King's College London
Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives

Copyright: The texts of the detailed catalogues are the copyright of King's College London and are made available for private research only.

Papers of Lt Gen Sir Wilfred Gordon Lindsell, GBE, KCB, DSO, MC (1884-1973)

LINDSELL: 1. Papers relating to Lindsell's service as Quartermaster General of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium during World War Two, mainly reports, war diaries and narratives, 1935, 1939-1942.

LINDSELL: 1/1 1939 Nov 1-1939 Dec 13

Typed extracts from letters sent by Lindsell [to his family] describing his day-to-day work as Quartermaster General to the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium during the 'phoney war' (Sep 1939-Apr 1940), including a visit from HM King George VI. 10pp.

LINDSELL: 1/2 1940 May 10-1940 May 24

Copy war diary of 'Q' Staff Command Post during operations by the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, 1940, including details of activities of the 'Q' Staff Advance and Rear General Headquarters, notably links with Belgian and French officials; the creation of railheads for supplies, petrol, ammunition, ambulance and personnel trains; rail movement and reports of damage to railway routes; movement of troops and tanks; details of the state of telephone and wireless communications; the creation of plans to organise the provision of food, ammunition, medical equipment and the evacuation of personnel during the withdrawal of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) to the French coast, 18-24 May 1940; attempts to open new bases at Dunkirk, Boulogne and Calais for emergency shipments of supplies, 19 May 1940. Appendices include reports on the supply, petrol, ammunition and maintenance situations, and attempts to rescue abandoned armoured vehicles. 28pp.

LINDSELL: 1/3 1940 May 10-1940 May 30

Copy war diary of 'Q' Staff Advance General Headquarters ('Q' Maint) during operations in France and Belgium, 1940, compiled from memory by Maj Charles Percival Chambers and Capt Campbell, including details of the movement and maintenance of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). 5pp.

LINDSELL: 1/4 1940 May 17-1940 May 30

War diary of the Supplies Directorate, General Headquarters during the operations of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, 1940, notably the withdrawal to the French coast and evacuation from Dunkirk, including appendices giving the supply situation at the depots at different dates throughout May; accounts of the shipping and supplies being unloaded and moved forward from Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk; notes on meetings relating to plans for the evacuation of British forces from the above ports, especially the situation as regarding Calais; notes on a conference at the War Office concerning the remobilisation of the Supplies and Transport Directorates at Dover, Kent. 52pp.

LINDSELL: 1/5 1940 May 21-1940 Jun 2/3

Narrative by Brig Reginald Horace Roger Parminter, Deputy Quartermaster General, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), of events at Hazebrouck and Dunkirk, during operations of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, 1940, mainly comprising a description of numerous attempts to unload emergency supplies at Dunkirk, despite continual bombardment by German aircraft; the implementation of plans for the evacuation of troops and personnel from Dunkirk; the views of French commanders and troops concerning the evacuation. 4pp.

LINDSELL: 1/6 1940 Jun 16

Notes on the 'Q' Staff Command Post from 10-30 May, during operations of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, 1940, compiled from memory by Maj James Patrick Caird Mackinley, Royal Engineers, Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), including reconnaissance for the establishment of the command post in the Renaix area, France, 10-15 May 1940; formulation of maintenance plans for the withdrawal of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) on Dunkirk, 18-20 May 1940; descriptions of supply and communication difficulties; description of attempts to unload emergency supplies at Dunkirk, 25 May 1940. 4pp.

LINDSELL: 1/7/1-4 1940 May

Various papers, including minutes of meetings held by [Lt Gen Sir Wellesley Douglas Studholme Brownrigg], Adjutant General [of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force)] with the Heads and Representatives of the Branches and Services, 21 May 1940, relating to the withdrawal to Dunkirk, and attempts to land emergency supplies at Dunkirk, Boulogne and Calais; a brief summary of the administrative situation of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force), 22 May 1940, by Brig Cyrus Greenslade, Deputy Quartermaster General (A), BEF (British Expeditionary Force); a report on the supply situation in Lille, 23-26 May 1940; a rough estimate by Greenslade of numbers of BEF (British Expeditionary Force) troops in the forward area, 22 May 1940. 9pp.

