This series comprises three distinct groups of records maintained by Army Headquarters from 1952 to 1962: general correspondence files, civil staff correspondence files and Army personnel files.

The general correspondence files relate to a broad range of subjects, including accounts, Acts and Regulations, disturbances, allowances, ammunition, weaponry, audits, badges and crests, bands, canteens and hostels, establishments, committees, conferences and inventions.

The civil staff correspondence files cover Acts and Regulations relating to staff matters, arbitration, disputes, establishment, statistics, vacancies and training.

Both these groups of records were controlled by a multiple number system by which primary and secondary numbers were allocated to 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 general correspondence files have an 'A' (Army Headquarters) prefix, while the civil staff correspondence files have a 'S' (Staff) prefix and an 'A' (Army Headquarters) infix.

The Army personnel files relate to individuals and include such matters as compensation, appointment, war medals, leave, pensions and redress of wrongs. The files are controlled by an alpha-numeric system of arrangement which includes an 'A' (Army Headquarters) infix and an alpha prefix. The alpha prefix refers to the surname of the subject of the file, while the 'A' infix includes a number which refers to the alpha grouping in which the file is held, for example those in A1 may begin 'Cam' and those in 'A8' with 'Cox'.

Files are held within file covers with Department of the Army printed on the cover. Most of the files are in buff-coloured file covers however, some of the files are enclosed in olive green 'Confidential" file covers. Although the earlier files in the series have the upper right hand corner of each file turned down to reveal the file number written on the top paper most file numbers are 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 MT1131/1 are part of Commonwealth Record Series B1805 Correspondence files, multiple number series with 'A' [Army Headquarters] prefix, B1814 Civil staff correspondence files, multiple number series with 'A' [Army Headquarters] infix and 'S' [Staff] prefix, and B1823 Army personnel files, alpha-numeric with 'A' [Army Headquarters] infix, but have not been physically converted to those series. They should be requested under the MT1131/1 number.

Commonwealth Record Series B1805, B1814 and B1823 also include records converted from MP927/1.

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: Army, Army Headquarters, Secretary's Branch, Central Registry
Date of transfer: 12/11/1968
Archives file number: RWM30/2/39