WARRACK, Col Graeme Matthew (1913-1985)

This material is held atLiddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King's College London

  • Reference
    • GB 99 KCLMA Warrack
  • Dates of Creation
    • [1944], 1949-1951, 1979, 1998
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 2 volumes and 1 file

Scope and Content

Diary, 17 Sep-16 Oct 1944, covering his service at Battle of Arnhem (Operation MARKET GARDEN), with part of 'Suggested medical plan' prepared for Deputy Director of Medical Services, 1 Airborne Corps, 22 Sep 1944, and part of note relating to the strength of medical forces, [1944]. Transcript of part of above diary made by Sir Basil Liddell Hart, with related correspondence, 1949-1951. Bound transcript of above diary made by Lt Col Kenneth Garside, Honorary Keeper of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, with foreword by Warrack, 1979. The diary formed the basis of Warrack's book Travel by dark: after Arnhem (Harvill, London, 1963), and a BBC television production Arnhem: the story of an escape, originally broadcast in 1976. Typescript copy of 'The Airborne Hospital, Willem 111 Kazerne, Apeldoorn, 25th Sept 1944 to 26th Oct 1944. Nominal roll of the wounded' compiled by Peter H Starling, Curator of the Army Medical Services Museums, Aldershot, Hampshire, 1998.

Administrative / Biographical History

Born in 1913; educated at Edinburgh Academy, Trinity College, Glenalmond, Edinburgh University and the University of Pennsylvania, USA; served with 7/9 Bn, The Royal Scots (Lothian Regt), Territorial Army, and the Royal Army Medical Corps, UK, Sicily, Italy and North West Europe, World War Two, 1939-1945; Lt Col, 1942; Col, 1944; Assistant Director of Medical Services, 1 Airborne Div, Battle of Arnhem, Operation MARKET GARDEN, the Netherlands, 1944; awarded DSO, 1945; awarded Territorial Decoration, 1946; local Brig, Territorial Army, 1960; Chairman, Edinburgh, Lothians and Peebles Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association, 1962; publication of Travel by dark: after Arnhem (Harvill, London, 1963); Deputy Lieutenant, Edinburgh, 1963; President, Royal Odonto-Chirurgical Society of Scotland, 1967; awarded CBE, 1968; Hon Col, 144 Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (Volunteers), 1969; Member of Queen's Body Guard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers); Chairman, Royal British Legion, Scotland, 1981-1984; died in 1985.

Arrangement

2 volumes and 1 file.

Access Information

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

Acquisition Information

Presented to the Centre by Warrack in 1979. Sir Basil Liddell Hart's transcript and correspondence were transferred from Section 2 of the Liddell Hart papers. Additional accession presented to the Centre by Peter H Starling in 1998.

Other Finding Aids

Summary guide available on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Alternative Form Available

Copies of the diary are also held at the Airborne Forces Museum and the Royal Army Medical Corps Historical Museums, Aldershot, Hampshire.

Conditions Governing Use

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.

Corporate Names