LINDSELL: 1/8 1940 [Jun]

Report by Lindsell entitled 'Short historical summary of the Maintenance situation of the BEF in France', giving a description of the structure of 'Q' Staff General Headquarters; the general layout of the maintenance programme, including the construction of advance and medical bases, the various ports in operation, the marshalling yard and the regulating station; the administrative layout, including depots for ammunition, supplies, petrol, cold storage, ordnance, transportation and military transport; a summary of events from 10 May-1 Jun 1940. Includes a chart showing the staff of the 'Q' section of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force), and their responsibilities. 6pp.

LINDSELL: 1/9 1940 [Jun]

Report by Brig Cyrus Greenslade, Deputy Quartermaster (A), BEF (British Expeditionary Force), entitled 'Notes...on the operations of the BEF for the three weeks preceding 1st June, 1940, from the 'Q' aspect', being a chronological account of events in France and Belgium, 1940. Two copies. 9pp.

LINDSELL: 1/10 1940 Jun 17

Notes by Brig Cyrus Greenslade, Deputy Quartermaster (A), BEF (British Expeditionary Force), entitled 'Q notes in connection with operations in France and Belgium'. Two copies. 2pp.

LINDSELL: 1/11 1940 Jun 17

Report by Brig Cyrus Greenslade, Deputy Quartermaster General, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), entitled 'Observations on the operations of the BEF', mainly concentrating on the size, composition and layout of the General Headquarters, threats to and limitations of the Line of Communication, and the organisation of the administrative echelons, as experienced during operations in France and Belgium, 1940. Two copies. 9pp.

LINDSELL: 1/12 1940 May 21

Memorandum by Maj John Bunting Bunting on 'Movement Control Statistics for the BEF in France', giving a brief background to Movement Control organisation, and the problems of maintaining statistics during the retreat to, and evacuation from, Dunkirk, 1940. 15pp.

LINDSELL: 1/13 1940 Jun 26

Report by Lt Col Reginald Kingscote Hewer, Assistant Quartermaster General, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), entitled 'Operations in France between May 10th and May 31st, 1940: Suggestions from a movement control point of view'. 2pp.

LINDSELL: 1/14 1940 [Jun]

Report by Lindsell entitled 'Notes on the move of the BEF to France in September 1939, and its subsequent maintenance until the evacuation from Dunkirk'. Two copies, one annotated. 24pp.

LINDSELL: 1/15 1940 Jun 26

Report by Lindsell entitled 'Movement and maintenance in the BEF, 3/9/1939 to 31/5/1940'. A shortened version of 1/14. Two copies. 9pp.

LINDSELL: 1/16 1940 Jun 30

Notes by Col Arthur Francis St Clair Collins, Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport, on the events of 18-30 May from the point of view of the Supplies and Transport Directorates of the General Headquarters of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force), taken from his notes made at the time, giving a narrative of operations in France and Belgium, especially relating to events at Dunkirk from 23 May, 1940, onwards, notably a description of the staff and duties of the Dunkirk Sub-Area; attempts to unload supplies and embark troops and personnel, despite continual bombardment; the difficulties of communication; notes from Collins to the Director of Supplies and Transport at the War Office, expressing his opinion that the force cannot continue to be maintained from Dunkirk, and the need for reinforcements of drivers and Royal Army Service Corps officers. 11pp.

LINDSELL: 1/17 1940 Jul 8

Report entitled 'Lessons in organisation, staff Duties and minor tactics from BEF', making recommendations based on staff experience during recent operations in France and Belgium. 1 file, 10pp.

LINDSELL: 1/18 1940 Jul 19

Report by Brig Donald Jay McMullen, Director General of Transportation, BEF (British Expeditionary Force), entitled '..On the transportation services of the BEF from the commencement of the campaign to the final evacuation in June 1940', notably on the personnel and organisation of the Directorate General of Transportation; transport policy relating to railways and ports, including dock working, railway construction and operation; the Line of Communication and the administrative layout of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force); the transportation aspects of movement control; a narrative of events from 10 May to 18 Jun 1940, and lessons learnt, as affecting transportation. 43pp.

