This series consists of three distinct groups of records relating to the administration of the military forces of Australia from 1943 to 1951: general correspondence files, civil staff correspondence files and Army personnel files.

The general correspondence files relate to a broad range of subjects including administration, air raid precautions, Army Medical and Dental Corps, discharges and discipline, equipment, foreigners, intelligence, postings, and Japanese War Crimes trials (file numbers 326/1/49-336/1/2196).

Papers were attached to other related papers for action, and these attachments were recorded in 'L14' registration booklets (CRS B1801). Sometimes the attachments were temporary and papers were later detached and placed with other papers or were used to provide the base paper of another file. When papers were detached from files, the location of the main file would be indicated in pencil under the round stamp (see above). The registration number of the last paper placed on file became the final file number. All the movements and attachments could be traced with the aid of the registration booklets and of the subject index cards (CRS B1802). The L14s employed a system of tracking related subjects over various registration numbers. The letters 'RR' (Related Records) were written next to related numbers and accordingly on file covers to link subject matters over time. The L14s also employed circling of registration numbers to indicate which 'chunks' were top-numbered.

File covers were used infrequently as the system of file construction made file titling difficult. File covers were used only for files which at the time were considered to contain: (i)important or policy decision papers; (ii)files which might be submitted to the Minister and; (iii)large files. File covers, when used, had the broad subject area of the file indicated and the upper left hand corner turned down to display the registration (file) number of the last paper in it.

Papers on these files prior to 1939 were registered under systems in use in the Department of Defence. The Army was administered by the Department of Defence until 1939 when a separate Department of the Army was created. Many files in this series have been top numbered from the previous accessions MP367/1, MP431/1 and MP508/1. Papers date back as far as 1920 and papers added as late as 1956.

The civil staff correspondence files were maintained by Army headquarters from 1943 to 1951. The records relate to staffing matters including appointment of staff, salary reclassifications, departmental conferences, superannuation and staff circulars. The file number includes an ‘S’ prefix which forms part of the circular stamp on the top folio of each file.

Files in relating to general and civil staff correspondence were raised in accordance with a multiple number system by which primary and secondary numbers were allocated for items of correspondence. The primary number indicates the general subject and the second number a subdivision of that subject. The tertiary number refers to the individual item as it occurs.

The Army personnel correspondence files were maintained by Army Headquarters from 1943 to 1951 and relate to individuals and include medical reports, payments (including after death), leave, discipline, discharge and promotions.

The personnel correspondence files are controlled by an alpha-numeric system. The alpha prefix refers to the surname and is followed by two numbers. The first number relates to the group of files in which the particular file is held, for example, E/1 incorporates Ea to Eic, E/2 incorporates Elg to Eu and E/3 incorporates Ev to Ez. The second number refers to the individual item as it occurs.

Most files are held within file covers with Department of the Army printed on the cover. Although earlier files have the upper right hand corner of each file turned down to reveal the file number written on the top paper most have the file numbers written in the upper right corner of the file cover. The base paper of each file was registered with a square stamp, subsequent correspondence being allocated the same number within a round stamp. This system seems to have been abandoned in later years with each paper being allocated the pertinent file number in the upper right corner only.

The records in MP742/1 are part of Commonwealth Record Series B1800, Correspondence files, multiple number series, B1811, Civil staff correspondence files, multiple number series with 'S' [Staff] prefix and B1821, Army personnel files, multiple number series but have not been physically converted to those series. They should be requested under the MP742/1 number.

In 1997 significant arrangement and description work occurred with the 336/1/* block of this series. The records were reboxed and placed in acid-free folders. Further descriptive information such as title enhancement and item quantities was added to the item level database.

The following data was keyed from the paper documentation:

Form number:                  CA 17

Creating department:          Army, Army Headquarters, Secretary's Branch,

                              Central Registry

Transferring department:      Defence [III]

Date of transfer:             03/06/1968

Archives file number:        RWM30/2/38