warfare Western Europe World War One (1914-1918) World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Zeebrugge Wars (events)

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

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

Content and structure area

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.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

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

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

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 of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

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.

Finding aids

Detailed catalogue available on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Decorations: OBE, DSO, CVO, CB

Notes area

Note

Decorations: OBE, DSO, CVO, CB

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King's College London

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area