![Coll 7/48 'Afghanistan: Col. Lancaster's suggestion re military equipment and training for Afghan Army; supply of military equipment' [‎47r] (93/451)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002f4/IOR_L_PS_12_2218_0097.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Coll 7/48 'Afghanistan: Col. Lancaster's suggestion re military equipment and training for Afghan Army; supply of military equipment' [‎47r] (93/451)")
Coll 7/48 'Afghanistan: Col. Lancaster's suggestion re military equipment and training for Afghan Army; supply of military equipment' [47r] (93/451)
The record is made up of 1 file (225 folios). It was created in 12 Jun 1945-2 Feb 1948. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
copy
to 1 ~ -Gen. Bateman~ -j. S.0., v..B. B.
:.L. 405/ t A.A.
Prom:- f-ol. c.LeiiCRSt.er. ( .•3,j.
Dear Brig. vcLeod,
British legation, Kabul.
Dated IS
J*. 1
5586
Chief of the
officers and
retruning to
draining, he
Government of
On 14th
General
October, 1946 when I mentioned to the Af&han
Staff that the majority of the Ibd Afghan
C.cs now-undergoing trainikg—iJi inaia vveux-i be _
Afghanistan early in December on completion of their
stated that his Government were very grateful to tne
India for the facilities given lor tnistraining
and fully satisfied with the result of the experiment. He added
that his Government wished to dispatch Eiore of ttieir our^ero
and NfhO.s to India for training after the return o.t.-e iirst
oartv in December and expressed a hops that the Government of
Tnd ia wou" 1 d a’rant similar fecilities for the training oi additionsl
c s next year. I took the opportunity of stressing
the 1 neceslity*of the officerl and JiC.C.s having a.good knowledge
of Tnsciish prior to their departure for training in indua, arid
askedhiTto le^ me have details of the numbers of officers
and N.C.G.s by arms and services his Government wula lixe -.c
dispatch to Tndie. for training m the lutuie so pat I coula
mok° the necessary enouiries from the authorities in Ihdxa as
to whether they could acccept^any further Uapnig commitoents.
T also infomed him that at least _ 4 months noticn 0 j - ' * •
training requirements should be given in order to slln v> pd
military authorities in mdia.to make arrangements xo^ “be r
reception and training.
p Tn order t,o eivs/f ms a line to go on wheii tne _
sfp-pon puthorities put forward their proposals regard mg traxning
fr mdia l shall be gratexul if you will give me your,views on
ttis accroach and let me know whether you are prepared to
g^ontGnrtria cartts ifghsn officers and K.C.C.s for
be the same as those arrengea lor the
indications are that the Afghan Gove rm,pt will no^ * _
opn h q n r ^nv as 150 oiiicers ana N.C.C.s in any pafi^auicu
but will"be^prepared to dispatch smaller PfG^!. v 9 ^ 1 egl and
the officers and F.C.O.s pass out ox the f. ilitary coiieg- cnc.
riiitary school.
*7 rhe Afghan C.G.S. asked for reports on sll the
officers and N C C.s now under t raining in. ind ±e and suggesteri
these r^pnrts should reach him as scon as possible after
thf return t6 P Afghanisttn on or about December n-h. He stated
that these reports would be valuaMe ^d v|ouxd^s.st tin ! fnistry
of Defence in deciding how to emplcy the oiiic.fS ^ nG * ^* L '* b
when"they return from Gidia.
4 # 1 am submitting a copy
minister for information.
o^this letter to K.! ’s
Yours sincerely.,
3d/-(A.s. Lancaster)
To*- Brig. 1. 3. V clboo•, 0.3.3 . 9
General Staff Branch (F0.1«)
Gene ral He ad quart© rs, inciis,
Lew Delhi.
About this item
- Content
The file contains papers regarding the supply of arms, military equipment and training to Afghan Forces, and is a continuation of the discussion following the Afghan Military Mission to India, documented in IOR/L/PS/12/2217. The principal correspondents are: the Government of India External Affairs Department; the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. External Department; HM Minister at Kabul (G F Squire); HM Military Attache at Kabul (Colonel Alexander Slaughter Lancaster); the Treasury; the War Office; and the Foreign Office.
The papers primarily concern what would come to be known as 'Scheme Lancaster' - the arrangements to supply arms and equipment worth Rs 30 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to the Government of Afghanistan at a cost of Rs 15 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , on an instalment payment plan, and to provide training in India for Afghan Army and Air Force Officers. The correspondence provides a detailed discussion of Afghanistan's military requirements, financial arrangements between the Government of Afghanistan, the Government of India, and HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. , and of the importance of Afghanistan to the defence of India and the Empire.
In addition to correspondence, the file contains the following papers of note:
- Memorandum by Colonel Lancaster, giving a summary of the political and military situation in Afghanistan, and providing an assessment of the Afghan Government's request for arms (ff 182-188).
- Memorandum by Colonel Lancaster on the training needs of the Afghan Forces, and the proposed schemes of training to be offered in India (ff 164-168).
- Lists of equipment requested by the Afghan Government (ff 16-21, 113, 120-123, 129-133).
- Statement of receipts and expenditure on the Afghan Fund for the years 1944-45 (ff 67-68).
- Note prepared by Colonel Lancaster for Richard Allen, South East Asia Department of the Foreign Office, on the existing commitments with the Afghan Government in relation to the supply of military and air force equipment, and the training of Afghan Officers (ff 29-32).
The file also contains a small amount of correspondence concerning the policy of the new Dominion Government of India towards Afghanistan, and the possible continuation of Scheme Lancaster.
The file includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 2-3).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (225 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the file
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 225; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-225; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Coll 7/48 'Afghanistan: Col. Lancaster's suggestion re military equipment and training for Afghan Army; supply of military equipment' [47r] (93/451), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2218, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100073375014.0x000060> [accessed 26 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100073375014.0x000060
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100073375014.0x000060">Coll 7/48 'Afghanistan: Col. Lancaster's suggestion re military equipment and training for Afghan Army; supply of military equipment' [‎47r] (93/451)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100073375014.0x000060"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002f4/IOR_L_PS_12_2218_0097.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002f4/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2218
- Title
- Coll 7/48 'Afghanistan: Col. Lancaster's suggestion re military equipment and training for Afghan Army; supply of military equipment'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:192v, 198r:225v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence