Royal Air Force
Organization
Found in 32 Collections and/or Records:
Unknown
"Give us the tools", 9 Feb 1941
Unknown
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/150A/52-75
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's broadcast (BBC) on the war situation including: the repulsion of the threat of German invasion, the Blitz and the bombing of Britain; the strength of British spirit; the Italian attack on Greece; successes in Libya and Egypt, including victory at Sidi Barrani under General Sir Archibald Wavell [Commander in Chief Middle East] and General [Henry] Wilson; successes of the British Mediterranean Fleet against the Italian navy under Admiral [Sir Andrew] Cunningham...
Dates:
9 Feb 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: lists of recordings by WSC and cuttings from "Into Battle" and "The Unrelenting Struggle"., [1941] - 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/3
Scope and Contents
Includes lists of recordings from the above books, "The Gathering Storm" [volume 1 of "The Second World War"], and "The World Crisis"; pages cut from: "Into Battle" featuring WSC's speeches (13 May, 28 May, 4 June, 18 June, and 20 August 1940) on becoming Prime Minister, the fall of Belgium, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France], and the role of the RAF in the Battle of Britain; and "The Unrelenting Struggle" featuring WSC's joint messages with President...
Dates:
[1941] - 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Comments by Sir Norman Brook., 28 Jan 1948 - 01 Nov 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/193
Scope and Contents
Includes notes by Sir Norman Brook [later 1st Lord Normanbrook, Secretary to the Cabinet] on Volume 2, on subjects including: Chapter 1 "The National Coalition"; Chapter 2 "The Battle of France. The First Week. [General Maurice] Gamelin"; Chapter 3 "The Battle of France. The Second Week. [General Maxime] Weygand"; Chapter 5 "The Deliverance of Dunkirk"; Chapter 8 "Home Defence. June"; Chapter 10 "The Bordeaux Armistice"; Chapter 13 "At Bay" (provisionally entitled "Alone"); Chapter 16 "The...
Dates:
28 Jan 1948 - 01 Nov 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Notes and comments by Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pownall., 02 Mar 1941 - 16 Jun 1949
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/196A-C
Scope and Contents
Includes notes and comments by Pownall on subjects including: factual and printing errors throughout Volume 2; the build-up to the German attack on the Soviet Union; the build-up to "Dynamo" [codename for the evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk, France]; the British Expedition Force; the meeting between 6th Lord Gort [Commander-in-Chief of British Field Force, earlier John Vereker] and General Maxime Weygand [Commander-in-Chief, French Army], May 1940; British casualties; the defence of...
Dates:
02 Mar 1941 - 16 Jun 1949
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Various material., 22 May 1940 - 15 Jan 1949
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/198
Scope and Contents
Includes: extracts from the Belgian press on the surrender of Belgium in 1940, with comments by Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pownall; issue of the Air Ministry pamphlet "The Battle of Britain"; typescript draft of Chapter 16 "The Battle of Britain" annotated by WSC, Denis Kelly and [?] Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park [former Commander of No 11 Fighter Group]; supplements to the London Gazette on the Battle of Britain and the evacuation from Dunkirk [France], containing despatches from Air...
Dates:
22 May 1940 - 15 Jan 1949
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: Prime Minister: Air Operations in Britain and North-West Europe, 1940-45: proofs of mainly contemporary despatches and reports for publication, with accompanying correspondence. [some material probably used in the production of WSC's "Second World War"]., Jun 1946 - Sep 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/245
Scope and Contents
From the Series:
This class comprises correspondence and papers relating to Churchill's wartime premiership. It includes: private office correspondence; personal telegrams; printed copies of personal minutes, telegrams and reports; correspondence relating to appointments and patronage; some family correspondence (for which see also CHAR 1); and some engagements cards and diaries. No distinction has been attempted between the offices of Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. The former title has been deemed...
Dates:
Jun 1946 - Sep 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Chiefs of Staff Committee: weekly resumes., 30 May 1940 - 01 Aug 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/5
Scope and Contents
Printed reviews of the naval, military and air situation, including: the evacuation of Dunkirk [France]; minelaying and minesweeping; Scandinavia; Italy; the Balkans; air defence; air attacks on Germany and Britain; losses of shipping; the Western Front; the Mediterranean; the North Sea; enemy naval intelligence; the French fleet; Africa; the German and Italian Air Forces.
Dates:
30 May 1940 - 01 Aug 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Chiefs of Staff Committee: weekly resumes., 01 Aug 1940 - 03 Oct 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/6
Scope and Contents
Printed reviews of the naval, military and air situation, including: home waters; the Mediterranean; attacks on shipping; enemy shipping; minelaying; minesweeping; Germany; the Middle East; Africa; air defence; air attacks on Germany and Italy; enemy intelligence; the Balkans; home security; economic warfare; Italy; the North Sea; the United States; the Soviet Union.
