Papers relating to Brebber’s work as President of a Military Court at the end of the Palestine Mandate including Defence Emergency Regulations, Military Court Procedures and papers relating to the ‘Jerusalem Railway Station Trial’ in 1947, in which four men were accused of planting bombs at the station on 30 Oct 1946. Also includes a ‘Short Handbook of Palestine’ published by ‘G.S.I., H.Q., Palestine’ and the book ‘The Palestine Mandate Invalid and Impracticable’ by W.F. Boustany, 1936 and 6 newspaper clippings mainly relating to Israel’s borders and the Arab-Israeli conflict, 1956-1972.
Alexander Brebber Collection
This material is held atMiddle East Centre Archive, St Antony's College, University of Oxford
- Reference
- GB 165 0387
- Dates of Creation
- 1936-1972
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English
- Physical Description
- 1 box
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Alexander Brebber (1896-1911)
Alexander Brebber was born in Strathdon in 1896 and grew up in the Don Valley and in Aberdeen. When the First World War broke out he joined the Gordon Highlanders and served in France until 1917, when he was wounded during the taking of Menim. After the war, he served in Ireland for a few months before going out to India to join the Indian Army. He served here for some years at Poona and Quetta and saw action on the North West frontier. He returned to civilian life and business in Aberdeen. When the Second World War broke out he re-enlisted and served in the Shetland Islands. After the war he was sent out to Palestine and acted as one of the presidents of the Military Courts in the last days of the British mandate. He was in the King David Hotel just a few minutes before it was bombed and he retained a lively interest in Middle Eastern affairs until his death. When he returned from Palestine, he married and emigrated to Australia where he became a farmer. Later he returned to England. He died in March 1991, just two weeks short of his ninety-fifth birthday.
Access Information
Open
For further information on how to use the Middle East Centre Archive, please see our Archon entry at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13531965
Acquisition Information
Received as a gift from Dr Robert Hole, a friend of Major Alexander Brebber, on 23 Feb 2006
Other Finding Aids
Archivist's Note
Fonds, File and Item level description created by Debbie Usher 7 April 2006. Biographical history supplied by Dr Robert Hold. The text of the biographical history, apart from the last sentence was originally written by Dr Robert Hold and approved by Alexander Brebber for publication as an obituary by the Gordon Highlanders’ Old Comrades Association.
Conditions Governing Use
No restrictions on copying or quotation other than statutory regulations and preservation concerns
Custodial History
In the possession of Major Alexander Brebber who gave the material to Dr Robert Hole