Royal Navy
Organization
Found in 28 Collections and/or Records:
File
Literary: correspondence with consultants and others on WSC's war memoirs ("The Second World War", mainly volumes 1 to 4), A-L., Sep 1946 - Mar 1949
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/22
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: [George Gordon] Allen (6); William Deakin (5); Prime Minister Clement Attlee on House of Commons' questions on German invasion plans in 1940; Eva, Lady Keyes, on 1st Lord Keyes and King Leopold of Belgium (2); Arthur Birse [one of WSC's wartime interpreters] on WSC's talks with Marshal Stalin in 1942; Alfred Bossom; Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the Cabinet until 1946] (4); Sir Philip Morris [later 1st Lord Morris of Kenwood]; Sir George Bull; Ronald Fraser,...
Dates:
Sep 1946 - Mar 1949
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: News of the World articles by WSC: 2., May 1939 - Jun 1939
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 8/643
Scope and Contents
Includes annotated proofs, galley proofs, and cuttings from the News of the World for: "Our Rule Britannia Office of State" on the history and structure of the Admiralty, his experience of it during World War I, the replacement of coal-driven ships with oil-powered, the Admiralty yacht, the Enchantress, and praise for the Navy; "The Cinderella of Our Fighting Services" on the War Office, his experiences over demobilisation and mutinies at the end of World War I, and conscription; "Will There...
Dates:
May 1939 - Jun 1939
Conditions Governing Access:
Open.
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 1 "The Gathering Storm": Appendices: Copy and provisional proofs., 20 May 1938 - 20 Feb 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/112
Scope and Contents
Includes typescript and galley proofs of the appendices to Volume 1 including: Appendix A "A Conversation with Count [Dino] Grandi" [Italian Ambassador to Britain]; Appendix B "A Note on the Fleet Air Arm"; Appendix D "My Statement on the Occasion of the Deputation of Conservative Members of Both Houses to the Prime Minister, July 28 1936"; Appendix F "Tables of Naval Strength, September 3 1939"; Appendix G "Minute of September 12 1939, Plan 'Catherine'"; Appendix H "New Construction and...
Dates:
20 May 1938 - 20 Feb 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Book 2 and appendices: 'Final' proofs., 16 Aug 1948 - 21 Feb 1949
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/183A-B
Scope and Contents
Includes typescript and galley proofs of: contents tables for Book 2; Chapter 16 "The Battle of Britain"; Chapter 17 "The Blitz"; Chapter 18 "'London Can Take It'"; Chapter 19 "The Wizard War"; Chapter 20 "United States Destroyers and West Indian Bases"; Chapter 21 "Egypt and the Middle East"; Chapter 22 "The Mediterranean Passage"; Chapter 23 "September Tensions"; Chapter 24 "Dakar" [Senegal]; Chapter 13 "At Bay" (provisionally entitled "Alone"); Appendix A "Minutes and Telegrams, May -...
Dates:
16 Aug 1948 - 21 Feb 1949
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Book 2 and Appendices: Master copy proofs., 06 Dec 1948 - 21 Dec 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/181A-B
Scope and Contents
Includes galley proofs of: contents tables for Book 2; Chapter 16 "The Battle of Britain"; Chapter 17 "The Blitz"; Chapter 18 "'London Can Take It'"; Chapter 19 "The Wizard War"; Chapter 20 "United States Destroyers and West Indian Bases"; Chapter 21 "Egypt and the Middle East"; Chapter 22 "The Mediterranean Passage"; Chapter 23 "September Tensions"; Chapter 24 "Dakar" [Senegal]; Chapter 25 "Mr Eden's Mission" [Anthony Eden, later 1st Lord Avon, Secretary of State for War]; Chapter 26...
Dates:
06 Dec 1948 - 21 Dec 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Book 2 and appendices: Proofs for William Deakin., 21 Aug 1948 - 30 Nov 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/192A-C
Scope and Contents
Includes galley proofs of: contents tables for Book 2; Chapter 16 "The Battle of Britain"; Chapter 17 "The Blitz"; Chapter 18 "'London Can Take It'"; Chapter 19 "The Wizard War"; Chapter 20 "United States Destroyers and West Indian Bases"; Chapter 21 "Egypt and the Middle East"; Chapter 22 "The Mediterranean Passage"; Chapter 23 "September Tensions"; Chapter 24 "Dakar" [Senegal]; Chapter 25 "Mr Eden's Mission" [Anthony Eden, later 1st Lord Avon, Secretary of State for War]; Chapter 26...
