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Royal Air Force

 Organization

Found in 18 Collections and/or Records:

 File

Official: War and Air: correspondence, much on the Russian campaign., 01 Apr 1919 - 30 Apr 1919

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 16/6
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: General Sir Ian Hamilton refuting press allegations; Walter Roch on the Dardanelles [Turkey] Inquiry; Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig [Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Forces in France and Flanders] (2); General Sir Henry Wilson [Chief of Imperial General Staff] on matters discussed at the Paris [France] Peace Conference (7); 1st Lord Milner [Secretary of State for the Colonies]; Colonel James Blair [Chief, British Military Mission in Siberia]; 1st Lord Haldane...
Dates: 01 Apr 1919 - 30 Apr 1919
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Official: War and Air: correspondence, much on the Russian campaign., 01 Jul 1919 - 31 Jul 1919

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 16/9
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Major-General Sir Hugh Trenchard [Chief of the Air Staff] on the availability of aeroplanes for Air Ministry officials; Frederick Guest [Patronage Secretary, Treasury]; Major-General John Seely [later 1st Lord Mottistone, Under-Secretary of State for Air] on air force matters, including flying casualties (2); Austen Chamberlain [Chancellor of the Exchequer] (2) on subjects including War Office stocks and army estimates; Clive Wigram [Assistant Private Secretary and...
Dates: 01 Jul 1919 - 31 Jul 1919
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Official: War and Air: WSC's minutes., 01 May 1920 - 31 Aug 1920

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 16/52A-B
Scope and Contents Includes carbon copies of minutes and letters from WSC to various individuals including: Quartermaster-General [Lieutenant-General Travers Clarke]; Jack Scott [Air Secretary and Private Secretary to WSC]; Sir James Stevenson [Surveyor-General of Supply]; Secretary [War Office, ?Sir Reginald Brade]; Military Secretary [Lieutenant-General Sir Philip Chetwode]; Adjutant-General [Lieutenant-General Sir George Macdonogh]; Major Lionel de Rothschild; Finance Member [Sir Archibald Williamson, later...
Dates: 01 May 1920 - 31 Aug 1920
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Official: War and Air: WSC's minutes., 01 Sep 1920 - 24 Dec 1920

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 16/53A-B
Scope and Contents Includes carbon copies of minutes and letters from WSC to various individuals including: Secretary [War Office, Sir Herbert Creedy]; Chief of Imperial General Staff [General Sir Henry Wilson]; 10th Lord Scarbrough [Director General Territorial and Volunteer Forces]; Chief of the Air Staff [Air-Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard]; Director of Military Operations [Major-General Sir Percy Radcliffe]; Quartermaster-General [Lieutenant-General Travers Clarke]; Finance Member [Sir Archibald Williamson,...
Dates: 01 Sep 1920 - 24 Dec 1920
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Public and Political: General: Correspondence, A-B., Jan 1929 - Oct 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/572A-B
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Edward Marsh on an expression used by WSC; Cyril Alington, Headmaster of Eton College, on the education of Randolph Churchill (2); [1st] Lord Beatty on subjects including criticism of an obituary of Admiral Franz Hipper (5); Julian Amery; Nancy, Lady Astor on a disagreement with WSC; John Astor; Wilfrid Bailey; Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister, on subjects including WSC's "Marlborough: His Life and Times", WSC's health, Free Trade, India and political affairs (14);...
Dates: Jan 1929 - Oct 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Public and Political: General: Defence: Correspondence etc., 12 Jan 1936 - 27 Nov 1936

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/266A-B
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Basil Liddell Hart [Military Correspondent to the Times] on the troop system used in India; "Harold R" [1st Lord Rothermere, earlier Sir Harold Harmsworth] on subjects including 1st Lord Weir's position in defence [as Adviser to the Air Ministry], the likely stop to any battleship programme, pilot training, the likelihood of a quick German victory against Britain and France, German contempt for the British Government, and the Government's refusal to discuss the...
Dates: 12 Jan 1936 - 27 Nov 1936
Conditions Governing Access: Open, (folio 93 opened as a 'sanitised' photocopy, original closed on advice of Cabinet Office).
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Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 13 Jun 1934 - Dec 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/108A-B
Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's speech (13 June) on the Committee of Privileges' report into allegations concerning the Secretary of State for India [Sir Samuel Hoare, later 1st Lord Templewood] and 17th Lord Derby [Member of the Joint Select Committee on the Indian Constitution]. Also includes copies of Hansard containing speech. Published: Complete Speeches V pp 5359-73.Brief notes for WSC's speech (13 July) on the League of Nations and disarmament. Published: Complete Speeches V pp 5377-81.Notes for...
Dates: 13 Jun 1934 - Dec 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 22 May 1935 - 24 Oct 1935

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/113
Scope and Contents Brief notes for WSC's speech (22 May) on a speech by Adolf Hitler, and comparing German and British military strength. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5610-7.Rough notes for WSC's speech (31 May) entitled "Deepening and Darkening Danger" on Germany's threat and influence in Europe. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5624-7.Notes for WSC's speech (5 June) on his continued doubts about the Government of India Bill, the role of the Indian Princes and Civil Service in the scheme, and...
Dates: 22 May 1935 - 24 Oct 1935
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and typescript., 11 Mar 1920 - 15 Dec 1920

