Identity area
Reference code
Title
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
Publication note
Decorations: OBE, DSO, CVO, CB
Notes area
Note
Decorations: OBE, DSO, CVO, CB
Alternative identifier(s)
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Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English