Papers of Maj Gen Robert Clive Bridgeman, 2nd Viscount Bridgeman, KBE, CB, DSO, MC (1896-1982)
Reference code: GB99 KCLMA Bridgeman
Title: BRIDGEMAN, Maj Gen Robert Clive, 2nd Viscount Bridgeman (1896-1982)
Dates of creation of material: 1928-1978
Level of description: item level
Extent: 0.02m3 or 2 boxes of papers
Introduction
- Biographical history
- Provenance
- Scope and content
- Arrangement
- Conditions of access and use
- Related material
Brief List
1. Papers relating to despatches by Gen John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, on the operations of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, 1939-1940, 1941
2 File created by Bridgeman entitled 'Notes on the BEF and the Flanders campaign', 1940, containing details of lessons learnt from operations and recommendations for improvements, 1940-1943
3 Official documents relating to the BEF (British Expeditionary Force), mainly concerning training and equipment, 1940
4 Papers relating to a 'Study of the Italian Campaign of May-Aug 1915', undertaken by Bridgeman whilst at Staff College, 1928
5 File created by Bridgeman entitled 'Armoured support for infantry', and mainly comprising papers by Maj Gen George Mackintosh Lindsay, on the creation and use of a mobile armoured division, 1933-1934
6 Papers relating to Bridgeman's post as Director General of the Home Guard and Territorial Army, including maps of Exercise SPARTAN, undertaken in preparation for the invasion of Europe in 1944, 1943-1944
7 Correspondence between Bridgeman and Martin Alexander, mainly on Franco-British military relations 1939-1940, 1977-1978
8 Correspondence from Dr A W J Houghton concerning a conversation with Bridgeman about the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940, 1975
INTRODUCTION
Born in 1896; educated at Eton; 2nd Lt, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own), 1914; served in France, World War One, 1915-1918; Lt, 1916; Private Secretary to his father when Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour, 1918; Capt, 1921; graduated Staff College, 1928; Brevet Maj, 1932; Bde Maj, 7 Infantry Bde, 1932-1934; Brevet Lt Col, 1935; General Staff Officer, Grade 2, War Office, 1935-1937; retired pay, 1937; served in World War Two, 1939-1945; General Staff Officer, Grade 1, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), 1939-1940; Deputy Director, Home Guard and acting Maj Gen, 1941; Director General, Home Guard and Territorial Army, 1941-1944; Col and temporary Maj Gen, 1942; Deputy Adjutant General, 1944-1945; President of West Midland Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve Association, 1968-1969; died 1982.
Presented to the Centre in 1965 and 1978 by Bridgeman. Section 7 presented to the Centre in 1975 by Dr A W J Houghton.
The majority of the papers in the collection relate to Bridgeman's post as General Staff Officer, Grade 1, to the General Headquarters of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force), 1939-1940, notably the proofs of despatches by Gen John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, with relevant maps, various reports on training and equipment, and detailed narratives of events during the operations of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium and the evacuation from Dunkirk, 1940, with an emphasis on lessons learnt and improvements to be made. Earlier material includes papers on a proposed mobile armoured division created by Maj Gen George Mackintosh Lindsay, Commander 7 Infantry Bde, helped by Bridgeman, as Bde Maj, setting out the need for a programme of weapon development, especially the use of tanks. Bridgeman's role as Director General of the Home Guard and Territorial Army is represented by a series of maps used in Exercise SPARTAN, undertaken by British 2 Army on the south coast in preparation for the invasion of Europe in 1944. The two later accessions consist mostly of Bridgeman's memories of, and reflections on, the events of 1939-1940, notably Franco-British relations during the 'phoney war' of 1939, operations of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, 1940, and the evacuation from Dunkirk, Jun 1940.
The papers retain the original arrangement by Bridgeman, in sections as above.
Access
Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.
Copyright
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.
Language
English.
Related units of description
The papers of Maj Gen George Mackintosh Lindsay are held as part of the papers of Capt Sir Basil Liddell Hart (Section 15/12) within the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives.
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Last modified: Monday, 08-Aug-2005 13:19:50 BST