WYNNE, Capt Graeme Charmley (1889-1964)

Typescript account by Wynne, 29 Jul-4 Sep 1914, on his experiences in the BEF's (British Expeditionary Force's) retreat from Mons, Belgium, the Battle of Le Cateau, France, and capture by German forces during the Battle of Le Cateau, France, 26 Aug 1914, written as a POW in Germany, Sep-Oct 1914. Correspondence and papers relating to Wynne's work for the Historical Section, Cabinet Office, and to his publications, 1928-1958, including two letters from Maj Gen Sir Ernest (Dunlop) Swinton relating to German defence systems, 30 Sep 1939, and to Wynne's book, If Germany attacks. The battle in depth in the west (Faber and Faber, London, 1940), 2 Feb 1940; typescript report by Wynne on an official visit to North Africa, 12 Apr-23 May 1943; letter to Wynne from Lt Gen Sir Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson, General Officer Commanding 1 Army, North Africa, rebutting allegations reported to Wynne by troops of 8 Army, of Anderson's poor handling of 1 Army in operations in North Africa, May 1943; two letters from Capt Basil Henry Liddell Hart, dated Jun-Jul 1958, relating to The Schlieffen plan. Critique of a myth by Professor Gerhard Ritter (Oswald Wolff, London, 1958).

Born 1889; commissioned into the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 1907; Lt, 1912; Platoon commander, 2 Bn, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Dublin and Carrickfergus, Ireland, 1914; served in World War One, 1914-1918; service with 2 Bn, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 13 Infantry Bde, 5 Div, 2 Corps, British Expeditionary Force (BEF), France and Belgium, Aug-Sep 1914; retreat from Mons, Belgium, Aug 1914; Battle of Le Cateau, France, 26 Aug 1914; captured by German forces, Le Cateau, France, 26 Aug 1914; POW, Germany, Sep 1914-Jan 1918; Capt, 1915; interned in the Netherlands, Jan-Nov 1918; employed by the Historical Section, Committee of Imperial Defence (later Historical Section, Cabinet Office), 1918-1956; resigned from Army, 1927; retired 1956; died 1964. Publications: Compiled, with Brig Gen Sir James (Edward) Edmonds, Military operations, France and Belgium, 1915. Volume I (Macmillan, London, 1927); If Germany attacks. The battle in depth in the west (Faber and Faber, London, 1940).

The collection is arranged chronologically.

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

Presented to the Centre by the family in 1964 and 1965.

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

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be provided 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.

The papers of Capt Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart include a note by Liddell Hart on a discussion with Wynne on the Official History of the Great War, Feb 1936 (Ref: Liddell Hart 11/1936/42); typescript comments by Liddell Hart, Jun 1937, on an Army Quarterly article by Wynne on the events of Mar 1918 (Ref: Liddell Hart 10/1937/78); information from Wynne on the official historians of World War Two, 1954 (Ref: Liddell Hart 11/1954/7); note by Liddell Hart on discussion with Wynne about the Schlieffen Plan, Brig Gen Sir James (Edward) Edmonds and the Official History of the Great War, Nov 1957 (Ref: Liddell Hart 11/1957/19); a series of articles by Wynne, 'Pattern for limited (nuclear) war: the riddle of the Schlieffen Plan', from the Royal United Service Institution Journal, 1957-1958, with related correspondence (Ref: Liddell Hart 9/24/206).