Dates:
21 Aug 1948 - 30 Nov 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Literary: "The Second World War", Volume 2 "Their Finest Hour": Book 2 and appendices: 'Starred final' proofs., 22 Oct 1948 - 16 Feb 1949
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/185A-B
Scope and Contents
Includes galley proofs of: contents tables for Book 2; Chapter 7 "Back to France"; Chapter 16 "The Battle of Britain"; Chapter 17 "The Blitz"; Chapter 18 "'London Can Take It'"; Chapter 19 "The Wizard War"; Chapter 20 "United States Destroyers and West Indian Bases"; Chapter 21 "Egypt and the Middle East"; Chapter 22 "The Mediterranean Passage"; Chapter 23 "September Tensions"; Chapter 24 "Dakar" [Senegal]; Chapter 25 "Mr Eden's Mission" [Anthony Eden, later 1st Lord Avon, Secretary of State...
Dates:
22 Oct 1948 - 16 Feb 1949
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Defence: Correspondence and papers., 09 Jan 1937 - 23 Feb 1938
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/302
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Sir Philip Gibbs on the inefficiency of the RAF; Sir Eustace Tennyson d'Eyncourt [former Vice-President of the Tank Board] (2); Sir William Beveridge [Director of London School of Economics and Political Science]; Oswald Frewen on working with German and Italian sailors, German fanaticism, Italian aid to Franco and how the policies of Neville Chamberlain [Prime Minister] encourage Germany and Italy; Leo Amery; Basil Liddell Hart; Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson...
Dates:
09 Jan 1937 - 23 Feb 1938
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Defence: Correspondence etc., 12 Jan 1936 - 27 Nov 1936
File
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).
File
Public and Political: General: Defence: Correspondence etc., 09 Feb 1920 - 28 Dec 1936
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/267
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Frederick Beaumont-Nesbitt [Military Attache, Paris, France] on WSC's visit to see French military manoeuvres at Aix-en-Provence and the Maginot Line (2); "George L" [1st Lord Lloyd of Dolobran]; Alan Herbert, introducing Major-General Sir Percy Hobart [Inspector, Royal Tank Corps, and Commander, Tank Brigade] (2); Desmond Morton on subjects including meeting the representative of the Spanish Nationalists, the Marques del Moral, Communist atrocities in Spain, the...
Dates:
09 Feb 1920 - 28 Dec 1936
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Defence: Inventions and suggestions., Nov 1935 - 31 Jul 1936
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/278
Scope and Contents
Correspondents on defence inventions and suggestions from the general public include: Richard Powell [Assistant Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty] (3); Desmond Morton [Director, Industrial Intelligence Centre]; Sir Christopher Bullock [Permanent Secretary], Air Ministry; Ralph Assheton [later 1st Lord Clitheroe]; Colonel George Turner [former Superintendent, Design Department, Royal Arsenal]; Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Thoroton on the advantages of Admiralty control of the...
Dates:
Nov 1935 - 31 Jul 1936
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Defence: Memoranda etc., 14 Feb 1936 - 26 Oct 1936
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/268
Scope and Contents
Includes: memorandum by Desmond Morton on subjects including German propaganda on French military aviation and the Soviet army, and notes [added to file in January 1996] on a speech by the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence [Sir Thomas Inskip, later 1st Lord Caldecote], rebutting Inskip's claims for military production; memorandum by Sir Philip Gibbs on the inefficient state of the RAF, and its need for expansion; press cuttings from the Figaro, with an article on the Anglo-French crisis...
Dates:
14 Feb 1936 - 26 Oct 1936
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Political: Defence: miscellaneous correspondence and papers., Feb 1947 - Sep 1951
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/36
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: A V Alexander [later Lord Alexander of Hillsborough], Minister of Defence [until February 1950] (3); George Ward; Antony Head (3); Arthur Henderson [later Lord Rowley, Secretary of State for Air]; 1st Lord Cherwell [earlier F A Lindemann] (2); Anthony Eden [later 1st Lord Avon]; David Hunt [Private Secretary to Prime Minister Clement Attlee] (2); Captain Alan Hillgarth [earlier Alan Evans] on Soviet forces in Europe and Soviet affairs (7); James Thomas [later 1st Lord...
Dates:
Feb 1947 - Sep 1951
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Public and Political: General: Private and Personal: Correspondence T - Z., 29 Jan 1945 - 20 Dec 1948
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/157A-B
Scope and Contents
Correspondents include: Sir Robert Tasker; General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, apologizing for missing WSC's visit to Metz [France]; Charles Taylor [MP for Eastbourne]; Myron Taylor; James Thomas [later 1st Lord Cilcennin, MP for Hereford and Vice-Chairman, Conservative and Unionist Party] (3); "Tommy", Charles Thompson [former Personal Assistant to WSC] on subjects including applying for a post at the Jockey Club, and books and photographs for WSC (9); 6th Lord Rosebery [earlier Lord...
Dates:
29 Jan 1945 - 20 Dec 1948
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and other material., 21 Feb 1939 - 27 Apr 1939
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/134A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (21 February) on the defence loan, aircraft production, delays in rearmament, creating a Ministry of Supply, co-operation with France, and mobilisation in the event of a war. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6064-71.Notes for WSC's speech (14 March) on the army estimates, German war preparedness, arming the territorial army, and numbers assigned for possible overseas service. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard....
