Papers of Lt Gen Sir Launcelot Edward Kiggell, KCB, KCMG (1862-1954)
[KIGGELL: 1/1]
1909 Apr 24
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, on Haig's forthcoming appointment as Chief of General Staff, India, and his request of Kiggell to recommend a good officer to replace him in his present post as Director of Staff Duties, War Office. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/2]
1909 Apr 27
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, notably Kiggell's recommendation of Lt Col Colin (John) Mackenzie as a replacement for Haig in the post of Director of Staff Duties at the War Office; Haig's views on the likelihood of war within 3 years, and the need therefore to organise India's resources for Imperial needs. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/3]
1909 May 18
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, notably his desire that Kiggell succeed him as Director of Staff Duties at the War Office, and that they work together in their respective posts to create the beginnings of an Imperial General Staff. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/4]
1909 May 21
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, giving reasons why he wishes Kiggell to succeed him as Director of Staff Duties at the War Office. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/5]
1909 Jul 30
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, informing Kiggell that the Chief of General Staff has put his name down as Haig's successor as Director of Staff Duties at the War Office. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/6]
1909 Aug 10
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, wishing Kiggell luck in the post of Director of Staff Duties at the War Office, and informing him of salary and promotion prospects. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/7]
1910 Jul 14
Letter from Maj Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, notably on the importance of Kiggell remaining as Director of Staff Duties at the War Office, in order to aid the development of the General Staff; forwarding a paper prepared by Maj Gen Alexander Hamilton Gordon, Director of Military Operations, General Staff, India, on the need for field howitzers as opposed to heavier guns. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/8]
1911 Apr 5
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on rumours that Gen Sir John Denton Pinkstone French will be replacing Gen Sir William Gustavus Nicholson as Chief of the Imperial General Staff; possibilities for Haig's future employment; thoughts on German military plans, and his conviction that the development of the British army to combat them is vital; comments on the character and abilities of Lt Gen Henry Hughes Wilson. 7pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/9]
1911 Apr 13
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on procedure for the selection by Home Authorities of officers serving in India for appointments at home; an expedition under the command of Adm Sir Edmond John Warre Slade to the Makran Coast, India, to counter the incursions of the Afghans. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/10]
1911 Apr 27
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, replying to Kiggell's ideas for changes in the entrance examinations to the Staff College, Camberley; on progress in the Makram Coast expedition, India, and comments on the capabilities of Lt Gen Sir James Willcocks. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/11]
1911 May 4
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the problem of appointing suitable General Staff Officers in India; rumours of the reforms being carried out in the Turkish army, and the security implications for Persia, Russia and Egypt; response to questions asked in Parliament about the conduct of the Makram Coast expedition, India. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/12]
1911 May 18
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on his possible appointment as General Officer Commanding at Aldershot, and his opinion on the appointment of Gen Sir John Denton Pinkstone French as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/13]
1911 May 25
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the possibility of starting a school of instruction and a corps for air work in India, and asking for information on the Bristol Aeroplane Company; further news on his appointment as General Officer Commanding at Aldershot. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/14]
1911 Jun 15
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, notably on the Adjutant General Maj Gen John Spencer Ewart's alterations to the Field Service Regulations, Vol 2; the lack of cooperation between infantry and artillery shown in recent training exercises by the Indian army; the lack of response to a report sent to the War Office setting out Indian army artillery needs. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/15]
1911 Jun 29
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, notably his views on the proposed path of the Trans-Persian railway to India; a paper by Haig and his staff objecting to a proposal to reduce the size of the Indian army. 6pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/16]
1911 Jul 6
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, giving the date of his return to take up the post of General Officer Commanding in Chief at Aldershot. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/17]
1911 Jul 13
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, asking for Kiggell's comments on a report on the Staff Ride of winter 1910, and giving his opinions on the tactical principles expressed by Lt Col Charles A'Court-Repington in The Times. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/18]
1911 Jul 20
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the granting of army commissions to Indians; his memorandum on the reduction of the Indian army, which proposes savings through more efficient administration rather than reducing the size of units. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/19]
1911 Aug 10
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, notably the strong opposition in Britain to the plans of Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, Viceroy of India, for reduction of the Indian army; the Midnapore bomb case, and the consequences for judicial matters in Bengal. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/20]
1911 Aug 17
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the disturbance of army manoeuvres due to the failure of rain in the Delhi District; his plans to return home in December; continuing wrangles over the reduction of the Indian army, mainly concentrating on the force necessary to deal with Afghanistan. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/21]
1911 Aug 31
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the Viceroy of India, Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, and his plans for reduction of the Indian army; attempts to increase effective liaison between British officers and Indian officials; the confirmation of his appointment as General Officer Commanding in Chief at Aldershot, and his request to have Capt John Charteris and Capt (Harry Beauchamp) Douglas Baird for his personal staff there; the cancellation of army manoeuvres due to lack of rain in the Delhi District. 5pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/22]
1911 Sep 13
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the date of his taking over the post of General Officer Commanding at Aldershot. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/23]
1911 Sep 27
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, relating to a proposed Indian Army Expenditure committee, to be headed by FM Sir William Gustavus Nicholson; Haig's views on artillery reorganisation in the British army, and the usefulness of bridging materials for cavalry regiments; commentary on Franco-German relations, and the need to be fully prepared in case of German aggression. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/24]
1911 Oct 5
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, notably on operations in Shiraz, Persia, and his opinion of the character and abilities of the Viceroy of India, Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/25]
1911 Oct 12
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, notably on the provision of troops for operations in Shiraz and Kerman, Persia. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/26]
1911 Oct 12
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, giving an account of his inspection of the Staff College at Quetta, India, commanded by Brig Gen Walter Ripon Braithwaite. 6pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/27]
1911 Nov 8
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the lack of official permission for Capt John Charteris and Capt (Harry Beauchamp) Douglas Baird to join him on his personal staff at Aldershot; the approval by Maj Gen Sir Archibald Murray, Director of Military Training, War Office, of an Indian army training memorandum; the announcement in the House of Commons of a committee on Indian Army Expenditure to be headed by FM Sir William Gustavus Nicholson. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/28]
1911 Nov 30
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, mainly a description of the Delhi Coronation Durbar. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/29]
1911 Dec 7
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, on the Delhi Coronation Durbar, and his proposed route back to Britain. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/30]
1911 Dec 14
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Chief of General Staff, India, giving his proposed route to Britain, and describing the Military Review during the Delhi Coronation Durbar. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/31-32]
1913 May 28,1913 May 29
Letters from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Aldershot Command, concerning the Aldershot Command Staff Tour. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 1/33]
1913 Oct 9
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Aldershot Command, on the occasion of Kiggell's first day as Commandant, Staff College, Camberley. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/34]
1913 Dec 7
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Aldershot Command, concerning the visit to Staff College, Camberley of Gen Sir Beauchamp Duff, prior to taking up the post of Commander in Chief, India. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 1/35]
1914 Sep 22
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding 1 Corps, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), introducing [Brig Gen RH] Davies, late Commander 6 Infantry Bde, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), recently invalided back to Britain. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/36]
1914 Oct 4
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding 1 Corps, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), notably the superiority of the personnel and equipment of the German artillery units; advice on the training of British infantry soldiers; advising the use of the Territorial Divs in France. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/37]
1914 Oct 12
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding 1 Corps, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), suggesting that Kiggell visit France, and expressing the opinion that Territorial Divs are preferable to the 'model army' of new recruits, and should be equipped with Maxim guns arranged in batteries. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 1/38]
1915 Apr 2
Letter from Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding 1 Army, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), giving a brief account of operations at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 10-13 Mar, including his opinion on the tactics of temporary Lt Gen Sir Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 2nd Bt, General Officer Commanding 4 Corps, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), the preliminary dispositions of 8 Div, and the officers of the Indian Corps; comment on the RN bombardment of the Dardanelles forts. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/39]
1915 Jul 1
Letter from Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding 1 Army, British Armies in France, expressing concern at the Cabinet's influence over strategic military planning, namely the sending of British troops to the Dardanelles. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 1/40-43]
1916 May 24-1916 Jun 9
Letters from Gen Sir Douglas Haig, General Officer Commanding in Chief, British Armies in France, and Gen Sir Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer, General Officer Commanding 2 Army, concerning planning for the Somme offensive, Jul-Nov 1916, notably a brief examination by Haig of the strategic situation prior to a meeting with French Gen Joseph Jacques Cesaire Joffre, Commander in Chief of the French Armies on the Western Front, and French Gen Nöel Joseph Edouard de Curières de Castelnau, his Chief of Staff, May 1916; his meeting with the British War Council and negotiations with the French concerning the start date of the coming offensive, Jun 1916; discussion between Haig and Plumer through Kiggell concerning recent operations by 2 Army on the Ypres Salient (Battle of Mount Sorrel), Jun 1916, and the proposed move of 3 Div to 4 Army in preparation for the Somme Offensive. 4 items, 11pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/44]
1916 Nov 25
Letter from Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, notably on a meeting with the British War Committee concerning possible reductions of cavalry units; a proposal to send Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson to Russia as head of a mission to discuss the supply of war material. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/45]
1916 Dec 3
Letter from Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, on the British Mission to Russia, to be headed by temporary Lt Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, and including temporary Brig Gen John Humphrey Davidson, Director of Military Operations, British Armies in France. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/46]
1916 Dec 10
Letter from Gen Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, asking Kiggell to view a plan of operations for an Anglo-French offensive intended to capture the Belgian Coast, and begin making preparations. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/47]
1917 Jan 18
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, on the postponement of the planned British offensive on the Aubers Ridge in order to support the French army during the Nivelle offensive, and giving the main points made in a meeting between French Gen Robert Georges Nivelle, Commander in Chief of the French army, the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister, and Haig. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/48]
1917 Mar 6
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, notably on the alteration of the German front line defences opposite Arras to link up with the Hindenburg Line. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/49-50]
1917 Jun 23
