[Major-General Sir Noel Galway Holmes, Irish soldier in British Army.] Four signed letters to him, typed and in autograph; from Major-General Macan Saunders, Robert Fellowes, Sir William Heseltine, Sir Alan Lascelles. John Michael Avison Parker.

Seven items in good overall condition, lightly aged and worn. See the obituary of the recipient Major General Sir Noel Galway Holmes (1891-1982) in the Daily Telegraph, 29 December 1982. ONE: Robert Fellowes (b.1941), Baron Fellowes [Lord Fellowes], Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II. TLS to NGH (‘Dear Sir Noel’). 15 December 1981; on letterhead of Buckingham Palace. 1p, 12mo. Signed ‘Robert Fellowes’. He has been commanded by the Queen to thank him, ‘and all survivors from the XVIIIth The Royal Irish Regiment, for your Christmas card’. TWO: Sir William Heseltine (b.1930), Australian-born Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II. TLS to NGH (‘Dear General’). 10 December 1975; on Buckingham Palace letterhead. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘Heseltine’. ‘I am commanded by The Queen to thank you for the Christmas card which you sent on behalf of the survivors of the XVIIIth The Royal Irish Regiment.’ THREE: Sir Alan Frederick “Tommy” Lascelles (1887-1981), successively Private Secretary to George VI. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. TLS to NGH (‘My dear General’). 23 September 1948; on Balmoral Castle letterhead. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘A. Lascelles:’. ‘I have laid before The King and Queen your letter of September 20th. Their Majesties much appreciated it, and were glad to know that the members of the Yorkshire Rescue Teams enjoyed their morning at Sandbeck on September 11th as much as The King and Queen themselves did.’ FOUR: Major-General Macan Saunders (1884-1956). ALS to NGH (‘Dear Holmes’). 24 December 1938; on letterhead of the Head Quarters, Lahore District, Lahore Cant.’ 1p, 12mo. Signed ‘M Saunders’. ‘I have just been told that you have been offered the post of A.Q.M.G. at the War Office, which means promotion next year. May congratulations & all success in the future - we shall be very sorry to lose you -’. FIVE: Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker (1920-2001), Australian-born Private Secretary to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. TLS to NGH (‘Dear General Holmes’). 20 November 1953; on Buckingham Palace Letterhead. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘Michael Parker’. The first of the three paragraphs reads: ‘I think one of the most enjoyable engagements The Duke of Edinburgh has had this year was yesterday’s visit to the Yorkshire Main Colliery. His Royal Highness much appreciated your interesting advice and explanations throughout the tour, which I know contributed greatly to the success of the visit.’ SIX and SEVEN. Also present is a TLS to NGH’s son Hugo from ‘a member of the Continuity Committee’, Saint Joseph’s Hall, Storrington, Pulborough, Sussex, 9 May 1980, for his help ‘in preparation for the National Pastoral Congress’. 1p, 8vo. And a typescript (1p, 4to) on a leaf from the middle of a longer document. Begins ‘with the Garden Party at Carcosa.’ and ends ‘His Royal Highness’s love of polo seems to have been gratified, but unluckily it proved disastrous in Canada.’ The King trusts that good results, politically and otherwise, may ensue from the visit.’ Includes: ‘The King followed all your details of the stay at Singapore with special interest, remembering the visit which he and the Queen paid there in 1901. Remembering also the gorgeous Chinese Lantern Processions, His Majesty can picture the beautiful sight which you most kindly had arranged for his son; the electric light must introduce great scope for the development of such displays.’’ See sample image.