Dates:
21 Feb 1939 - 27 Apr 1939
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 04 May 1936 - 20 Jul 1936
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/118
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (4 May) on navy estimates and the position of the Fleet Air Arm. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5734-45.Source material for WSC's speech (?15 May) on the Coal Mines Bill. Includes correspondence from Frederick Leathers, Sir Samuel Instone, and other interested parties; objections from the Mining Association; later file note indicating the removal of material; copy of the bill.Notes for WSC's speech (21 May) on the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence [Sir Thomas...
Dates:
04 May 1936 - 20 Jul 1936
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 28 Jul 1936 - 10 Dec 1936
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/119A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speeches (28 and 29 July, Secret Defence Deputation to the Prime Minister [Stanley Baldwin]) on the relative strengths of the British and German air forces, the war making capacity of British and German industry, British air training facilities, and German power to bomb British cities.Notes for WSC's speech (5 November) on supporting the League of Nations, collective security, and policy towards Germany and Italy. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5800-4.Notes for WSC's...
Dates:
28 Jul 1936 - 10 Dec 1936
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 27 Jan 1937 - 24 May 1937
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/123
Scope and Contents
Rough notes for WSC's speech (27 January) on air defence, comparing British and German air strength. Source material includes copy of Hansard for 12 November 1936 containing WSC's speech ["The locust years"]. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5825-7.Notes for WSC's speech (4 March) on the defence loan bill, praising its long term nature, but expressing concern over Britain's defences in the immediate future. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5830-5.Notes for WSC's speech (11 March)...
Dates:
27 Jan 1937 - 24 May 1937
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 22 Feb 1938 - 24 Mar 1938
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/128
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (22 February) on [Anthony] Eden's [later 1st Lord Avon] resignation as Foreign Secretary, Eden's achievements, relations with Italy, and past foreign policy mistakes, which includes the phrase "This has been a good week for Dictators". Source material includes text from the Daily Telegraph on the Italian view of Eden, and a cutting on German reaction to international press criticism. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 5911-7.Rough notes for WSC's speech (28 February)...
Dates:
22 Feb 1938 - 24 Mar 1938
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
Item
(Untitled), 02 Mar 1912 - 05 Mar 1912
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/14/67-85
Scope and Contents
Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher (Hotel Excelsior, Naples [Italy]) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on subjects including: relations with Germany; praising WSC's speech in Glasgow [Scotland] on Naval Defence [to the Clyde Navigation Trustees, 9 February]; criticising the visit by 1st Lord Haldane [Secretary of State for War] to Germany; warship design and construction, particularly of the "Super-Swift" and "Super-Active" classes; the importance of aircraft and submarines;...
Dates:
02 Mar 1912 - 05 Mar 1912
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Item
(Untitled), 02 Mar 1912 - 05 Mar 1912
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/16/33-40
Scope and Contents
Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher (Hotel Excelsior, Naples [Italy]) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on subjects including: relations with Germany; praising WSC's speech in Glasgow [Scotland] on Naval Defence [to the Clyde Navigation Trustees, 9 February]; criticising the visit by 1st Lord Haldane [Secretary of State for War] to Germany; warship design and construction, particularly of the "Super-Swift" and "Super-Active" classes; the importance of aircraft and submarines;...
Dates:
02 Mar 1912 - 05 Mar 1912
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Item
(Untitled), 01 Oct 1939 - 31 Oct 1939
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 19/3/2
Scope and Contents
First Lord of the Admiralty's printed minutes, October 1939.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (sometimes annotated with additional printed information) to: various naval directors; Deputy Chief of Naval Staff [Rear-Admiral Tom Phillips]; the Sea Lords, particularly 1st Sea Lord [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound] and [3rd Sea Lord and] Controller [Rear-Admiral Bruce Fraser]; [Permanent] Secretary [Sir Archibald Carter]; other senior officers and civil servants.Subjects covered by the...
Dates:
01 Oct 1939 - 31 Oct 1939
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
Item
(Untitled), 01 Apr 1942 - 30 Apr 1942
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/3
Scope and Contents
Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, April 1942.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; the Chiefs of Staff.Subjects covered by the minutes include: the Japanese threat to the Falkland Islands; discussion of operation "Ironclad" [code name for British occupation of Diego Suarez, Madagascar]; the British naval...
Dates:
01 Apr 1942 - 30 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
Item
(Untitled), 01 Dec 1942 - 31 Dec 1942
Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/10
Scope and Contents
Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, December 1942.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; the Chiefs of Staff; Director of Movements [War Office, General Noel Holmes]; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; Colonel Ian Jacob [Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet]; Chief Whip [James Stuart].Subjects covered by the minutes include:...
Dates:
01 Dec 1942 - 31 Dec 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open