Activities of Herbert Grant-Watson, British Foreign Office Representative in Latvia in March–August 1919

Abstract

The first half of the Latvian War of Independence, from November 1918 to the summer of 1919, was particularly difficult, with the interests of all neighbouring countries and the divided Latvian society (Baltic Germans, Latvians, Bolsheviks, etc.) clashing in the midst of a brutal war in Latvia. In this situation, the representatives of the Western powers, with Britain being the most widely represented, had a presence in Latvia from the end of 1918, with British naval vessels, the Military Mission and the Political Mission from the spring and summer of 1919. From March 1919 – an unofficial representative of the Foreign Office, Herbert Adolphus Grant-Watson, was very active in Latvia, hence, the study of his activities is particularly important. The aim of this article is to establish the circumstances and results of Grant-Watson’s activities in Liepāja and Riga in March–August 1919, examining them chronologically. This task is accomplished on the basis of the materials acquired in British National Archives and other sources.