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13. Coll 27/17 ‘Passports. Rules governing the issue of diplomatic visas.’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains papers, mostly correspondence, relating to the issue of diplomatic visas, including correspondence regarding visits to India by Russian diplomats in Kabul.It includes correspondence between the following: the India Office and the Foreign Office; the India Office and the Government of India External Affairs Department; and between HM Minister, Kabul, and the Government of India External Affairs Department.The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 33; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
14. Coll 28/90 ‘Persia. Visit of the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs to Afghanistan and India.’
- Description:
- Abstract: Correspondence, memoranda and newspaper cuttings relating to an official visit made by the Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bagher Kazemi, to Kabul, Afghanistan, and New Delhi, India. The file’s principal correspondents include: HM Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Tehran, Hughe Montgomery Knatchbull-Hugessen; the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India. Aside from general commercial matters, specific subjects discussed by Kazemi and Government of India officials, as recorded in memoranda and notes in the file, include: the Duzdap [Zahedan] railway; the status of the Political Residency at Bushire, Iran, and questions over its transfer to Bahrain; the demarcation of the Iran-Baluchistan frontier; the employment of officers of the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India at consular posts in Iran; lorry traffic on the Nok Kundi to Zahidan [Zahedan] road. The file also contains a sequence of newspaper articles dated 2-27 February 1936, appearing in the French-language newspaper Le Journal de Teheran, and reporting at length on Kazemi’s visit (ff 6-28).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 155; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
15. Coll 5/52 ‘Aviation: German Service to Far East’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file is concerned with proposals for Lufthansa to operate an air service linking Germany with China via Egypt, Iraq, Persia, and Afghanistan (Kabul). The file contains correspondence, extracts from intelligence summaries, memoranda, and notes documenting the efforts of British officials to oppose the establishment of a German airline in Afghanistan, and the operation of an air route through Central Asia between the territories of the Soviet Union and British India. This includes detailed policy discussion between the Air Ministry, the Foreign Office, and the India Office over whether to grant Lufthansa transit rights across India and Burma in order to induce the company to move away from the Central Asian route. Details of experimental flights between Berlin and Kabul are also recorded in the file; a sketch map illustrating the route of a German reconnaissance flight July 1936 between Kabul and Wakhan may be found on folio 612v.Additional correspondence is largely with William Kerr Fraser-Tytler, HM Minister at Kabul. However, there is also a small amount of correspondence with the Governments of Burma and India, and – largely in the form of circulars – British diplomatic representatives at Athens, Cairo, Baghdad, Tehran, Bangkok, and Peking. The file also includes a few letters between the Air Ministry and Herr Fisch, Germany's Aviation Minister, regarding Lufthansa's application for transit rights across India and Burma.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 621; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
16. Coll 5/52(2) ‘German Air Service to the Far East’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence and extracts from intelligence summaries on the following three related topics:an application by the Reich Air Minister for a permit for Lufthansa to operate a service over India and Burmaupdates on the Lufthansa air service between Berlin and Kabulthe progress of negotiations for the establishment of French, German, and Japanese air services to/via Siam [Thailand]The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Bangkok (Josiah Crosby), officials of the Foreign Office, and officials of the India Office.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 78; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
17. Coll 5/53 ‘Afghanistan: Employment of British nationals in various branches of the Afghan air services; Air instructors’ contracts’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence and notes regarding the employment of British nationals by the Government of Afghanistan. It predominantly documents the employment of civil aviation instructors from Hawker Aircraft Limited and Rolls Royce Limited to provide training to the Afghan Air Force. This includes the process of recruiting the instructors, negotiating their terms and conditions, drafting their contracts, renewing their contracts, replacement of staff, and issues arising during the course of their employment. A number of draft contracts can be found within – in some cases both English and Persian language versions of the contract are included.The instructors are employed in connection with the purchase of eight Hawker Hind aircraft in 1937, and correspondence relating to this purchase can also be found within the file. There is also some discussion surrounding the question of policy regarding the employment of British nationals in Afghanistan.The majority of the correspondence is between officials of the Foreign Office (Laurence Collier), the India Office (predominantly Horace Algernon Fraser Rumbold and George Edmond Crombie), HM Minister at Kabul (William Kerr Fraser-Tytler), and the British companies concerned. However, contributions from officials of the Air Ministry, the Afghan Legation in London, and officials of the Government of India have also been filed within.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 596; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. The file has one foliation anomaly, f 464A.
