1

Letter from Lt. Col R.C. TARSY to HQ 404 Area                                        IA

Letter from Col. A. USER to Lt. Col RC TARSY                                         IB

CONFIDENTIAL                                                                                                      IA

“G” Branch                                                                                                     SEAC

HQ 404 L of C Area                                                                                       19 May 45

Subject TTD

1. I have recently come to this Command from another and more progressive theatre.
2. I am amazed to find that here DDT is still being used instead of TTD, which is 100% more effective.  Att. Is a letter from Col A. User eloquising this wonderful new insecticide.
3. I am writing, therefore, to ask that a directive be issued through Staff Channels ordering TTD to be taken into immediate use.
4. The Gun, Flit, INDIA, 1945, Mk. VI with a slight modification to the nozzle, is suitable for spraying TTD.  The modification is necessary owing to the viscosity of TTD.  Since the Gun, Flit, INDIA, 1945, Mk VI is still a controlled store, G. SD sanction will be required, I understand, for their release.

R.C. Tarsy

Lt. Col.

R.C. TARSY

IB

PUKHA BUNGALOW

SWETHIPORE

From Col. A. USER                                                                                       15 May 45

Dear Stinker,

Just a line to let you know what a wonderful stuff your TTD is.  I found that flies, mosquitos, etc curl up as soon as they saw it and a startle-de-buzz which flew into a mild concentration was immediately pranged.  Stronger concentrations prove fatal to rats, mice and even cats.  After my room has been sprayed thoroughly no animal will go near it for a week and I find that after half an hour in the room, I myself develop a very gay light headed feeling.  The advantages of the army adopting TTD are obvious and since fair concentrations have a not dissimilar effect on humans to alcohol a considerable reduction should be able to be made in the liquor ration without hardship, with a consequent  saving of shipping space.

Yours very sincerely

1. User

2

“Q” Branch

1. At IA is a letter from Lt. Col R.C. TARSY which is self explanatory.  Unfortunately this Branch is unaware of the appointment held by Lt. Col TARSY nor do they know what credence should be placed in his statements.
2. Although the letter is addressed to G Branch it is felt that this is correctly a matter of Q policy and is therefore passed to you for consideration.
3. Provided that “Q” branch and MED favour the adoption of the use of T.T.D., that ADOS confirms that supplies of Guns, Flit, INDIA, 1945 Mark VI are available, and that ADME can make the necessary modifications and that S & T confirm that T.T.D. can be supplied this branch will consider the sanction of the release of Guns, Flit, INDIA, 1945 Mark VI.
4. Will you please therefore consider this matter and, if the scheme is viewed favourably by all concerned, minute back to this Branch for final sanction of release of  Guns, Flit, INDIA, 1945 Mark VI.

G Branch

24 May 1945                                                                                       P.W. Daniell Maj.      

for Lt. Col. GS.

MINUTE SHEET No. II

3

AG Branch

With ref to min No. 2 and the correspondence referred to therein, you will no doubt agree that before we proceed further with this case we should know more of Col. TARSY’s antecedents.  Can you for example give us any infm. regarding his Regt. or Corps, or say what appt. he holds.  A brief sketch of his military background would assist.

It has been suggested that his initials have been confused with his religious denomination and that his name should, in fact, read “Lt. Col. TARSY RC”.  You may wish to ask Ch to comment on this?

                                                                                                E.O. Martin  Maj.

25 May                                                                                    for AAQMG

4

G(I)

It is agreed that the two signatories of pp IA & IB require to be investigated and it is suggested that this might well be done through security channels at this stage in view of the necessity of not alarming a possible enemy agent.  It occurs to us that this substance may already have been brought surreptitiously into this HQ and be the cause of the air of somnolence which has been observed in some branches of late.

