J C WEDGWOOD, 1ST BARON OF BARLASTON

This collection comprises of microfilmed ms. letters, reports and speeches from both world wars, 1914-18 and 1939-41. Also included is a large amount of family correspondence with his brother Charles an onlooker at Gallipoli, and later commissioned into the Machine Gun Corps, wounded and captured in France 1918; his son Josiah only entering the RFC in 1918; and also to his daughter Helen Bowen Wedgwood a fervent supporter of the Conscientious Objection Movement who in 1918, after graduating from Cambridge worked on the land.

Unrestricted

Josiah Clement Wedgwood P.C., 1924; DSO 1915; late Commander RNAS; Col. (G.S).; DL, JP, (Staffs). Born 16 March 1872. His early military service was as Cpt. of the Elswick Battery RFA in S. Africa (see National Army Museum) 1900-01. Elected as Liberal, later Labour candidate for Newcastle-under-Lyme 1906-42. Served in European war 1914-16; commissioned by Churchill as Lt.Cmdr RNVR in Armoured Cars Squadron Antwerp, France. 1914-15 took Squadron to Gallipoli on the River Clyde. Landed with the 29th Div. under Gen. Hunter Weston. Awarded DSO. Wounded 6 May 1915. In December 1915 went out to E. Africa, under General Smuts, broke through German lines on Lumi river and capture of Moschi. Put on Mesopotamia Commission July 1916. Assistant Director Trench Warfare 1917. On Mission to Siberia with temporary rank of Col. 1918. The Tomsk Govt. had already been overthrown but he helped at Allied councils at Vladivostok and Hargin. Had several important interviews with American statesmen in Washington 1916-1918.

His political career also spanned the inter-war years but only the correspondence for the early years of the Second World War were lent for copying. The correspondence is with the leading figures of the time and covers contemporary policies and issues of 1939-41. His autobiography "Memoirs of a Fighting Life" was published 1940.

MICROFILMS