GB 0099 KCLMA Kirke - KIRKE, Gen Sir Walter Mervyn St. George (1877-1949)

Zone d'identification

Cote

GB 0099 KCLMA Kirke

Titre

KIRKE, Gen Sir Walter Mervyn St. George (1877-1949)

Date(s)

  • 1921-1949 (Création/Production)

Niveau de description

Étendue matérielle et support

4 boxes (0.04 cubic metres)

Zone du contexte

Nom du producteur

Notice biographique

Born 1877; educated at Haileybury and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; commissioned into the Royal Regt Artillery, 1896; served in Waziristan Campaign, 1901-1902 (medal and clasp); Capt 1901; Commandant Bhamo Bn Burma Military Police; commanded Wellaung, Punitive Expedition in South China Hills, 1905-1906; Graduate of Staff College; General Staff Officer, Grade 3, at War Office, 1912; Grade 2 on mobilisation, 1914; Brevet Maj, 1914; Maj, 1914; served World War One, 1914-1918 (despatches six times, Brevet Lt Col 1915; Brevet Col 1917); Deputy Director Military Operations, 1918-1922; Col on the Staff, General Staff Aldershot, 1922-1924; Maj Gen. 1924; head of British Naval, Military and Air Force Mission to Finland, 1924-1925; President Inter-Allied Commission of Investigation for Hungary; Deputy Chief of the General Staff in India, 1926-1929; Commander 5 Div and Catterick Area, 1929-1931; Lt Gen. 1931; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command, 1933-1936; Gen 1936; Col Commandant, Royal Artillery, 1934-1946; Hon Col 70 Anti-Aircraft Regt (now 470th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt TA) 1934-1939; and 2/5 The Queen's Royal Regiment, 1939; Director General of Territorial Army, 1936-1939; Inspector General of Home Defences, 1939; Commander-in-Chief of Home Forces, 1939-1940; Aide-de-Camp General to the King, 1937-1940; retired pay, 1940; President of Witley and District Branch of British Legion and Royal Artillery Association, Surrey; Vice-President of Royal United Service Institution and Old Contemptibles, Godalming, Surrey; died 1949.

Histoire archivistique

GB 0099 KCLMA Kirke 1921-1949 Collection (Fonds) 4 boxes (0.04 cubic metres) Kirke , Sir , Walter Mervyn St George , Knight , General

Born 1877; educated at Haileybury and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; commissioned into the Royal Regt Artillery, 1896; served in Waziristan Campaign, 1901-1902 (medal and clasp); Capt 1901; Commandant Bhamo Bn Burma Military Police; commanded Wellaung, Punitive Expedition in South China Hills, 1905-1906; Graduate of Staff College; General Staff Officer, Grade 3, at War Office, 1912; Grade 2 on mobilisation, 1914; Brevet Maj, 1914; Maj, 1914; served World War One, 1914-1918 (despatches six times, Brevet Lt Col 1915; Brevet Col 1917); Deputy Director Military Operations, 1918-1922; Col on the Staff, General Staff Aldershot, 1922-1924; Maj Gen. 1924; head of British Naval, Military and Air Force Mission to Finland, 1924-1925; President Inter-Allied Commission of Investigation for Hungary; Deputy Chief of the General Staff in India, 1926-1929; Commander 5 Div and Catterick Area, 1929-1931; Lt Gen. 1931; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command, 1933-1936; Gen 1936; Col Commandant, Royal Artillery, 1934-1946; Hon Col 70 Anti-Aircraft Regt (now 470th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt TA) 1934-1939; and 2/5 The Queen's Royal Regiment, 1939; Director General of Territorial Army, 1936-1939; Inspector General of Home Defences, 1939; Commander-in-Chief of Home Forces, 1939-1940; Aide-de-Camp General to the King, 1937-1940; retired pay, 1940; President of Witley and District Branch of British Legion and Royal Artillery Association, Surrey; Vice-President of Royal United Service Institution and Old Contemptibles, Godalming, Surrey; died 1949.

Placed in the centre by the family in seven accessions between 1982 and 1992

This collection consists of papers relating to Gen Sir Walter Mervyn St. George Kirke's military career after World War One as Deputy Director of Military Operations, as Colonel on the Staff, General Staff Aldershot, Director-General of the Territorial Army and as Commander-in-Chief of Home Forces and his work during and after World War Two as a public speaker and broadcaster. The collection includes papers relating to the debate over the role of the recently created RAF (1921), officer training at Aldershot (1922-1924), Kirke's leadership of the British Military Mission to Finland (1924-1925) and the work of the committee set up to study the lessons of World War One (1932). The majority the papers in the collection relating to Kirke's service as Director General of the Territorial Army are texts of Kirke's speeches, which are mostly concerned with promoting recruitment (1936-1939). There are also texts of Kirke's morale boosting radio broadcasts during World War Two on the progress of the war and also his speeches at public events particularly those connected with the National Savings Movement. The collection also includes personal correspondence, press cuttings, photographs and autobiographical notes made by Kirke.

Arranged in sections as described above.

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 College Archivist.
English

Detailed catalogue available on line and also in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

The original version of Kirke's autobiographical notes, an edited version of which was reproduced in Army Quarterly and Defence Journal of Oct 85 Jan 86 and Apr 86 is located at the Imperial War Museum, London, (Ref 84/14/1)

A copy of Kirke's autobiographical notes, an edited version of which was reproduced in Army Quarterly and Defence Journal of Oct 85 Jan 86 and Apr 86 is located at the British Library, Oriental and India Office Collections (Ref MSS Eur E 396).

LIDDELL HART CENTRE FOR MILITARY ARCHIVES, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON: Sections 10 and 11 of the papers of Capt Sir Basil Liddell Hart contain papers relating to Kirke; 'Real lessons of the war', article by Liddell Hart in The Daily Telegraph, concerning the Kirke Commitee report (Ref. LH 10/1932/111 1932 Jul 8); Note by Liddell Hart on discussion with Maj Gen Sir John Brown, Deputy Director General of the Territorial Army, about army reform, and Kirke, Director General of the Territorial Army (LH 11/1938/20 1938 Feb 5); Note by Liddell Hart on comments by William Richard Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, and Kirke, Inspector General of Home Forces, on the army and its role, especially the lack of preparedness for war, and the danger of Kirke's views on the efficacy of total war (Ref. LH 11/1939/65 1939 Jul 14); 'An outline of the Rumanian campaign, 1916-1918', by Maj Gen Walter Mervyn St George Kirke [Royal United Service Institution Journal, between 1924-1931] (Ref. LH 15/2/83 1924-1969); Correspondence and press reviews of The ghost of Napoleon by Liddell Hart including correspondence with Kirke (Ref. LH 9/12/8 1933-1935)