It is also thought that an inspection of the list of shareholders in the firm manufacturing T.T.D. might be very revealing.  At the same time an inspection of their last balance sheet might be made, and if the report were favourable this would have the happy result of enabling some officers to get in on the ground floor before placing orders for large quantities of T.T.D. to be bought by the State.  Could a copy of this report please be sent to A branch?                                                                                GP 25/5

5

Letter from Lt Col RC TARSY to HQ 404 Area.                                                      5A

CONFIDENTIAL  5A

No XYZ/10/2

No 1 Special Insectological Research Section

SEAC

“G” Branch

HQ 404 L of C Area                                                                                       20 May 45

Subject TTD

1. I regret that the number and address were inadvertently omitted from my letter to you dated 19 May 45, on the above subject.  (IA)
2. I am therefore writing in case you should be unaware of the august appointment which I have the honour to hold and also of the correct address to which to reply.
3. You are doubtless aware that Mr. Churchill takes a personal interest in the work of this Section and I have instructions to make a report direct to him if I meet any lack of cooperation.

R.C. Tarsy

Lt. Col

Comd.

(R.C. TARSY)

6

Letter from Messrs Share Pusher & Diddle to Capt. AN Officer                              6A

6A

Messrs Share Pusher & Diddle

666 Throgmorton Street

London EC 1

7 May 45

Dear Sir,

We are in receipt of your letter of 15 Apr. 45 and are pleased to note that you have a further Rs 2 lakhs which you wish us to invest for you.

We would strongly advise you to invest a large part, if not all, of this sum in British Insecticides (1944) Ltd.  This company specialises in the manufacture of TTD in which the Government are interested.  At the moment small contracts have been placed by the Government but large contracts from the War Department are shortly expected thanks to the good offices of the chairman’s brother Lt. Col. R.C. Tarsy.

Since this information is not at present common knowledge and last year the company paid no dividends at all, their shares stand at a ridiculously low price and are bound to show a very handsome profit.

A certain Col. A. User of Swethipore is also using his good offices to try to stir the Indian Army from its Rip Van Winkle slumbers.  The Colonel recently invested a very substantial sum in the company.

We shall be pleased if in due course you will intimate your wishes in this matter.

Yours faithfully

Share Pusher & Diddle

Capt. A.N. Officer

HQ 404 L of C Area

SEAC

MINUTE SHEET No III

5

Letter from Lt Col R C TARSY to HQ 404 Area                                                             5A

6

Letter from Messrs Share, Pusher & Diddle to Capt A N OFFICER                               6A

7

“Q” Branch (thro’ A.G. Branch.)

1. At minute 4 will be seen an attempt by AG Branch, in their usual manner, to pass the baby.
2. By a happy concatenation of circumstances this Branch is able to supply the answers required.
3. Enclosure 5A is a letter from Lt. Col. RC TARSY which appears to establish his bona fides as doubtless AG Branch will now have NO difficulty in turning up his personal records.
4. At 6A is a letter recently received by an officer of this Branch from his Stock Brokers which makes it appear that British Insecticides (1944) Ltd. is a good bet.  Capt. OFFICER has apparently been very fortunate on the race course recently.

G Branch                                                                                             P.W. Daniell.  Major

25 May 44                                                                                           For Lt. Col GS.

8

Extract from “Who’s Who” 1927                                                                               8A

8A

Extract from “WHO’S WHO” (1927)

TARSY, Major RUDOLPH CARBINE

            e.s. of Capt. Hon. D’Arcy Tarsy, 5^th s. of 12^th Earl of UPOVER

            b. 1865. Educated Eaton & Ashton-under-Lyme University.

            m. 1908. MAISIE DOATS (of Daly’s).  Issue 2 d.

                        (1) UHWATT X. TARSY (unmarried)

                        (2) FAN. TARSY m. 1927. –USHER (origins unknown) no issue

            Commissioned Great War as Major November 1916

Resigned commission Feb 1917 (after the Bagshaw Report on Abuse of Kings Commissions)

Business:- Company Promoter, Commercial Traveller etc etc.

Author of “Get Rich Quick With Me” (500 copies)  “You Too Can Sell Gold Mines” (Limited Edition)  “Five Years At Government Expense” etc etc.

