Catalogue description DOUGLAS-SCOTT-MONTAGU, Brig Gen John Walter Edward, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu (1866-1929)

Papers relating to aviation and transport, dated 1910-1928, principally comprising papers relating to Joint War Air Committee (Inter-Departmental Committee on the Air Service) chaired by Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, 1916, Committee on the Administration and Command of the Royal Flying Corps, 1916, and Air Boards chaired by Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, 1917, and George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston, [1916]; correspondence, 1915-1916, 1920, notably including correspondence with Herbert Henry Asquith, 1916, Curzon, 1916, Derby, 1916, the Imperial Defence Committee, 1916, the Parliamentary Aviation Committee, and George Sydenham Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe, 1916; printed books, pamphlets, memoranda, notes and texts by Douglas-Scott-Montagu and others, 1910-1920, mainly relating to aviation technology, anti-aircraft defence and the organisation of the air services; memoranda, official reports, notes and texts relating to his work as Adviser on Mechanical Transport Services to the Government of India, 1915-1919; manuscript account of service of No 1 Armoured Motor Unit, North West Frontier, India, 1915-1916, by Capt A J Clifton, 68 Durham Light Infantry, 1915-1916, dated 1917, including photographs and preface by Montagu. Other papers relating to his life and career, 1914-1926, dated 1914-[1926], 1948, principally comprising letters relating to his service with 7 Hampshire Regt in Egypt, 1914, and India, 1915; photographs and photographic negatives, 1915-1922, mainly relating to his service in India, 1915-1919. Typescript draft of A strange war. Burma, India and Afghanisatan, 1914-1919 (Sutton, Gloucester, 1988), an account of DOUGLAS-SCOTT-MONTAGU/2/5 Bn, Somerset Light Infantry and 2 Mechanical Transport Company by Chris P Mills, based on the recollections of Col B G L Rendall, the diary of Edward William Ewens and research into the Montagu papers, dated 1987.

Mainly English, but one item in Italian

Arranged by accession. The first accession is divided into the following sections: Derby Joint War Air Committee; Committee on the Administration and Command of the Royal Flying Corps and related papers; Curzon Air Board; Cowdray Air Board; printed books, manuals and pamphlets; technical notes, papers and memoranda. The second accession consists of: correspondence; speech notes; memoranda, mainly on Indian transport systems; photographs. The third accession has not yet been sorted.

Additional papers are held at Beaulieu Palace House Archives, Beaulieu, and the Reference Library, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. The papers of Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penhurst, at Cambridge University Library include correspondence 1915-1918. The papers of Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, at British Library include correspondence, 1908-1921 (Ref: Add MS 62165).

Central Library Gillingham holds copies of some of the papers relating to his service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in Kent during World War One.

Montagu, John Walter Edward, Douglas-Scott-, 1866-1929, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, Brigadier General

Douglas-Scott-Montagu, John Walter Edward, 1866-1929, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, Brigadier General

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 College Archivist.

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

Placed in the Centre by the family in 1965, 1973 and 1979. A further accession was made in 1988.

'Documents relating to the Naval Air Service' Publications of the Navy Records Society vol 113 ([London], Royal Naval Society, 1969), edited by Capt Stephen Wentworth Roskill, contains material from the Douglas-Scott-Montagu papers.

• Royal Flying Corps, 1912-1918
• India
• Air transport
• Transport
• First World War, 1914-1918

Detailed catalogue for first and second accessions available in hard copy in the Centre's reading room. The third accession has not yet been catalogued.

Born in 1866; educated at Eton and New College, Oxford; worked for London and South Western Railway Company; MP (Conservative) for New Forest Division, Hampshire, 1892-1905; commissioned in 4 Volunteer Bn, Hampshire Regt, 1896; commanded 4 Volunteer Bn, Hampshire Regt, 1904-1912; commanded 2 Bn, 7 Hampshire Regt, Egypt, 1914, and India, 1915; Inspector of Mechanical Transport to Government of India, 1915-1917; Adviser on Mechanical Transport Services in India, 1917-1919; member of Joint War Air Committee (Inter-Departmental Committee on the Air Service), 1916; India Office representative, Civil Aerial Transport Committee chaired by Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, 1917; President, Air Conference, Guildhall, London, 1920; died in 1929.