LINDSELL: 1/19 1940 Sep

Report by Lt Col Gordon Dingwall-Main, Royal Engineers, Assistant Director General Transportation (Finance), BEF (British Expeditionary Force), entitled 'Directorate General of Transportation: Transport Finance and Accounts Office. BEF Sep 1939 to Jun 1940'. 1 file, 55pp.

LINDSELL: 1/20 [1940]

Rough notes [by Lindsell] on difficulties faced by the Quartermaster General during operations by the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France and Belgium, Sep 1939-May 1940, with brief diary of his movements. 11pp.

LINDSELL: 1/21 1942 Jan 16

Notes by Lindsell for an address to the officers of the US Army, describing the maintenance of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) during operations in France and Belgium, 1939-1940.

LINDSELL: 1/22 1935

Map of the English Channel and Northern France, (by the Geographical Section, General Staff, published at the War Office on a scale of 1:1,000,000), annotated with symbols showing the location of supplies, petrol, ammunition and ordnance depots, Royal Engineers, Transportation, Medical and Military Transport stores, the base personnel camp and the RAF base.

LINDSELL: 1/23 1941

Map of France, by the War Office on a scale of 1:3,000,000, showing railheads.

LINDSELL: 1/24 1941 Mar 1

Graph showing average length, beam and draft of merchant ships (special type vessels excluded), issued by the Assistant Director of Transport, General Headquarters, Home Forces.

LINDSELL: 1/25 1940

Cutting of article entitled 'Dunkirk duty', being a description of the activities on the docks and pier during the evacuation of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in Jun 1940.

LINDSELL: 2. Papers relating to Lindsell's service as Lt Gen in charge of Administration in the Middle East, 1942-1948.

LINDSELL: 2/1 1942 Apr 29-1942 Jun 16

Copy diary extracts by Lindsell entitled 'Going East', and consisting of a brief description of a tour made by him of Allied administrative areas in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Persia, and India previous to taking up the post of Lt Gen in charge of Administration in the Middle East, based in Cairo. 33pp.

LINDSELL: 2/2 1943

Notes on the Maintenance of the Eighth Army and the supporting Royal Air Force by land, Sea and Air from El Alamein to Tunisia (compiled by the 'Q' staff, General Headquarters, Middle East Forces, Cairo, 1943). With maps. 1 vol.

LINDSELL: 2/3 1944 Oct 27

Printed memorandum prepared by the Commander in Chief Middle East Forces, [Gen Sir Bernard Charles Tolver Paget], entitled 'The Middle East base', giving a description of the organisation, purpose and future of the administrative base, created in Egypt and Palestine originally to supply 8 Army in the Western Desert, but now exporting resources for operations in Italy, Greece and southern France. 3pp.

LINDSELL: 2/4 [1945-1948?]

Cutting of article published in the British Army Journal, entitled 'This base business' and describing the purpose, activities and requirements of administrative bases, with special reference to the creation of a main base and support areas in Egypt during World War Two. 5pp.

LINDSELL: 2/5 1948 Mar

Newspaper cutting taken from The Ottowa Journal, entitled 'Alexander tells of the pursuit in the desert' and containing a paragraph referring to Lindsell's excellent command of the Middle East Base, Egypt, which provided resources for the campaigns in the Western Desert. 1p.

LINDSELL: 3. Papers relating to Lindsell's service as Principal Administrative Officer to the Indian Command, 1944-1948, 1953.

LINDSELL: 3/1 1944 Apr 24

Text of address by Lindsell to the Defence Consultative Committee, India, giving an outline of the problems concerned with the development of a main administrative base in India in order to supply troops already in India, Italy, Persia and Iraq and those soon to be sent to the Far East, and the probable effects upon the Indian economy. 7pp.

LINDSELL: 3/2 1944 May 27

Memorandum by Lindsell entitled 'Economic tendencies in India from the point of view of the soldier', outlining measures taken to alleviate the economic pressure caused in India by the war effort, and recommending cooperation between the army and the financiers. 3pp.

LINDSELL: 3/3 1944 Aug 5

Text of address by Lindsell to the Defence Consultative Committee, India, stressing the importance of cooperation by Indian commercial and industrial interests with the Allied war effort. 8pp.

