Royal Air Force
Organization
Found in 129 Collections and/or Records:
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: Prime Minister's Directives., 27 Jun 1940 - 30 Dec 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/4
Scope and Contents
Printed directives by the Prime Minister, WSC, on subjects including: War Cabinet arrangements; the brevity of reports; the unlikelihood of invasion from the sea, including a note by Sir Dudley Pound, 1st Sea Lord; draft notes on defence against invasion, including notes by the Chiefs of Staff; the priority of the air force; strengthening the army; munitions; the reinforcement of Malta; relations with Vichy France in the Mediterranean; strengthening the forces in the Mediterranean; the...
Dates:
27 Jun 1940 - 30 Dec 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Prime Minister's Directives., 06 Mar 1941 - 12 Dec 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/9
Scope and Contents
Printed directives by the Prime Minister, WSC, on subjects including: the battle of the Atlantic; food imports; army scales; the naval programme; the Mediterranean; warning Stalin against Germany (including extracts of correspondence between WSC, the Foreign Secretary [Anthony Eden, later 1st Lord Avon] and Sir Stafford Cripps [British Ambassador to the Soviet Union]; policy in Syria; Egypt and the Middle East; security of cabinet papers; the maintenance of forces in the Middle East; the...
Dates:
06 Mar 1941 - 12 Dec 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Official: War Cabinet: Prime Minister's Directives., 18 Dec 1941 - 30 Dec 1942
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/10
Scope and Contents
Printed directives by the Prime Minister, WSC, on subjects including: the future conduct of the war; the Pacific and the Japanese fleet; the entry of the United States into the war; the Atlantic Front; the Indian Ocean; the function of the Minister of State in the Middle East [Richard Casey]; Vichy France's co-operation with Germany; the function of the Minister Resident in West Africa [1st Lord Swinton, earlier Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, earlier Sir Philip Lloyd-Greame]; Fleet Air Arm...
Dates:
18 Dec 1941 - 30 Dec 1942
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
Political: Constituency, Epping [Essex]: correspondence O-Pi., 30 Jul 1940 - 24 Jul 1945
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 7/87A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Sir James Hawkey [Vice-Chairman of Epping Division Conservative Association and Mayor of Wanstead and Woodford] (6).Subjects include: RAF demobilization; pension enquiries; requisitioning of houses; Italian prisoners of war; War Service grants; railway shares; internment of aliens; petrol allowances.Also includes: a cartoon postcard of WSC and Hitler; a song written by H Chadwick Palmer; a British Legion newsletter (spring 1945).
Dates:
30 Jul 1940 - 24 Jul 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Political: Constituency, Epping [Essex]: correspondence Ro-Ru., 25 Sep 1940 - 25 Jul 1945
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 7/91A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Sir Sydney Walter Robinson; Sir James Hawkey [Vice-Chairman of Epping Division Conservative Association and Mayor of Wanstead and Woodford] (6); Duncan Sandys [Financial Secretary of the War Office]; Royal Wanstead School (6); R A Butler [Minister of Education] on the liability of teachers for military service.Other subjects include: RAF engineers' training; length of overseas service; bomb damage claims; air raid shelter prices; local gunpowder and small arms...
Dates:
25 Sep 1940 - 25 Jul 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Political: Constituency, Epping [Essex]: correspondence Ti-Ty., 10 May 1941 - 06 Jul 1945
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 7/97
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Sir James Hawkey [Vice-Chairman of Epping Division Conservative Association and Mayor of Wanstead and Woodford] (11); F J Tucker (7); L R Prescott [Assistant Private Secretary to the Minister of Health] (5).Subjects include: RAF ground trades promotion system; cinema film rental; de-requisitioning of houses; local refuse collection; age limits for Far Eastern service; war damage claims and repair; call up of doctors; famine relief for Europe (particularly Greece).Also...
Dates:
10 May 1941 - 06 Jul 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Political: Constituency: Woodford [Essex]: correspondence with or on behalf of constituents, L-R., Jun 1945 - May 1946
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 3/26A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: [Claud] Wright, [Principal] (3) and M L Elder (8) of the War Office; J H Hughes of the Air Ministry (9); constituent R W McOwen (5); Sir James Hawkey [Chairman of Woodford Conservative Association] (8); Leslie Rowan [Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Clement Attlee]; [Hugh] Farmar [Assistant Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Air] (2); Sir George Harvie Watt; Archie Moore, Surgeon to the London Hospital, on a constituent's health; Joyce Gordon...
Dates:
Jun 1945 - May 1946
Conditions Governing Access:
Open, (folios 173-9 and 207-9 opened in 2022)
File
Public and Political: General: Air Defence: Wing-Commander Anderson., 01 Mar 1939 - 13 Nov 1939
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/372
Scope and Contents
Notes, memoranda and correspondence by and from Wing-Commander Charles Anderson [Commander No 1 Armament Training, Catfoss, Yorkshire], including: copy of Air Ministry Orders on short service commissions; notes on the strength of various squadrons; report by Air Commodore Hugh Champion de Crespigny, Air Officer Commanding No 25 (Armament) Group, on the armament training of No 144 (Bomber) Squadron, in bombing, gunnery and equipment; account of aircraft conditions for a bombing raid over...
