Subject strengths: History, Social History, Military History

This collection comprises material relating to Sir Lawrence Arthur Pattinson (1890-1955); a Royal Air Force officer and became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command in 1940 and later Air Marshal.

The collection predominantly comprises 25 private letters from Sir Lawrence to his family while he served as a pilot during the First and Second World Wars. His correspondence describes his training, exercises, daily routines, and details of the places he visited while on duty. There are also accounts of air combat and sketches of planes such as the "German two-tail".

Also included is a comprehensive service history of Sir Lawrence, as well as other varied items relating to his career and family.

 

Collection Name and Collection Reference Code:

Collection Name: Pattinson (Sir Lawrence) Archive

Archive Ref Code: GB186/LAP

Date Range of Material

1912 - 2011

Type of Material

Personal archive of Sir Lawrence Pattinson

Size of Collection

0.5 Linear Metres of shelving 

How To Order Items From This Collection

Please use the finding aid below to search through a list of the individual items we have within this collection.

If you find an item you would like to consult in the Special Collections reading room, simply make a note of the reference number and title of the item(s) you are interested in (for example LAP/1/2 World War I).

You can then place your order by linking to our Request Form. 

Finding Aid

Archival catalogue available via Archives Hub.

Unable to visit our Reading Room?

If you are unable to visit our reading room, we also have a virtual reading room service and a digitisation service archive and rare book collections.

Other Resources

A biography of Sir Lawrence by his son John L. Pattinson, LAP : The life of Air Marshal Sir Lawrence Arthur Pattinson KBE, CB, DSO, MC, DFC., is available via the Library Search. 

Material from this archive was used in an our Treasure of the Month for October 2015 and in the exhibition Captured, in Flight: An Officer and Private on the Western Front.