LINDSELL: 3/4 1944

Text of address by Lindsell to the General Headquarters, India, giving a pep talk in preparation for the final Far East campaign against Japan. 3pp.

LINDSELL: 3/5 [1945]

Text of brief speech by Lindsell to returning Royal Indian Army Service Corps personnel, thanking them for their overseas service. Also copy in Urdu. 2pp.

LINDSELL: 3/6 [1945] Apr 10

Text of address by Lindsell to [Indian] Army Commanders, outlining the demand for, and provision of, coal, food and works services for Allied military operations in the Far East, its effects upon the Indian economy, and attempts by the Hydari Mission to reduce the economic pressure of war time provision upon India. 10pp.

LINDSELL: 3/7 [1945]

Text of article [by Lindsell] entitled 'India's insoluble hunger', outlining the reasons behind the famine of 1943, attempts to alleviate the constant threat of starvation and difficulties facing any attempt at the industrialisation of India as proposed by Indian Nationalists. 5pp.

LINDSELL: 3/8 1946 Jan 6

Memorandum forwarded by Maj Gen Desmond Harrison, Director of Fortifications and Works at the War Office, concerning the implications of the building of the Ledo (Stilwell) Road through northern Burma, giving advantages and disadvantages and a statistical summary of effort and achievement. 6pp.

LINDSELL: 3/9 1946 Jun 27

Letter to Lindsell from Gen Sir Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen, Principal Administrative Officer to the Indian Command, enclosing copies of telegraphic quarterly reports, Jan-Jul 1945, from FM Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, Commander in Chief India, to the Chiefs of Staff on the progress of the Indian administrative base, for an intended lecture by Lindsell at the Imperial Defence College, London. 9pp.

LINDSELL: 3/10 1945 Jan

Volume entitled 'The India base', issued by the Commander in Chief's Secretariat, General Headquarters India (Ref No. 158/C in C Sect), giving a brief history of the Indian administrative base, including geography, resources, planning, building, development of the ports, the inland transportation system, signal communications, living accomodation, hospitals, training, storage and technical accomodation, food and canteen stores, cold storage, oil storage, containers, pipelines and airfields. Two copies, one stating that the report was downgraded from top secret to secret in 1946.

LINDSELL: 3/11 [1946]

Text of lecture given by Lindsell to the Imperial Defence College entitled 'Development of India as a base', describing the development and problems of a main administrative base in India during World War Two, with an overview of India's economic background. Two copies, one annotated. 50pp.

LINDSELL: 3/12 1948

Text of lecture given by Lindsell at Aldershot entitled 'The organisation of India as a base for operations in the Far East', and outlining the history of the Indian administrative base created during World War Two and the problems inherent in using it as a base in the future. Two copies. 20pp.

LINDSELL: 3/13 1953

Paper by Lindsell entitled 'India's war time effort and next time?', outlining the creation of a main administrative base in India during World War Two and its prime importance to the Allies, but concluding that recent political events in India make her cooperation in further world conflicts unlikely. 9pp.

LINDSELL: 3/14 1943 Sep

Map showing comparative sizes of India and Europe, produced by the Geographical Section, General Staff, on a scale of 1:200 miles.

LINDSELL: 3/15 1944 Sep

Map showing the comparative sizes of India and Great Britain, produced by the Geographical Section, General Staff, scale 1:300 miles.

LINDSELL: 3/16 1945

Newspaper cutting taken from The Times, entitled 'Unique Indian Brigade: Success of a mixed force: Exploits of Nepalese', focusing upon the deeds of the 268 Independent Bde, with a mention of Lindsell in the text.

LINDSELL: 4. Papers relating to Lindsell's post-war life and career, mainly texts of speeches and articles, and newspaper cuttings, 1935, 1945-1973.

LINDSELL: 4/1 1945

The Long Road to Victory: A historical narrative and a chronological register of the events of the war in Europe and Africa 1939-1945 (reprinted from The Times of 8 May 1945 by the Times Publishing Co, London, 1945). Two copies.

