Collection HAKEWILL-SMITH - HAKEWILL-SMITH, Maj Gen Sir Edmund (1896-1986)

Key Information

Reference code

HAKEWILL-SMITH

Title

HAKEWILL-SMITH, Maj Gen Sir Edmund (1896-1986)

Date(s)

  • 1947 (Creation)
  • 1944 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent

3 boxes or 0.03 cubic metres

Scope and content

Papers relating to Maj Gen Sir Edmund Hakewill-Smith's service as President of the Military Court for the War Crimes trial of German FM Albert von Kesselring, Venice, Italy, May 1947, including typescript official transcripts of days 3-28 and 40-43 of the trial, 1947; typescript texts of prosecuting counsel's closing address and the defence summing up, May 1947; file of papers entitled 'Abstract of evidence in the case of Albert Kesselring', containing affidavits, original charge sheets and notes, 1947; file of exhibits prepared for the trial, 1947; Kesselring's typescript deposition and statements with affidavits of witnesses and articles on legal issues, 1947; Hakewill-Smith's typescript transcripts of the interrogations of witnesses, 1947; seven of Hakewill-Smith's notebooks of manuscript transcripts and observations during the trial, 1947; manuscript notes taken by Hakewill-Smith during the trial, 1947; typescript administrative orders on arrangements before and after the trial, 1947; copies of Hakewill-Smith's letters of thanks to British personnel involved in trial, 1947; four letters from British personnel relating to Kesselring's trial, 1947; three typescript 'General Headquarters Civil Liaison Summary of Press and Public Opinion', Feb 1947; three letters from Italian civilians relating to the trial, with formal request to be included in the firing squad if Kesselring was found guilty, 1947; translated extract from Italian newspaper, Feb 1947, and edition of _Corriere d'Informazione _5-6 Mar 1947; Union Jack , Trieste edition, 8 Mar 1947; printed map, dated 1944, of the region around Florence, Italy, annotated with the stages of the German retreat, 1944-1945.

System of arrangement

The collection is arranged as outlined above.

General Information

Name of creator

(1896-1986)

Biographical history

Born 1896; educated at Diocesan College, South Africa and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; served in World War One, 1914-1918; commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1915; service on Western Front, 1915-1919; British Military Mission, South Russia, 1920; Aide de Camp to Lawrence John Lumley Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland, Governor of Bengal, India, 1921-1922; Adjutant, 2 Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1927-1930; Staff College, Quetta, India, 1930-1932; Staff Capt, War Office, 1934-1936; employed on Air Staff Duties, RAF, 1936-1937; Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, War Office, 1938-1940; served in World War Two, 1939-1945; Commanding Officer, 5 Bn, The Devonshire Regt, 1940; Commanding Officer, 4/5 Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1940-1941; commanded 157 Infantry Bde, 1941-1942; Maj Gen, Director of Organisation, War Office, 1942-1943; commanded 155 Infantry Bde, 1943; General Officer Commanding, 52 Lowland Div, 1943-1946; awarded CBE, 1944; North West Europe campaign, 1944-1945; awarded CB, 1945; commanded Lowland District, Scotland, 1946; Col, The Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1946-1957; President of Military Court for War Crimes trial of German FM Albert von Kesselring, Venice, Italy, May 1947; retired 1949; Governor, Military Knights of Windsor, 1951-1978; Berkshire County Commandant, Army Cadet Force, 1952-1957; Deputy Constable and Lieutenant Governor of Windsor Castle, 1964-1972; created KCVO, 1967; died 1986.

Custodial history

Placed in the Centre by the family in 1986.

Conditions governing access

Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only.

Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, via the Archives.

Language of material

  • English
  • Italian

Script of material

Language and script notes

English, some Italian.

Uploaded finding aid

Existence and location of originals

Off-campus collection

Please note: We require 7 days notice to retrieve this collection as part, or all of it, is held off-campus. Read more ›

Related materials

Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King's College London: The papers of Capt Sir Basil Henry LIDDELL HART include correspondence with Hakewill-Smith, 1951-1958 (Ref: LH 1/344).

Related descriptions

Alternative identifier(s)

Place access points

People and Organisations

Genre access points

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000.

Script(s)

Accession area