Catalogue description Major General G V Szlumper CBE TD

Outspoken diary (1211pp), August 1939 - November 1945, of his career in various Government positions dealing with transport during the Second World War, including: service as General Manager of Southern Region Railway at the outbreak of war; Director General of Transportation and Movements at the War Office with the rank of Major General organising the transportation of supplies to the BEF in France, September 1939 - July 1940; Railway Control Officer at the Ministry of Transport, July 1940 - July 1941; Director of Coal Transport at the Ministry of Supply, July 1941 - April 1942, when he resigned after a disagreement with Hugh Dalton, the recently appointed Minister; a member of the Inter Railway Post-War Planning Committee, April 1942 - October 1942; Director General of Supply Services at the Ministry of Supply, November 1942 - November 1945, including his visit to South Africa, November 1944 - April 1945, to advise on the reorganisation of South African railways, meeting Field Marshal J C Smuts; and commenting on his colleagues, superiors, politicians, and civil servants; the British economy at war and the bureaucracy which administered it; the conditions in South Africa. Also included are duplicated reports and statistics on the running of the railways, 1914 - 1918, produced by the Railway Executive; a report on an interview with General Sir Eric Geddes about the French railways, December 1916; an album presented to him by the staff of the Railway Executive in appreciation of his work as Secretary to the Committee during the First World War, February 1920; papers concerning his service in the TA; a Ministry of Supply directory, 1942; a Report (July 1940) on the Transportation Services of the BEF, September 1939 - June 1940; the Notes (June 1940) of the Director of Railways, BEF, France, March 1940 - June 1940; papers (1944 - 1968) relating to his visit to South Africa, November 1944 - April 1945, and the subsequent reorganisation of South African railways; and papers (January 1936 - February 1938 and July 1940 - December 1945) relating to his appointment as General Manager of Southern Railway in May 1937 and his 'resignation' from that post on March 1942.

Szlumper, Gilbert Savil, 1884-1969, Major General

Unrestricted

• France
• South Africa
• Railway transport
• Armed forces
• Second World War, 1939-1945
• First World War, 1914-1918

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