Dates:
01 Aug 1940 - 03 Oct 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Chiefs of Staff Committee: weekly resumes., 03 Oct 1940 - 14 Nov 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/7
Scope and Contents
Printed reviews of the naval, military and air situation, including: home waters; the Mediterranean; Africa; shipping losses; enemy intelligence; enemy shipping; minelaying and minesweeping; the Soviet fleet; Italy; the Balkans; the North Sea; air intelligence; home security; the Middle East; enemy air attacks; Germany; air operations.
Dates:
03 Oct 1940 - 14 Nov 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Chiefs of Staff Committee: weekly resumes., 14 Nov 1940 - 26 Dec 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/8
Scope and Contents
Printed reviews of the naval, military and air situation, including: home waters; the Mediterranean; enemy intelligence; shipping losses; enemy shipping; minelaying and minesweeping; Germany; the Balkans; the Middle East; air attacks on enemy territory; air attacks on Britain; Italy; Africa; air intelligence; home security.
Dates:
14 Nov 1940 - 26 Dec 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Supreme War Council., 12 Sep 1939 - 13 Jun 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/2
Scope and Contents
Printed records of the Council's meetings, on subjects including: the general situations in Britain; France; Germany; Poland; Italy; Spain; the Balkans; the Baltic; naval policy; the Eastern Front; the Western Front; air policy; South eastern Europe; Northern Europe; the Soviet Union; Scandinavia; British troops in France; the evacuation from Dunkirk [France]; appeals to the United States.Also includes: printed index.
Dates:
12 Sep 1939 - 13 Jun 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Political: correspondence and papers on defence, atomic weapons and energy., Nov 1945 - Apr 1954
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/28
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Prime Minister Clement Attlee (6); Anthony Eden [later 1st Lord Avon] on the strength of the army and RAF; [1st] Lord Cherwell [earlier F A Lindemann] (3); President Harry Truman (2); Walter Gifford, United States Ambassador to Great Britain. Also includes notes and copies of correspondence from WSC's secretaries "N S" [Jo Sturdee, later Lady Onslow], "J P" [Jane Portal, later Lady Williams of Elvel], "L M M" [Lettice Marston, later Lettice Shillingford], and "C G"...
Dates:
Nov 1945 - Apr 1954
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.
File
Public and Political: General: Political: Correspondence P - S., 13 May 1950 - 17 Feb 1959
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/130A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Ernest Marples, Postmaster General; Eugene Spier, on writing a history of the Focus luncheon meetings and combating the continuing influence of Hitler in Germany (7); Richard Greville, Personal Assistant to the Chairman, Conservative and Unionist Central Office (6); Edward Given, Foreign Office, on WSC's New Year message to Poland; Henry Price (2); Sir Clive Morrison-Bell on proportional representation; Julian Ridsdale; John Rodgers; George Beck, Bishop of Brentwood...
Dates:
13 May 1950 - 17 Feb 1959
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Political: Correspondence T-Z., Nov 1947 - Dec 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/72A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Iain MacLeod, Conservative Parliamentary Secretariat, on the position of graduate teachers (2); Emanuel Shinwell, Secretary of State for War, (2) and Arthur Henderson [later Lord Rowley], Secretary of State for Air, (2) on recruitment for service auxiliaries and reserves; James Thomas [later 1st Lord Cilcennin, Vice- Chairman of Conservative and Unionist Party] (2); Colin Thornton-Kemsley (2); Reginald Maudling; 6th Lord De L'Isle and Dudley [earlier William Sidney,...
Dates:
Nov 1947 - Dec 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Political: Defence - correspondence with Prime Minister Clement Attlee., Mar 1946 - Aug 1950
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/29A-B
Scope and Contents
Other correspondents include: Oliver Lyttelton [later 1st Lord Chandos]; Anthony Eden [later 1st Lord Avon] (2); A V Alexander [later Lord Alexander of Hillsborough] on Czechoslovak railways; Francis Graham-Harrison, Laurence Pumphrey (2), and Paul Osmond, Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister; Laurence Helsby [Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister]; Antony Head (2); 1st Lord Cherwell [earlier F A Lindemann]; Clement Davies [Leader of the Liberal Party]. Also includes notes...
Dates:
Mar 1946 - Aug 1950
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons and Non-House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., Apr 1951 - 28 Sep 1951
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 5/42A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (3 July, Grosvenor House Hotel [London]) at the English Speaking Union dinner for General Dwight Eisenhower, on the English Speaking Union as a foundation for peace and an advance towards a united Europe.Speech notes and typescript for WSC's speech (10 July, Royal College of Physicians [London]) entitled "Lord Moran" (for the presentation of his portrait to 1st Lord Moran [earlier Charles Wilson, former President, Royal College of Physicians]), on subjects...
Dates:
Apr 1951 - 28 Sep 1951
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons and Non-House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 06 Nov 1951 - 22 Dec 1951
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 5/45A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes and extract from Hansard for WSC's speech (6 November, House of Commons) for the debate on the address, on subjects including: the political divisions in the country; the charge of war-mongering laid against the Conservatives, and the need for steady government; the restoration of university representation in Parliament; the repeal of the Iron and Steel Nationalization Act; future parliamentary business, including the defence debate; keeping the Minister of Education out of the...