Dates:
01 Mar 1939 - 13 Nov 1939
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Correspondence, A-B., Jan 1929 - Oct 1934
File
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
File
Public and Political: General: Defence., 06 Nov 1936 - 20 Jan 1942
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/371A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents on defence issues include: Sir Thomas Inskip [Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, later 1st Lord Caldecote]; Harry Sellar, Private Secretary to Inskip (2); Leslie Hore-Belisha, Secretary of State for War, on subjects including the arming of the Guards Battalions; Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for Air, on showing WSC [air construction graphs]; 1st Lord Swinton [former Secretary of State for Air, earlier Philip Cunliffe-Lister and Philip Lloyd-Greame] on the formation...
Dates:
06 Nov 1936 - 20 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open.
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: Private and Personal: Correspondence E - M., 09 Feb 1944 - 02 Jan 1946
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/141A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Anthony Eden on not accepting the order of the garter, building up the Conservative Front Bench and broadening the party's appeal (2); Dwight Eisenhower [Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe] on finding United States accommodation for WSC on the Riviera [France] and on a statement concerning the crisis in January 1945 over pulling troops out of Alsace (3); Frank Cook [Charge d'Affaires, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia] on the gift of a picture from...
Dates:
09 Feb 1944 - 02 Jan 1946
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 other material., 30 Jul 1940 - 17 Sep 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/141A-B
Scope and Contents
Statement by WSC (30 July) on making the remainder of the day's sitting a secret session. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard.Statement by WSC (17 September, secret session) on the danger to the Houses of Parliament posed by air raids and possible changes to House of Commons procedures as a consequence of this threat. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6280-3.Hansard copy of WSC's statement (13 August) on an aeroplane disaster involving Australian ministers and military...
Dates:
30 Jul 1940 - 17 Sep 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and other material., 08 Oct 1940 - 19 Dec 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/142A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (8 October) on the Battle of Britain, the Home Guard and the Home Front, Hitler's threat to invade Britain, events at Dakar [Senegal], the desertion of Vichy France, the Burma road [between Burma, later Myanmar, and China] and events in Spain. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6284-94.Notes for WSC's statement (17 October) on Robert Boothby [Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Food] and Czechoslovak claims.Notes for WSC's speech (5 November) on the war situation,...
Dates:
08 Oct 1940 - 19 Dec 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and other material., 09 Jul 1941 - 01 Oct 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/148A-B
Scope and Contents
Hansard copies of WSC's statements (9 July) on the occupation of Iceland by United States troops, the appeal for arms from Eire (Southern Ireland [Ireland]) to the United States, and British losses in Syria. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6446-7.Notes for WSC's statement (15 July) on the production debate, the Anglo-Soviet Agreement against Germany, its effect on Poland, and the end of the Syrian campaign. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard. Part published: Complete Speeches...
Dates:
09 Jul 1941 - 01 Oct 1941
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., 05 Sep 1940 - 08 Oct 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/174A-C
Scope and Contents
Statement by WSC (5 September) on the war situation and an agreement with the United States over destroyers and defence bases, events in Romania, the achievements of the RAF, damage through bombing and the insurance scheme, evacuation, air raid warnings and other Home Front issues. Source material includes: notes and correspondence from Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse [Vice-Chief of Air Staff], Norman Brook [later 1st Lord Normanbrook] (2), Arthur Cary [Assistant Principal, Air Ministry] (4),...
Dates:
05 Sep 1940 - 08 Oct 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 05 Nov 1940 - 19 Dec 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/175
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (5 November) on the war situation including the air battles, the bombing of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, the threat posed by U Boats, the possibility of invasion by Germany, civil defence and the Home Guard, affairs in Egypt and the Middle East, and the Italian invasion of Greece. Source material includes correspondence from 1st Lord Beaverbrook [earlier Max Aitken, Minister for Aircraft Production], Henry Strutt [Assistant Under-Secretary of...
Dates:
05 Nov 1940 - 19 Dec 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 30 Sep 1941 - 11 Dec 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/180A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for statement by WSC (30 September) on the war situation including: the threat posed by Hitler, WSC's intention not to publish shipping losses to U-Boats, food and rations, the strength of the United States and the Soviet Union, Germany's attack on the Soviet Union, the army and Bomber Command, and events and operations in Persia [Iran]. Also includes correspondence from 1st Lord Woolton [earlier Frederick Marquis] Minister of Food, Frank Wood, and Major-General Bernard Paget,...
Dates:
30 Sep 1941 - 11 Dec 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 23 Apr 1942 - 02 Jun 1942
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/184A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (23 April) in secret session on the war situation including: Japan's entry into the war; setbacks including battleship losses; defence of the Admiralty over the escape of the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau; events and operations in the Far East, the Middle East and the Soviet Union; air battles including the bombing of Germany; and aircraft and ship production. Also includes correspondence from: Maurice Dean [Assistant Under Secretary of State,...
Dates:
23 Apr 1942 - 02 Jun 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open