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, describing a meeting with the British War Cabinet in which the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, Prime Minister, expressed doubts about the planned Flanders offensive (Third Battle of Ypres) proposed by Haig and Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Includes copy of Haig's reply to Lloyd George's request that he reconsider his views, emphasising the weakness of the German army in terms of manpower, economic conditions and morale, and his opinion that a strong summer offensive will lead to victory. 5pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/51]
1917 Jul 23
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, notably a visit to 13 Corps, and the need for a good division to defend Monchy-le-Preux. 2pp
[KIGGELL: 1/52]
1917 Dec 31
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, relating to the movements of Lt Gen Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough and 5 Army. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 1/53-54]
1918 Jan 1
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, notably the promotion of Maj Gen Richard Harte Keatinge Butler, Deputy Chief of General Staff, to command a Corps, his failure to have Kiggell promoted to Gen; forwarding a letter from John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for India, complaining about the lack of recognition given to the part played by the Indian Cavalry in recent operations near Cambrai. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/55-56]
1918 Jan 4
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, enclosing a letter from Brevet Col Sir Arthur Davidson, Equerry to HM King George V, concerning the supply of recruits to the Bde of Guards. 5pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/57]
1918 Jan 8
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, notably omissions from his despatches as printed in the London Gazette; a meeting with the War Cabinet. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/58]
1918 Jan 10
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, concerning the reduction in size of Cavalry divisions in order to decrease pressure on transport and supplies, and the need for reorganisation of the Cavalry Corps following the Battle of Cambrai, Nov 1917. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 1/59]
1918 May 14
Letter from FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France, notably on Kiggell's acceptance of the post of General Officer Commanding and Lt Governor of Guernsey. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 2/1]
1914 Sep 15
Letter from Maj Gen Henry Hughes Wilson, Assistant Chief of General Staff, notably his reservations concerning the 'new armies' being raised and trained by FM Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, Secretary of State for War; a brief description of fighting on the right bank of the River Aisne. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 2/2]
1914 Oct 10
Letter from Maj Gen Henry Hughes Wilson, Assistant Chief of General Staff, giving a very brief summary of the war so far. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 2/3]
1917 May 19
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, Chief Liaison Officer to French General Headquarters, enclosing a copy of a note to Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, giving Wilson's opinions on the promotion of French Gen Henri-Philippe Benoni Omer Pétain to Commander in Chief of the French army, with French Gen Ferdinand Foch as his Chief of Staff; comment on a Convention being held in Dublin between the opposing sides in Ireland. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 2/4]
1917 Jun 2
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, Chief Liaison Officer to French General Headquarters, enclosing a note to Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, expressing the opinion that the French will make peace with Germany if the planned large scale attack on the Western Front is postponed, and giving possible methods of preventing such an occurrence. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 2/5]
1917 Oct 25
Letter from Lt Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Eastern Command, concerning a paper he was asked to write for the British War Cabinet on the present situation and future development of the war, and denying any personal criticism of FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France. 8pp.
[KIGGELL: 2/6]
1917 Dec 12
Letter from temporary Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, British Military Representative, Supreme War Council at Versailles, requesting news of a meeting between Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner, a member of the War Cabinet, and FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief, British Armies in France; attempts by the British Section of the Supreme War Council to agree on the relief of the French line by British troops; a war game designed to predict possible time, strength and place of German attacks in 1918. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 2/7]
1918 Jan 7
Letter from temporary Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, British Military Representative, Supreme War Council at Versailles, giving his opinion of the date, strength and position of German attacks for the coming spring. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/1]
1915 Jun 20
Letter from temporary Lt Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of General Staff, British Armies in France, suggesting possible staff appointments for Kiggell in France, and giving a general overview of the difficulties of attacking and command in trench warfare. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/2]
1916 Jun 26
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, on a proposed visit to British General Headquarters in France. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/3]
1916 Jul 5
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, notably his opinion that the most effective method for attacking German defences across a long front is setting limited objectives and employing concentrated artillery fire; proposals for exploiting the successes of the French army during the first days of the Somme offensive. 5pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/4-5]
1916 Sep 29
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, concerning press reporting of the operations of the British army on the Western Front, including advice on the content of Kiggell's official communiqués. Includes Kiggell's reply. 5pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/6]
1917 Jan 26
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, requesting information concerning the defences, artillery and ground at Ypres, Belgium. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 3/7]
1917 Jul 27
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, on the leakage of information concerning the proposed Allied offensive (Third Battle of Ypres), and giving a description of the Allied Balkan Conference in Paris, including a proposal by the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister, for major Allied offensives in Italy and Palestine. 4pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/8]
1917 Aug 2
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, requesting regular information from Kiggell concerning the progress of the Third Battle of Ypres, to pass on to the British War Cabinet. 2pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/9]
1917 Aug 9
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, on an Allied Conference in London, and giving his opinion of the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 3/10]
1917 Aug 13
Letter from Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, concerning drafts of men sent to the front, including figures showing the net deficit of British infantry and artillery personnel. 3pp.
