grice c r (1 Ergebnisse)

Soft cover. Zustand: Good. A unique document of historic interest. Foolscap mimeo typescript, self-wraps, 7, (1), (1) large folding sheet, 4, 2, 2pp including all 5 Enclosures listed on p7, plus 2 copies of the author's 1pp A4 cover letter in official envelope addressed to CR Grice, Dovercourt. Good or better, folded, stamped "Office Copy" with ms and typed edits and side lines, faded to lower lines of some leaves with text still legible. Enclosure 5 is numbered pp2-3 but looks complete with title and "Office Copy" stamped to top of p2. The envelope is dusted and has been opened roughly. Grice was Deputy Controller of Iraq Censorship and this internal report on its formation, work, challenges and achievements is by him. Iraq Censorship originated in 1939 when a precursor was formed to help the Controller of Foreign Property deal with German property and trade by giving access to communications with Europe. The "debacle of May 1941" (Gaylani's Axis / Vichy French-backed coup requiring British intervention to reinstate the monarchy) prompted an urgent exchange between Ambassador Cornwallis and Foreign Affairs Minister Al Ayubi weeks later, agreeing "to take effective measures to control aliens and to establish censorship" (reproduced here). Based in the Interior Ministry its Controller was Director General of Interior Hamid Beg Rafat, and Assistant Controller Major G.G. Higham. It ceased in September 1945. Grice's cover letter marked "Personal and Confidential" is to Colonel Allan Saunders, Director ME (Middle East) Censorship, Cairo, who appears to have commissioned the work with ME Censorship overseeing national Censors. Saunders (1886-1964) was in post during 1945-46, prior to which he served in Palestine most years during 1920-43 as Deputy Inspector-General and Inspector-General of Police, and on the Palestine Advisory Council. He also served in the Nigerian, Indian, Greek and Tripolitania Police. Grice apologises for the delay, saying his note needs reorganisation and much editing: "it is preferable to send it as it is rather than delay further. Unfortunately my other duties have not yet diminished". Grice opens with events leading to formation stating a well equipped Censor could have prevented the Coup. Operations began frugally with Grice evocatively describing work out of his residence supported by volunteering schoolmasters, then with "all Service and Civilian Censors sat at a long table and in the presence of the War Correspondents, the cutting was carried out and the reasons given" (p3). At the ME Censorship Conference in Cairo (24-26 Sep 1941) he admits he "suffered severely from an inferiority complex" upon meeting experienced Censors in Egypt and Palestine (Col De La Mare, Col WM MacLean, Mr Willbourn, Edwin Samuel among many named). With their advice and more money he took on experienced staff organised by function and region (Baghdad, Basrah, Mosul), with a Chemical Lab and mobile check units. Employing Iraqis was however difficult due to recruitment into the British Army. Enclosures include (1) Grice's cover note on accounts sent to the Postal and Telegraph Censorship Dept in London cc Cairo with his smudged red signature; (2) Organigram showing a much expanded operation listing staff in post at 20 Feb 1945; (3) Detail on offices, staff, languages (listing several European and non-European, and how to obtain support), special facilities (for secret writing, photstats etc), messages examined (to Persia, Turkey, Kuwait, India, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt etc), selection policy, categories, information sent to London, liaison with British and Allied Censorships and organisations, travellers' censorship, and operational policy; (4) data on mail examined by region, sea, land, air etc showing 4.4M inland letters scrutinised and 173K opened during Jan 1944 to Jun 1945; (5) Grice's letter to Rafat informing of the end of operations, expressing appreciation, and naming staff and volunteers "for service of the highest order".