Recreations:- Amateur Chemistry, Selling Things, Studying Handwriting etc etc

Clubs:- Con Man’s, Bag O’Nails, 43 etc etc

MINUTE SHEET No IV

9

“G” Branch (Thro “Q”)

1. So far from passing the baby this Branch has been indulging in fervid research in order to render assistance in the matter.
2. This research has revealed (1) the history of Lt. Col (sic) R.C. TARSY as contained in “Who’s Who” (1927 Edn) (2) that his name does not appear in any current Army List & if this is not surprising considering his age, it is peculiar how he acquired his present rank. (3) Lt. Col. A. User’s name does not appear in A.L. either but it is noted that Col TARSY’s younger daughter married a man called according to “Who’s Who”  “—– USHER”
3. In view of Lt. Col Tarsy’s hobbies it seems quite probable that his son-in-law is innocent & that no such person as Lt. Col. User exists.
4. In spite of the evidence to the contrary contained in “Who’s Who” (1927 Edn) this Branch feels that Lt. Col Tarsy may also be non-existent.  Can “G” Branch produce anything other than documentary evidence to prove that he exists (e.g. a lock of hair, photograph etc.)?
5. Suggest thorough investigation through “I” channels but ‘S & T’ should be asked re “T.T.D.”, as if it exists & if it contains all the properties claimed for it, Officers Messes, bed rooms & offices should be sprayed at the earliest.
6. Please keep this Branch informed as disciplinary action may be nec^y.

25 May 45                                                                               GH Burton Capt.

                                                                                                S.C. (Legal) A Branch

                                                                                                Rev***********

Minute Sheet No V

10

G. Branch                   Ref previous noting on this case:-

I think you will agree that the time has come when it will be in our own best interests and, incidentally, in the interest of the nation as a whole to accept Col. TARSY’s antecedents.

Subject to your agreement I propose, immediately, to raise with the services concerned the question of the adoption of T.T.D. throughout this theatre.

The shares have risen to 30/- since Tuesday.

28 May                                                                                    E.O. Martin Maj.

                                                                                                DAQMG

11

Q Branch

We are in complete agreement with your minute 10.

No 1 S I R Section is in this Area and we are at a loss to understand AG Branch’s obstructive attitude, unless it is that they are playing for time while they raise all the money they can to invest in British Insecticides (1944) Ltd.

In view of para 3 of Lt. Col TARSY’s letter at 5A it would be criminal folly to delay consulting the services any longer unless you like very high power rockets

G Branch                                                                                 P.W. Daniell Maj.

28 May 45                                                                               for Lt. Col. GS

12

Copy

Letter from Mr. Thaddeus Toombs to Messrs Freeman Hardy & Willis                   12A

12 A

Thaddeus Toombs

Circus Proptr

Performing Animals Provided: Tame Tigers for Children’s Parties

Assorted Snakes

21 Gasworks Villas

Congleton

To Messrs Freeman Hardy & Willis Solicitor London EC

Sirs,

 I want you should write to that dirty dog Kernel Tarsy about what he done with my performing fleas & cockroaches what will sham dead when they smells aniseed.

He said he wanted to borer them for a demmys deemu demmstre to show the War Offis.  Tell him if I don’t get them back Tuesday I’ll have the law on him.  And another thing, what’s he done to our Fanny, the world famous equestrienne?  She don’t eat, can’t sleep & fell off her horse in the ring last Saterday.  I’ll now draw to a close.

Yours respectfully, sirs,

Thaddeus Toombs

Minute Sheet No VI

13

ST

Could a sample of T.T.D. be obtained & submitted to analysis?  I’ve always been interested in analysis & synthesis (as an amateur you understand – remind me to give you my recipe for home brewed scotch-style fire water) & it occurs to me that an analysis in this case might reveal something.  Why I suggest this is because my solicitors, Freeman Hardy & Willis have sent me in strict confidence a copy of a letter they have received from Thaddeus Toombs, Circus Proprietor which seems to have a bearing on the subject.  Yes?  No?  What do you think?  (How are you fixed for gin, by the way?  I can give you a recipe for distilling it from your bath-water, in the privacy of your own bedroom.  Enclose 4 as in stamps to cover packing & postage.)

                                                                                                            Q 30 May 45