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Royal Air Force

 Organization

Found in 260 Collections and/or Records:

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(Untitled), 29 Nov 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/228/48-51
Scope and Contents

Letter from Desmond Morton, Beaufort Gardens, London SW3 to WSC, congratulations on "masterly" speech in the Air debate in the House of Commons. Expressing relief that Stanley Baldwin had pledged not to allow the strength of the RAF to fall below that of Germany. Commenting on Baldwin's statements on the relative strength of the two air forces.

Dates: 29 Nov 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 29 Nov 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/228/52
Scope and Contents Letter from Colin Coote, The Times, to WSC, congratulations on speech on defence in the House of Commons. Commenting on the absence of any official comment on German dual-purpose aircraft, stating that he disliked the easy assumption that it took months to turn a civilian pilot into a military one "the professional bunkum to which regular officers are all too prone". Stating that during the War he used to be told that it took months to make a machine gunner "but in point of fact anyone of...
Dates: 29 Nov 1934
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 03 Dec 1934

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/228/53
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Colin Coote, The Times, commenting on the Air Debate in the House of Commons, particularly the anxiety of the Government to classify the 127 territorial Air Force machines with the best front line aircraft. Commenting that these were the oldest, had no reserves, and only weekend pilots. [carbon].

Dates: 03 Dec 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), 01 May 1945 - 31 May 1945

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/209/5
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, May 1945. Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; the Chief Whip [James Stuart]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; the Chiefs of Staff; "C" [Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service]....
Dates: 01 May 1945 - 31 May 1945
Conditions Governing Access: Open, except for minutes M 497/5 and C 42/5, which are closed on Cabinet Office instructions under S23 of the Freedom of Information Act. Review 2032.
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(Untitled), 30 Sep 1935

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/244/37-39
Scope and Contents

Letter from Desmond Morton, (Earlylands, Crockham Hill, Edenbridge, Kent) to WSC, on relative air strength of Britain and Germany, stating that the number of military aircraft in the possession of the German Air Ministry and available for home defence in Britain were about the same, but that all of the German aircraft were new.

Dates: 30 Sep 1935
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 21 Mar 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/72/55-57
Scope and Contents Telegram from Sir Stafford Cripps [Lord Privy Seal] to WSC reciting his conclusions on the situation in the Middle East: states that "at present time neither our strength in tanks nor in air is such as to give any chance worth considering of a successful offensive"; gives details of tank and air strength; comments on the need for heavy bombers; comments on the view of General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief, Middle East] that there can be no offensive before mid-May; states that...
Dates: 21 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 29 Mar 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/72/126-129
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] regarding bombing: states that bombing attacks are being made on U-boat nests and reports a successful raid on Lubeck [Germany]; comments on the policy of menacing U-boats in the Bay of Biscay and his keenness to add six bomber squadrons to this new Biscay patrol; comments on the need to bomb Germany and on a structural defect to the wing tip of Lancasters which requires the laying up of four squadrons; appeals that...
Dates: 29 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 29 May 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/39/50-52
Scope and Contents

Telegram from President Roosevelt to WSC outlining proposal for United States military to assume responsibility for ferrying combat aircraft for Britain from production plant to delivery point for collection by RAF.

Dates: 29 May 1941
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), 31 May 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/39/60
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to President Roosevelt accepting reorganisation of aircraft delivery [see CHAR 20/39/52 for proposal]; and commenting on reasons for withdrawal from Crete [Greece].

Dates: 31 May 1941
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 Jun 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/39/68-71
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to Prime Minister of Canada [Mackenzie King] reciting telegram correspondence between himself and President Roosevelt and requesting co-operation with Roosevelt's proposal that United States aircraft for the RAF should be delivered via Canada.

Dates: 02 Jun 1941
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), 29 Jun 1945

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/232/33
Scope and Contents

Cabinet memorandum by Chancellor of the Exchequer [Sir John Anderson, later 1st Lord Waverley] on man-power in the second half of 1945, including as an appendix a memorandum by the Minister of Labour and National Service [R A Butler].