DEPARTMENT OF DOCUMENTS, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON (GB0062) holds Kirke's war diaries 1914-1917 and papers of his command of Intelligence Section, General Headquarters, France; his memoire on Lt Gen Sir George MacDonagh; personal family correspondence during World War One; correspondence with Lt Gen Sir George MacDonagh while Kirke was preparing the history of the Romanian campaign, 1916-1918 (published by Royal United Service Institution in Nov 1924) (Ref 82/28/1). In another accession they also hold the original of Kirke's autobiographical notes, an edited version of which was reproduced in Army Quarterly and Defence Journal of Oct 85, Jan 86 and Apr 86; a copy of miniaturised questionnaire, referred to in Kirke's war diaries which was floated over enemy lines by gas-filled balloon (Ref 84/14/1). BRITISH LIBRARY ORIENTAL AND INDIA OFFICE COLLECTIONS (GB0059) holds Kirke's letters from Burma to Lilian Ethel MacLeish before their marriage in 1907; papers on Wellaung punitive expedition 1905-1906 led by Kirke; Kirke's papers, including correspondence relating to his appointment as Deputy Chief of the General Staff in India 1926-1929 (Ref MSS Eur E 396). THE INTLLIGENCE CORPS MUSEUM, ASHFORD, KENT has miscellaneous papers on intelligence and a list of papers previously held there and sunsequently withdrawn (most of those withdrawn were added to the Kirke papers held at the Imperial War Museum). THE FINNISH NATIONAL ARCHIVE hold papers relating to Kirke's work for the British Military Mission to Finland which were presented to the Finnish Government in 1972 by Kirke's family, consisting of memoranda 1924-1925; remarks of the Revision Committee on the memorandum of Gen Kirke on the strength and composition of Finland's army, 1924; correspondence, 1924 (Ref Pk 1210/1-3). The Finnish National Archives also hold the reports on the Air Force, the coastal defence and the Navy by the British Military Mission of the Revision Committee within the archive of the Finnish Ministry of Defence (Ref 4525/14-17). Letters exchanged between Kirke and Mannerheim 1924-1925, owned by the the Mannerheim Foundation are also kept in the State Archives. THE ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM, WOOLWICH (GB0400) holds Kirke's memorandum on 'Amalgamation of the Royal Artillery'. The CORPS HEADQUARTERS, WOMENS' ROYAL ARMY CORPS, GUILDFORD, Surrey holds Kirke's correspondence with the Princess Royal, 1938.

Mannerheim mellan världskrigen [a biography of Mannerheim] by Prof Stig Axel Fridolf Jägerskiöld (Schildt, Helsinki, 1972)

  Apr 1998 British Army Europe Finland International conflicts Kirke , Sir , Walter Mervyn St George , Knight , General Northern Europe RAF , Royal Air Force x Royal Air Force War Western Europe World War One (1914-1918) World wars (events) Wars (events)

Source immédiate d'acquisition ou de transfert

Placed in the centre by the family in seven accessions between 1982 and 1992

Zone du contenu et de la structure

Portée et contenu

This collection consists of papers relating to Gen Sir Walter Mervyn St. George Kirke's military career after World War One as Deputy Director of Military Operations, as Colonel on the Staff, General Staff Aldershot, Director-General of the Territorial Army and as Commander-in-Chief of Home Forces and his work during and after World War Two as a public speaker and broadcaster. The collection includes papers relating to the debate over the role of the recently created RAF (1921), officer training at Aldershot (1922-1924), Kirke's leadership of the British Military Mission to Finland (1924-1925) and the work of the committee set up to study the lessons of World War One (1932). The majority the papers in the collection relating to Kirke's service as Director General of the Territorial Army are texts of Kirke's speeches, which are mostly concerned with promoting recruitment (1936-1939). There are also texts of Kirke's morale boosting radio broadcasts during World War Two on the progress of the war and also his speeches at public events particularly those connected with the National Savings Movement. The collection also includes personal correspondence, press cuttings, photographs and autobiographical notes made by Kirke.

Évaluation, élimination et calendrier de conservation

Accroissements

Mode de classement

Arranged in sections as described above.

Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation

Conditions d'accès

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

Conditions de 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 College Archivist.

Langue des documents

  • anglais

Écriture des documents

  • latin

Notes de langue et graphie

English

Caractéristiques matérielle et contraintes techniques

LIDDELL HART CENTRE FOR MILITARY ARCHIVES, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON: Sections 10 and 11 of the papers of Capt Sir Basil Liddell Hart contain papers relating to Kirke; 'Real lessons of the war', article by Liddell Hart in The Daily Telegraph, concerning the Kirke Commitee report (Ref. LH 10/1932/111 1932 Jul 8); Note by Liddell Hart on discussion with Maj Gen Sir John Brown, Deputy Director General of the Territorial Army, about army reform, and Kirke, Director General of the Territorial Army (LH 11/1938/20 1938 Feb 5); Note by Liddell Hart on comments by William Richard Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, and Kirke, Inspector General of Home Forces, on the army and its role, especially the lack of preparedness for war, and the danger of Kirke's views on the efficacy of total war (Ref. LH 11/1939/65 1939 Jul 14); 'An outline of the Rumanian campaign, 1916-1918', by Maj Gen Walter Mervyn St George Kirke [Royal United Service Institution Journal, between 1924-1931] (Ref. LH 15/2/83 1924-1969); Correspondence and press reviews of The ghost of Napoleon by Liddell Hart including correspondence with Kirke (Ref. LH 9/12/8 1933-1935)

