Secret packs of the Commander in Chief Grand Fleet Volume I: Pack 002 (sections A-D)...

Secret packs of the Commander in Chief Grand Fleet

Volume I: Pack 002 (sections A-D) Neutrality issues: Pack 003 (section 1) Espionage.

Folio 1: Title page.

Folio 2: Explanatory note. During the period of the War, papers of a confidential nature in the office of the C-in-C Home Fleet were filed in Packs (numbered separately from the non-confidential records) in a Series 001 to 0042 inclusive. Copies of relevant telegrams were filed in these packs, but a complete set of all telegrams was also maintained. The secret packs were re-arranged by the Grand Fleet Secretarial staff in February 1919, when papers considered unimportant were removed and destroyed, and the remainder re-indexed. They were received in this form by the Historical Section in April 1920, and bound as received, in a series of Volumes. The 1919 index will be found in the first volume (this volume) and extracts from this have been inserted in each succeeding volume. This volume is the 1st of the series.

Folio 3: Clerical note concerning Volumes of C-in-C’s secret packs.

Folios 4-49: List of C-in-C Grand Fleet’s Packs and their contents

Pack 002 Neutrality Issues.

Folios 58-98: Norwegian territorial waters, etc.

Folio 59: Norwegian territorial waters – use by enemy vessels. Copies of reports received from British Minister at Christiania dated 22 and 24 October 1914.

Folios 60-62: Telegrams between Sir E Grey and Mr Findlay relating to German cruisers Berlin and Brandenburg.

Folio 63: Admiralty memorandum to Admiral on HMS Iron Duke dated 12 April 1913. Circumstances for forces infringing neutrality of Norway in war with Germany.

Folios 64-73: Correspondence various dates in 1914-1918 related to extent of Norwegian territorial waters.

Folio 74: Admiralty telegram dated 4 August 1914 related to Netherland Government prohibition on foreign vessels entering Dutch territorial waters.

Folios 75-77: Admiralty orders related to Norwegian neutrality.

Folios 78-80: Foreign Office analysis of Norwegian rules of neutrality.

Folios 81-82: Translation of document titled; Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Laws of neutrality established by royal decree of 20 December 1912.

Folios 83-91: Reports and correspondence from Mr M de C Findlay and Sir E Grey in October and December 1914.

Folios 92-98: Admiralty memoranda and correspondence related to extent of Norwegian territorial waters.

Folios 99-172: Violation of territorial waters, etc.

Folios 100-103: Alleged violation of Norwegian territorial waters by a British auxiliary cruiser.

Folios 104-116: Reports and correspondence related to British trawler operations off the Norwegian coast. Orcoma, Robert Smith and protest from Norwegian gunboat Morelas. Various dates 1915 and 1916.

Folios 117-127: Correspondence dated February 1916 between Foreign Office and Norwegian Government related to incidents.

Folios 128-133: Correspondence dated February 1917 related alleged violation of Norwegian waters by a British submarine.

Folios 134-172: Correspondence and reports of incidents of alleged violations of Norwegian waters by British vessels. Various dated 1917 and 1918.

Folios 173-186: Arrangements in the event of Norway coming into the war. Includes chart of Norway South-East Coast (paper M 00154/16)

Folios 187-191: Danish neutrality. Includes paper titled The Military Situation in Denmark issued by W R Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff dated 11 October 1916.

Folios 192-199: Dutch neutrality. Includes papers on possibility of carrying out repairs in a Dutch port after an action and a minute titled Germany and Holland – situation should Holland enter the war either with or against the Allies. Review of the situation under certain circumstances.

Folios 200-210: Swedish neutrality. Correspondence related to vessels in Swedish territorial waters. Various dates 1914-1918.

Pack 003 Espionage.

Folios 211-246: Alien pilots in East Coast ports. Includes; list (Folio 217) of names with nationality, three with addresses; copies of Admiralty orders concerning pilots.