The George Lindsey Fonds

Biographical and Administrative History

Dr. George Lindsey (1920-2011) was a Canadian veteran of the Second World War and Chief of the Operational Research and Analysis Establishment at Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) between 1967 and 1987. Following his retirement from government, Lindsey continued to study and disseminate his findings as a Senior Research Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Toronto during the 1990s. This Fonds consists of materials written and collected by Lindsey during and after his career at DND. Inside forty-five boxes of records are departmental reports, personal correspondence, lectures, newspaper clippings, magazines, papers, conference proceedings, and government and non-government publications on a variety of topics related to Canada’s security and defence policy between 1945 and 2005. The fonds was acquired directly from the widow of George Lindsey shortly after his death in September, 2011.

Date(s) of Creation

ca. 1939-2005.

Physical Description

ca. 17.87 m of textural records.

Restrictions

There are no restrictions associated with the George Lindsey Fonds, but due to the fragility of the documents researchers are asked to wear white gloves when necessary and to handle all documents with care.

List of Series

Series 1: Arctic Defence
Series 2: Canada – U.S. Relations
Series 3: Canadian Foreign Policy & Strategy
Series 4: Global Affairs
Series 5: Maritime & Naval
Series 6: Miscellaneous
Series 7: Missile Defence
Series 8: Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament (NACD)
Series 9: NACD Verification
Series 10: NATO
Series 11: NORAD and Aerospace
Series 12: Nuclear
Series 13: Operational Research and Analysis
Series 14: Pre-1945
Series 15: Security Technology
Series 16: Space

Associated Materials

Additional documents related to and created by George Lindsey can be found at the National Archives of Canada (LAC) in RG 24, the Defence Research Board Collection. Additionally in Ottawa, the Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH), houses a collection of George Lindsey and Robert J. Sutherland papers.  Below is a list of accession numbers for the Lindsey and Sutherland papers, as well as other related materials  held at DHH:

  • 87/253 – George Lindsey and Robert J. Sutherland Papers
  • 79/557 – NATO’s anti-submarine problems in a changed world, ORAE
  • 80/225 – Task Force on Review of Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces
  • 83/666 – Personal Management Policy Study Group final report and working papers
  • 84/260 – Research on War and Strategy in the Canadian Department of National Defence, ORAE
  • 87/19 – Canadian Basing of the Interceptor Squadrons, DRAE 2
  • 89/588 – Strategic Stability in the Arctic; Adelphi Papers 241
  • 92/248 – Surveillance from Space: a Strategic Opportunity for Canada
  • BIO L – Historical Material about Harold Larnder

Click here to download the full finding aid for the George Lindsey fonds at DHH: Lindsey Finding Aid

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