Instruments de recherche

Detailed catalogue available on line and also in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Zone des sources complémentaires

Existence et lieu de conservation des originaux

Existence et lieu de conservation des copies

A copy of Kirke's autobiographical notes, an edited version of which was reproduced in Army Quarterly and Defence Journal of Oct 85 Jan 86 and Apr 86 is located at the British Library, Oriental and India Office Collections (Ref MSS Eur E 396).

Unités de description associées

DEPARTMENT OF DOCUMENTS, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON (GB0062) holds Kirke's war diaries 1914-1917 and papers of his command of Intelligence Section, General Headquarters, France; his memoire on Lt Gen Sir George MacDonagh; personal family correspondence during World War One; correspondence with Lt Gen Sir George MacDonagh while Kirke was preparing the history of the Romanian campaign, 1916-1918 (published by Royal United Service Institution in Nov 1924) (Ref 82/28/1). In another accession they also hold the original of Kirke's autobiographical notes, an edited version of which was reproduced in Army Quarterly and Defence Journal of Oct 85, Jan 86 and Apr 86; a copy of miniaturised questionnaire, referred to in Kirke's war diaries which was floated over enemy lines by gas-filled balloon (Ref 84/14/1). BRITISH LIBRARY ORIENTAL AND INDIA OFFICE COLLECTIONS (GB0059) holds Kirke's letters from Burma to Lilian Ethel MacLeish before their marriage in 1907; papers on Wellaung punitive expedition 1905-1906 led by Kirke; Kirke's papers, including correspondence relating to his appointment as Deputy Chief of the General Staff in India 1926-1929 (Ref MSS Eur E 396). THE INTLLIGENCE CORPS MUSEUM, ASHFORD, KENT has miscellaneous papers on intelligence and a list of papers previously held there and sunsequently withdrawn (most of those withdrawn were added to the Kirke papers held at the Imperial War Museum). THE FINNISH NATIONAL ARCHIVE hold papers relating to Kirke's work for the British Military Mission to Finland which were presented to the Finnish Government in 1972 by Kirke's family, consisting of memoranda 1924-1925; remarks of the Revision Committee on the memorandum of Gen Kirke on the strength and composition of Finland's army, 1924; correspondence, 1924 (Ref Pk 1210/1-3). The Finnish National Archives also hold the reports on the Air Force, the coastal defence and the Navy by the British Military Mission of the Revision Committee within the archive of the Finnish Ministry of Defence (Ref 4525/14-17). Letters exchanged between Kirke and Mannerheim 1924-1925, owned by the the Mannerheim Foundation are also kept in the State Archives. THE ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM, WOOLWICH (GB0400) holds Kirke's memorandum on 'Amalgamation of the Royal Artillery'. The CORPS HEADQUARTERS, WOMENS' ROYAL ARMY CORPS, GUILDFORD, Surrey holds Kirke's correspondence with the Princess Royal, 1938.

Descriptions associées

Note de publication

Zone des notes

Note

Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)

Mots-clés

Mots-clés - Lieux

Mots-clés - Noms

Mots-clés - Genre

Zone du contrôle de la description

Identifiant de la description

Identifiant du service d'archives

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

Règles et/ou conventions utilisées

Statut

Niveau de détail

Dates de production, de révision, de suppression

Langue(s)

  • anglais

Écriture(s)

    Sources

    Zone des entrées