Dates:
06 Nov 1951 - 22 Dec 1951
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and other material., 23 May 1940 - 04 Jul 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/140A-B
Scope and Contents
Statement by WSC (23 May) on fighting in France. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard. Published: Complete Speeches VI p 6223.Hansard copy of statement by WSC (28 May) on the fall of Belgium. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6223-4.Notes for WSC's speech (4 June) entitled "Wars are not won by evacuations" on the fall of Belgium, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France] and the successes of the RAF. Speech includes the phrase "We shall fight on the...
Dates:
23 May 1940 - 04 Jul 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 23 May 1940 - 19 Jun 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/172
Scope and Contents
Statement by WSC (23 May) on fighting in France. Published: Complete Speeches VI p 6223.Statement by WSC (28 May) on the fall of Belgium. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6223-4.Speech notes for WSC's speech (4 June) entitled "Wars are not won by evacuations" on the fall of Belgium, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France] and the successes of the RAF. Speech includes the phrase "We shall fight on the beaches . . . We shall never surrender". Source material...
Dates:
23 May 1940 - 19 Jun 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 25 Jun 1940 - 21 Nov 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/173A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (25 June) entitled "The fall of France" on the capitulation of France, the surrender of the French fleet to Germany and his visit to see [Paul] Reynaud [Prime Minister of France]. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6239-41.Statement by WSC (4 July) on the British destruction of the French fleet at Oran [Algeria]. Source material includes notes on the co-ordination of intelligence, the role of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces [General Sir Alan Brooke,...
Dates:
25 Jun 1940 - 21 Nov 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 19 Jul 1944 - 08 Aug 1944
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/200A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's statement (2 August) on the war situation including: successes against Germany and Japan world-wide including the Far East; decisions made at the Quebec [Canada] conference; the Normandy landings; RAF losses; the tanks supplied by the United States and praise for the Sherman and Churchill tanks; the progress of General Sir Harold Alexander [Commander in Chief of the Allied Armies in Italy]; his hopes of victory; flying bombs and the evacuation of London; improved...
Dates:
19 Jul 1944 - 08 Aug 1944
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes (some by WSC as First Lord of the Admiralty) and other material., 30 Mar 1940 - 01 Oct 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/144
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's broadcast (30 March, BBC) entitled "A hideous state of alarm and menace" on the fate of the neutral nations, German atrocities, particularly in Poland, and wishing to avoid conflict with the Soviet Union. Also includes various cuttings reporting the speech. Part published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6199-201.Notes for WSC's broadcast (19 May, BBC) entitled "Arm yourselves and be ye men of valour" on the war situation in France and the formation of the coalition government,...
Dates:
30 Mar 1940 - 01 Oct 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Fonds
The Papers of Sir Winston Churchill
Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR and CHUR
Scope and Contents
The papers consist of original documents accumulated by Sir Winston Churchill throughout his life (1874-1965). They have been divided into two sections: the Chartwell Papers (CHAR) and the Churchill Papers (CHUR). Together, the two sets of papers cover the following major areas:
Personal (CHAR 1 and CHUR 1), 1884-1965
The papers of Churchill as a private person. They include correspondence with or about his family and friends on non-public topics and papers relating to...
Dates:
The majority of files date from the 1870s to 1965.
Conditions Governing Access:
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.
Found in:
Churchill Archives Centre
Item
(Untitled), c 1946
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/245/37-100
Scope and Contents
Galley proofs reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory, [then] Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, dated November 1944, entitled "Air Operations by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force in [North-West] Europe from November 15, 1943 to September 30, 1944" giving details of the AEEF's structure and the planning and carrying out of operations before, including, and after D Day. [annotated by WSC's office].
Dates:
c 1946
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Found in:
Churchill Archives Centre
/
The Papers of Sir Winston Churchill
/
Chartwell Papers
/
Official: Prime Minister
/
Official: Prime Minister: Air Operations in Britain and North-West Europe, 1940-45: proofs of mainly contemporary despatches and reports for publication, with accompanying correspondence. [some material probably used in the production of WSC's "Second World War"].
Item
(Untitled), c 1946
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/245/101-106
Scope and Contents
Galley proofs reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, [then] Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Coastal Command, RAF, dated 1 November 1944, entitled "Liberation of Europe (Operation 'Overlord'): operations of Coastal Command, Royal Air Force, from May to August 1944".
Dates:
c 1946
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Found in:
Churchill Archives Centre
/
The Papers of Sir Winston Churchill
/
Chartwell Papers
/
Official: Prime Minister
/
Official: Prime Minister: Air Operations in Britain and North-West Europe, 1940-45: proofs of mainly contemporary despatches and reports for publication, with accompanying correspondence. [some material probably used in the production of WSC's "Second World War"].