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/60
Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's statement (11 March) on the union of the Air and War Ministries, and building up the RAF. Published: Complete Speeches III pp 2965 - 2974.Speech notes and typescript for WSC's statement (23 June) on the need for forces in the Middle East, the situation in the Caucasus, the Crimea [Soviet Union] and Constantinople [later Istanbul, Turkey], and the need for more Territorial and regular army recruitment.Speech notes and typescript for WSC's statement (23 June) on army...
Dates: 11 Mar 1920 - 15 Dec 1920
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Speeches: speech notes and source material., 19 Mar 1934 - 24 Jul 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/110
Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's speech (19 March, Mansion House, London) on ex-services welfare. Source material includes letter from George Tryon [Minister of Pensions], cutting from the Manchester Guardian, statistics on the scale of losses for various nations in World War I, and suggested headings for WSC's speech. Part published: Complete Speeches V p 5349.Rough notes for WSC's speech (20 April, Mansion House, London, Honourable Company of Merchant Mariners Dinner) on the courage of the merchant service...
Dates: 19 Mar 1934 - 24 Jul 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Speeches: speech notes and source material., 01 Nov 1934 - 04 Dec 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/111
Scope and Contents Notes and draft press statement for WSC's speech (1 November, Woodford Bridge [Essex], Constituency meeting) on subjects including the need for Conservatives to be ready for the next general election, the National government, India and air defence against Germany. Part published: Complete Speeches V pp 5389-90.Notes and drafts for WSC's speech (16 November, BBC broadcast) entitled "The Causes of War" on German domestic policy, and the German threat to Europe and Britain. Also includes galley...
Dates: 01 Nov 1934 - 04 Dec 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 06 Aug 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/228/19-22
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to Lord Rothermere, on his sources of information for the size of the German air force. Stating that he believed that the Germans had a regular military air force, in violation of the treaty, of 300 aircraft, against Britain's home defence force of 350 aircraft, and that the Germans were increasing this total to 500 by the end of 1935. These figures took no account of German civil aviation, which was five times the size of Britain's, a large part of which was rapidly...
Dates: 06 Aug 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), [Jun] [1933]

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/193/130-131
Scope and Contents

Extract from a book [by James Johnston, retired member of the Indian Civil Service] criticising the apparent intention to rely on the RAF rather than the Army to maintain internal order in India. Sent with CHAR 2/193/128-129.

Dates: [Jun] [1933]
Conditions Governing Access: From the Fonds: The Churchill Papers are made available to researchers using Churchill Archives Centre and worldwide in digital format. The digital edition of the Churchill Papers is published by Bloomsbury Academic and is available online to subscribing institutions at churchillarchive.com. The Churchill archive is freely available in our reading rooms and onsite at Churchill College (via the Churchill College wireless network). Researchers can download images of documents directly from churchillarchive.com and so are encouraged to consider bringing a laptop or other device for this purpose. For conservation reasons, the fragile originals are no longer issued to researchers. This digital edition is open to researchers unless otherwise marked in the catalogue. Some material has been closed by the Cabinet Office or by Churchill Archives Centre in accordance with data protection legislation.
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(Untitled), 02 Mar 1929

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/164/83-84
Scope and Contents Letter from Sir William Birdwood [later Lord Birdwood] commander in chief in India (Delhi) to WSC expressing regret that he has not been able to see more of Professor Frederick Lindemann [later Lord Cherwell], considering WSC's difficulties in producing an electorally popular Budget, referring to the successful presentation by Sir Felix Schuster of his budget in India, outlining his own plans for the financing of the army in India, describing how he was almost as thankful for the departure...
Dates: 02 Mar 1929
Conditions Governing Access: From the Fonds: The Churchill Papers are made available to researchers using Churchill Archives Centre and worldwide in digital format. The digital edition of the Churchill Papers is published by Bloomsbury Academic and is available online to subscribing institutions at churchillarchive.com. The Churchill archive is freely available in our reading rooms and onsite at Churchill College (via the Churchill College wireless network). Researchers can download images of documents directly from churchillarchive.com and so are encouraged to consider bringing a laptop or other device for this purpose. For conservation reasons, the fragile originals are no longer issued to researchers. This digital edition is open to researchers unless otherwise marked in the catalogue. Some material has been closed by the Cabinet Office or by Churchill Archives Centre in accordance with data protection legislation.
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(Untitled), 15 Dec 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/47/11-12
Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Commander- in-Chief, India and Burma] to WSC on need for more aeroplanes in India and crew for Burma [later Myanmar]; International Air Force based in Burma should be placed under Wavell's control.

Dates: 15 Dec 1941
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 13 Apr 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/73/89-90
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Sir Stafford Cripps [Lord Privy Seal] (Karachi [India, later Pakistan]) to WSC regarding the defence situation in India, particularly the air and naval situation and commenting on the need for heavy bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.

Dates: 13 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 19 Apr 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/73/128-130
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India: comments on fighter and bomber strengths in India and Ceylon [later Sri Lanka] and details reinforcements; comments on plans to build up a powerful naval force in the Indian Ocean under Admiral Sir James Somerville [Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet]; comments on the strategic importance of holding Colombo [Ceylon] and preserving the link with China; states that he is sending Wavell extracts of a telegram from...
Dates: 19 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 01 Jul 1943 - 31 Jul 1943

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/104/1
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, July 1943.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; the Chiefs of Staff; senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; "C" [Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service].Subjects covered by the minutes...
Dates: 01 Jul 1943 - 31 Jul 1943
Conditions Governing Access: Open