JEFFRIES, Brig William Francis (1891-1969)

Copies of papers and negatives of photographs relating to his career, 1914-1945, including printed copy of message to officers, non-commissioned officers and men of 8 Corps from Lt Gen Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston, Battle of the Somme, 4 Jul 1916; typescript letter by Jeffries, dated 1930, to the Director, Historical Section, Committee of Imperial Defence, on the attack by 2 Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 4 Div, 8 Corps, Battle of the Somme, 1 Jul 1916; typescript text of lecture entitled 'Commandant's address to newly commissioned IO's' [Intelligence Officers] [1942]; typescript Directorate of Army Psychiatry Research Memorandum No 11/02/9A, by Lt Col Henry Victor Dicks, Royal Army Medical Corps, entitled 'The psychological foundations of the Wehrmacht', 1944. Papers on the surrender and occupation of Italy, 1943-1945, including typescript drafts, in English, German and Italian, of announcement by FM Hon Sir Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theatre of War, on the surrender of German and Fascist Republican forces in Italy, 1945; typescript memorandum entitled 'Note on documents taken from Mussolini by Italian partisans and handed to Brigadier Jeffries on May 18th 1945'.

Born 1891; educated at Downside and Trinity College, Cambridge; commissioned into Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Special Reserve), 1914; served in World War One with Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 1914-1918; service on Western Front, including Second Battle of Ypres, 1915, and Battle of the Somme, 1916; Maj, 1917; awarded DSO, 1918; Secretary to HM Legation to Vatican, Rome, 1919-1920; Intelligence Staff, Dublin and Horse Guards, 1920-1921; Maj, Reserve of Officers, 1922; Administrative Officer, Southern Nigeria, 1923-1927; Maj, General Staff, 1938; Secretary of Junior Carlton Club, 1938-1958; served in World War Two, 1939-1945; General Staff, Special Employment, War Office, 1939-1940; Col, 1940; Commandant, Intelligence Corps, 1940-1942; Deputy Head of psychological warfare department, Middle East, and Central Mediterranean Forces, 1943-1945; Brig, 1943; awarded CBE, 1945; died 1969. Publications: Two undergraduates in the East (Sports and Sportsmen, London, 1914).

3 files

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

Copies made by the Centre from originals lent by the family in 1981.

Summary guide entry on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iss/archives/cats/, and detailed catalogue available in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Papers relating to Jeffries' career and his war service medals are held by the Maritime Archives and Library, National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, Liverpool (Ref: D/Jef).

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.