18. Coll 5/53(2) ‘Afghanistan: Employment of British nationals in various branches of Afghan air services; Air instructors’ contracts’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence, contracts (with both English and Persian translation), and notes related to the employment of British nationals from Hawker Aircraft Limited and Rolls Royce Limited with the Afghan Air Force. The file primarily documents the process of recruiting Harry Pearson to replace Derick Wilfred Russell Robinson in 1943. Harry Pearson returned to the United Kingdom (UK) in December 1945, though his expense claims for his return trip are not wrapped up until December 1947 when the file was closed. Letters from Mrs Pearson regarding difficulties in obtaining passage for herself and her child to join her husband in Kabul have also been filed.A small minority of the correspondence documents the employment of Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel with the Afghan Air Force, initially as temporary replacements for, and later in preference to, British civilians.Also included in the file is correspondence related to a case of insubordination by Harold Bradley (b 1901) of Hawkers against Squadron Leader B P King of the RAF on 8 March 1945, which led to the dismissal of Mr Bradley from employment with the Afghan Government. Statements from each individual conveying their version of events can be found on folios 82-83.The main correspondents in the file are as follows: HM Minister in Kabul (Giles Frederick Squire), officials of the India Office, and representatives of the aforementioned British firms. Occasional reference is made to the Government of India.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 343; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
19. Coll 5/65 ‘Loan of services of airmen of R.A.F. in India to Afghan Govt’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence related to the secondment of Royal Air Force personnel as instructors to the Afghan Air Force. It covers matters such as terms and conditions of employment, travel expenses (including accompanying family members), the recruitment of replacement personnel, and requests from the Afghan Government for the loan of additional personnel. The file also includes copies of the contracts for a number of pilot-instructors employed by the Afghan Air Force: B Wigginton (folios 226-231), B P King (folios 122-126, 136-141, and 152-158), and G F Reid (folios 11-13). The file includes both English and Persian versions of all the aforementioned contracts with the exception of G F Reid, which is only available in English. Folios 92 and 104 outline the qualities that are considered desirable in pilot-instructors sent to Kabul.The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Kabul (William Kerr Fraser-Tytler, Francis Verner Wylie, and Giles Frederick Squire), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the Foreign Office, officials of the India Office (from August 1947, the Commonwealth Relations Office), and representatives of the External Affairs Department of the Government of India.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 347; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
20. Coll 5/65 ‘ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AIR ATTACHE KABUL & LOAN OF AIR PERSONNEL TO AFGHAN GOVNT’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file is predominantly concerned with plans for the supervision of Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel working for the Afghan Air Force at Kabul. This includes the drafting of a directive for Wing Commander P A McWhannel, the Air Adviser attached to the UK High Commission to Pakistan at Karachi, outlining the responsibilities he is to assume over the aforementioned personnel. The file also contains an application from McWhannel for an aircraft to be made available to facilitate regular visits to Kabul: see folios 12-15.Another significant topic covered by the file is a request from the Government of Pakistan for a copy of a plan for the expansion of the Afghan Air Force; the Air Ministry had prepared a plan for the expansion of the Afghan Air Force at the request of the Afghan Government. A copy of an abridged version of this plan is included in the file: see folios 52-66.A report by Wing Commander A R L Griffiths on his visit to Afghanistan (24-28 May 1948) has also been filed: see folios 88-93. This reports on the Afghan Air Force and the role of RAF personnel. It also tackles the question of supplying an aircraft for the use of the Air Adviser at Karachi.The main correspondents are: HM Minister/Ambassador at Kabul (Giles Frederick Squire), the UK High Commissioner to Pakistan (Sir Laurence Barton Grafftey-Smith), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the Commonwealth Relations Office, and officials of the Foreign Office.On the inside front cover can be found a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 129; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
21. Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: reports by British Military Attache Kabul 1 November 1947 to 31 October 1947’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains periodical reports by the British Military Attaché at Kabul (Colonel Alexander Stalker Lancaster and J H Prendergast) on the Afghan Air Force, covering the period 1 November 1947 to 31 October 1949.The reports cover a range of topics such as training flights, operations conducted, condition of aircraft, accidents, maintenance work, availability of spares, petrol stores, ground facilities, administrative or political developments, and any proposals for the purchase of additional aircraft. The reports also include policy discussion related to the maintenance of British instructors at Kabul.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 28; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
22. Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: Reports on’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains periodical reports by the British Military Attaché at Kabul (Colonel Alexander Stalker Lancaster) on the Afghan Air Force, they cover the period 1 March 1938 to 31 October 1947. There is a gap for the period 2 May 1938 to 31 October 1940 for which no reports are present in the file.The reports cover a range of topics such as training flights, operations conducted, condition of aircraft, accidents, maintenance work, availability of spares, petrol stores, ground facilities, administrative or political developments, and any proposals for the purchase of additional aircraft. The reports also cover the positions of the British Instructors at Kabul relative to their Italian counterparts, and indicate the progress made in training Afghan students.The file includes a report by Squadron Leader Reid (see folios 22-23) on his testing of the Avro Anson XIX, and a report by Squadron Leader B P King on his testing of the de Havilland Tiger Moth (see folios 82-83), for service in Afghanistan.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 215; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
23. Coll 5/55 ‘Afghanistan: Supply of Aircraft to Afghan Govt: Contract between Air Ministry & Hawker Aircraft Ltd’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file documents the drafting of a contract between the Air Ministry and Hawker Aircraft Limited for the purchase of eight Hawker Hind aircraft, associated aviation equipment, and weaponry, for resale to the Afghan Air Force. This includes a deal for a supply of munitions from Air Ministry stocks. A number of drafts of this contract can be found throughout the file; the contracts include detailed schedules listing and pricing the equipment desired by the Afghan Government. Supplementary correspondence related to the dispatch of British instructors to Kabul, the financing of the purchase by the Government of India, and the provision of aviation training in India for the Afghan Air Force, has also been included.The subsequent process of shipping the aircraft and associated equipment from England to Kabul via Karachi towards the end of 1937/early 1938 is also partially documented by the correspondence, as are the associated customs delays at Karachi. Furthermore, the file includes correspondence recording repayments made by the Afghan Government to the Government of India. This includes the payment of an insurance claim resulting from damage to the aircraft during shipment to Kabul.Extracts from various reports have also been filed within, they generally report on the Afghan Air Force. This includes reports of flights made using the aforementioned Hinds, accidents and damaged incurred to aircraft, and use of aircraft in military action.The main correspondents in the file are as follows: HM Minister at Kabul (William Kerr Fraser-Tytler), the Counsellor at the Kabul Legation (Arthur Ernest Henry Macann), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the Foreign Office, officials of the India Office, and representatives of the External Affairs Department of the Government of India. A small amount of correspondence with the Collector of Customs at Karachi, R & J Park Limited, and Eastern Express Limited, can also be found within.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 618; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
24. Coll 5/60(1) ‘Afghanistan: Purchase of aircraft from foreign sources (1) Italy (2) Germany’
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence and numerous extracts from intelligence reports (mostly from Kabul and Peshawar) related to the purchase of Italian aircraft (Romeo Type 37s, Breda Type 25s and 28s) by the Afghan Government, and the subsequent deputation of an Italian Air Mission to assemble and maintain the aircraft, and to train Afghan Air Force personnel. See folios 164-166 for details on the Italian instructors. The file therefore also contains a limited amount of correspondence related to importing these aircraft, to Kabul via Karachi, and the issue of transit visas to Italian personnel. A considerable amount of correspondence is dedicated to comparing the performance of the Italian Mission and their aircraft with a similar British Mission sent by Hawker Aircraft alongside eight Hinds sold to the Afghan Government.Also contained in the file is discussion surrounding an offer from the Government of India to train an additional batch of students in India in 1938, as a counter to the possibility that the Afghan Government may send a party of students to Italy, and future British policy over supplying aircraft to Afghanistan. There is also some discussion towards the end of the file over the possibility of supplying spare engines and parts from Italian aircraft captured during the course of the Second World War (1939-1945).The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Kabul (William Kerr Fraser-Tytler, later Giles Frederick Squire), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the Foreign Office, and officials of the India Office.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 340; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
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