[KIGGELL: 3/11]
1921 Nov 22
Newspaper cutting of a review of From Private Soldier to Field Marshal (Constable and Co, London, 1921) by FM Sir William (Robert) Robertson, 1st Bt, in The Morning Post, written by Alan Ian Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 4.] Demi-official correspondence
written during Kiggell's service as
Chief of General Staff, British Armies in France, 1915-1917.
[KIGGELL: 4/1-129]
1915 Dec 1-1917 Nov 18
File of demi-official correspondence written by and to Kiggell in his capacity as Chief of General Staff, British Armies in France, mainly routine letters concerning staff appointments, unofficial discussions with politicians and army commanders concerning operations, supplies, training, movement of troops and artillery, notably correspondence with Gen Sir William (Robert) Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff; Maj Gen William Bernard Hickie, General Officer Commanding 16 (Irish) Div; Maj Gen Sir Stanley Brenton Von Donop, Master General of the Ordnance; Gen Sir Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, General Officer Commanding 3 Army; Gen Sir Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer, Commander 2 Army; Lt Gen Sir William Riddell Birdwood, General Officer Commanding 1 ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps); Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher; V Adm Sir Reginald (Hugh Spencer) Bacon, Commander Dover Patrols; Gen Sir Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 2nd Bt, General Officer Commanding 4 Army; the Rt Hon David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister; Maj Gen Richard Harte Keatinge Butler, Deputy Chief of General Staff; Maj Gen Sir Charles Edward Callwell, advisor to the Ministry of Munitions; Maj Gen Sir David Henderson, Director General of Military Aeronautics; Lt Gen Sir Francis John Davies, Military Secretary, War Office; Maj Gen Charles Tyrwhitt Dawkins, Assistant Quartermaster General, British General Headquarters; Lt Gen Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking, General Officer Commanding 6 Corps; Lt Gen Sir Robert Dundas Whigham, Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff; Lt Gen Sir Henry Sinclair Horne, General Officer Commanding 1 Army; Lt Gen Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough, General Officer Commanding 5 Army; Maj Gen Philip (Arthur Manley) Nash, Director General of Transportation, Western Front; Brig Gen John Humphrey Davidson, Director of Military Operations, British General Headquarters; Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, Secretary of State for War; Lt Gen Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, Chief of British Mission to the French army; Maj Gen Frederick (Barton) Maurice, Director of Military Operations, Imperial General Staff; the Rt Hon Sir Eric Campbell Geddes, Inspector General of Transportation, all theatres of war. 132 items, 210pp.
[KIGGELL: 5.] Documents relating to
Kiggell's recollections of the preparations for the Nivelle
Offensive of 1917 on the Western Front, [1919]
[KIGGELL: 5/1]
[1919 Oct 13]
Newspaper cutting from The Times, announcing the decision of the French Chamber to publish full reports of sittings during the war, and giving a detailed description of claims relating to disagreements between the French and British higher commands made in the book Pages de Verité: L'Offensive de 1917 et le Commandement du Général Nivelle (Paris et Bruxelles, 1919), by Maj de Civrieux. Annotated in Kiggell's hand. 1p.
[KIGGELL: 5/2-3]
[1919]
Notes written by Kiggell, prompted by an article in The Times of 13 Oct 1919 relating to disagreements between the French and British higher commands during 1917, giving his recollections of events surrounding the planning for the Nivelle offensive of 1917, notably agreements made between French Gen Joseph Jacques Cesaire Joffre, Commander in Chief of the French army, FM Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief of the British Armies in France, and other Allies at the Chantilly Conference, 15 Nov 1916; changes in plans following the appointment of French Gen Robert Georges Nivelle as Commander in Chief of the French army, Dec 1916, including discussions as to the date of the Allied offensive, the British role in the proposed attack and negotiations concerning the takeover by the British army of large sections of the French line; reasons for Haig's reluctance to agree to Nivelle's plan of campaign with relation to the above negotiations; commentary on the attitude of Nivelle and the French higher command to the prospect of British domination of the offensive. 9pp.