Dates: 29 Jun 1945
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 23 May 1945

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/232/36
Scope and Contents

War Cabinet memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air [Sir Archibald Sinclair, later 1st Lord Thurso] marked "Top Secret" on RAF manpower requirements for June to December 1945.

Dates: 23 May 1945
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 20 Feb 1945

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/232/58-70
Scope and Contents

Minute from "P J G" [Sir James Grigg], Secretary of State for War, (War Office) to WSC setting out his proposals for reducing personnel in the Middle East, commenting on internal security considerations, administrative implications, implications special to the RAF, and financial considerations. [initialled; flagged "E"].

Dates: 20 Feb 1945
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), [20] [Feb] [1945]

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/232/71-75
Scope and Contents

Appendix "A" [to a minute from Sir James Grigg, Secretary of State for War, to WSC, CHAR 20/232/58-70] giving details of proposed reductions in manpower in the Middle East. [flagged "B"].

Dates: [20] [Feb] [1945]
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 19 Dec 1944

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/232/83-84
Scope and Contents Minute from WSC to Chancellor of the Exchequer [Sir John Anderson, later 1st Lord Waverley], Minister of Labour [Ernest Bevin], Minister of Production [Oliver Lyttelton, later 1st Lord Chandos], Secretary of State for War [Sir James Grigg], and General [Sir Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] for the Chiefs of Staff Committee, asking the Secretary of State for War to put forward proposals to reduce manpower in the Middle East, setting out the existing position, and...
Dates: 19 Dec 1944
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 27 Oct 1944

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/232/89-90
Scope and Contents

Memorandum from the Commander in Chief, Middle East Forces [General Sir Bernard Paget] (General Headquarters, Middle East Forces) marked "Top Secret" on manpower levels in the Middle East Base, prepared on WSC's verbal instructions, with an appendix table setting out the relevant figures.

Dates: 27 Oct 1944
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), c 1946

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/245/3-36
Scope and Contents

Galley proofs reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal [1st] Lord Dowding [then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fighter Command] dated 20 August 1941 on the course of the Battle of Britain incorporating various appendices, with later Air Ministry foreword and footnotes.

Dates: c 1946
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), c 1946

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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
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(Untitled), c 1946

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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
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(Untitled), 17 Apr 1948

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/245/115-143
Scope and Contents

Typescript copy of a report by Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Hill, former Air Marshal Commanding, Air Defence of Great Britain, RAF, entitled "Air Operations by Air Defence of Great Britain and Fighter Command in connection with the German Flying Bomb and Rocket Offensives, 1944-1945". [annotated].

Dates: 17 Apr 1948
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), Jun 1945

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/237/2
Scope and Contents

"Table 1" giving the "estimated strengths of imperial armed forces (white troops)" at approximately 1 May or 1 June 1945 and analysing the imperial army and air force by theatre at approximately 1 June 1945.

Dates: Jun 1945
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 20 Jan 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/258A/93
Scope and Contents

Draft minute [prepared by F A Lindemann, later 1st Lord Cherwell, Prime Minister's Personal Assistant] to the Secretary of State for Air [Sir Archibald Sinclair, later 1st Lord Thurso] on the importance of accurate figures of the number of aircraft in the RAF and on the enquiry into the size of the German Air Force. [Copy].

Dates: 20 Jan 1941
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), c 1946

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/249B/239-267
Scope and Contents Page proofs [for a supplement to the London Gazette] entitled "The part played by the Allied Air Forces in the final defeat of the enemy in the Mediterranean theatre, March to May, 1945" reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal Sir Guy Garrod, former Commander-in-Chief, Royal Air Force, Mediterranean and Middle East, and Deputy Air Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, dated August 1946, including sections on conditions in the Mediterranean theatre on 16 March, 1945, the...
Dates: c 1946
Conditions Governing Access: Open