LINDSELL: 4/2 1947 May 12

Text of lecture given by Lindsell to the Joint Services Staff College, Latimer, Buckinghamshire, entitled 'Administrative planning on the theatre level', using his experience in France, the Middle East and India during World War Two as examples. 19pp.

LINDSELL: 4/3 [1946]

Text of article by Lindsell entitled 'Post war reconstruction - Great Britain and Europe', outlining the factors hindering the world's reconstruction effort following World War Two, namely the lack of coal, food, transportation and housing, and suggesting mutual cooperation as the key to overcoming these problems. 12pp.

LINDSELL: 4/4 1948

Text of article by Lindsell entitled 'Surface communications', written as part of 'Air communications in the Middle East', a monograph by Mr J B Perry-Robinson, Information Officer of the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), for The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London. 24pp.

LINDSELL: 4/5/1-4 1954 Jul

Correspondence and newspaper cuttings relating to the possible withdrawal of British troops from the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt, including Lindsell's letter to the Daily Telegraph discussing the size of the British military base there and its more recent purpose in protecting the 'right flank' of NATO from communism, 9 Jul, 1954; a letter from Abdul R Hakki, the Egyptian ambassador, enclosing a copy of a letter sent by him to the Daily Telegraph, and Lindsell's reply. 6pp.

LINDSELL: 4/6 1954 Sep 23

Outline plan of paper written by Lindsell for the Central Office of Information entitled 'The strategic importance of Cyprus', with regard to its position as a British military base from which to provide a stabilising effect on the Middle East. 4pp.

LINDSELL: 4/7 [1954]

Text of article by Lindsell entitled 'The Suez Canal and the Middle East base', outlining the situation in the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt, the strategic importance of the location of the canal and the necessity of the British military presence. 5pp.

LINDSELL: 4/8 [1954]

Draft text of article by Lindsell entitled 'British interests in the canal zone', outlining the importance of maintaining the British military position in the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt. 5pp.

LINDSELL: 4/9 [1954]

Text of article by Lindsell entitled 'A soldier looks at the world situation', mainly concentrating on what he sees as the two main factors determining world affairs and foreign policy, namely communism and nationalism, and how they have affected events in the Middle East, especially the Suez Canal Zone in Egypt, India, Europe and the Far East. 7pp.

LINDSELL: 4/10 [1954]

Text of article by Lindsell entitled 'Suez Canal zone', commenting upon the Egyptian demand that all British troops be withdrawn from the area, and examining the consequences for the security of the waterway, the maintenance of the Suez Canal base, and the location of Britain's strategic military reserve in the Middle East. 8pp.

LINDSELL: 4/11 1955

Text of after dinner talk by Lindsell to military students on a course at Greenwich, giving anecdotes and information gleaned from his career, and comments on the need for military logistics in an atomic age. 7pp.

LINDSELL: 4/12 [1946-1960]

Text of article by Lindsell entitled 'Civil defence - What is the solution?', emphasising the importance of preparation for an atomic war by setting up a framework for a national Civil Defence Organisation, responsible for training, recruitment and the reorganisation of transportation. 4pp.

LINDSELL: 4/13/1-25 1952-1957

Newspaper cuttings mainly relating to international affairs in the Middle East, notably the building of an oil pipeline from Iraq to Tripoli and Banias, Syria, 1952; discussions concerning the strategic importance of the British Middle East Base in the Suez Canal Zone, including several letters by Lindsell in the Daily Telegraph, 1953; discussion concerning the Suez Crisis, Oct-Nov 1956, with several letters by Lindsell to the Daily Telegraph complaining of bias by the UN, 1956-1957; letters to the Sunday Times by FM Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, Lindsell and others discussing the advantages and limitations of Cyprus and other suggested sites for an alternative British base in the Middle East, 1956; a letter from Lindsell concerning the reorganisation and reduction of the British armed services, 1957. 1 file, 25 items.

LINDSELL: 4/14 1973 May 2

Newspaper cutting of Lindsell's obituary.

LINDSELL: 4/15 1935

Military Organisation and Administration (Gale and Polden Ltd, Aldershot, London and Portsmouth, 1935) 15th edition, by Lindsell. 1 vol.
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