Skip to main content

Royal Navy

 Organization

Found in 14 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: "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

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

Speeches: House of Commons and Non-House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 27 Feb 1950 - 28 Mar 1950

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 5/33A-C
Scope and Contents Speech notes and typescript for WSC's speech (7 March, House of Commons) for the debate on the address, on subjects including: the stalemate in the new Parliament and the need for electoral reform; uncertainty until the next election; increasing food production; unemployment; cutting taxation; restoring the value of sterling; repealing the nationalization of the iron and steel industry; enlarging the building trade to solve the housing problem; the risk of Britain being split into Labour and...
Dates: 27 Feb 1950 - 28 Mar 1950
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., 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
 Item

(Untitled), 01 Mar 1942 - 30 Mar 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/2
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, March 1942.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: Major-General Leslie Hollis [Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet]; the Chiefs of Staff; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; the Chief Whip [James Stuart].Subjects covered by the minutes include: matters concerning the command structure, including...
Dates: 01 Mar 1942 - 30 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 01 Jun 1942 - 27 Jun 1942

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/5
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, June 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]; the Chiefs of Staff; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet].Subjects covered by the minutes include: discussion of proposed operations against Germany in northern Norway ("Jupiter"), Spitsbergen ("Jackpot") and France...
Dates: 01 Jun 1942 - 27 Jun 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 02 Jun 1940 - 30 Jun 1940

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/13/3
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, June 1940.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; F A Lindemann [later 1st Lord Cherwell] and Desmond Morton [Prime Minister's Personal Assistants].Subjects covered by the minutes include: the evacuation and reconstitution of the British Expeditionary Force;...
Dates: 02 Jun 1940 - 30 Jun 1940
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 20 Oct 1941

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/20/43-57
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to President [Franklin Roosevelt] outlining various plans and proposals concerning: attacking the German and Italian armies in Libya; French North Africa; Norway; British contributions to the Soviet war effort; defending Great Britain from a possible German invasion; placing United States forces in Northern Ireland [Ulster]; the command structure in the Middle East and the roles of the Air Force and Navy; the effect of victory in Libya on Italy and Turkey; landing tanks; the...
Dates: 20 Oct 1941
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Unknown

"War cabinet: Chiefs of Staff Committee: Weekly Resume (no.40) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation", 30 May- 6 Jun 1940

 Unknown
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 23/5/1-14
Scope and Contents Detailed summary of the war situation including: the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk including the effect of weather conditions, numbers evacuated, naval losses and attacks by German bombers; attacks by U-boats on seaborne trade; anti-submarine operations; German trade; overview of the military and air situation covering Norway, Italy, the North Sea and coastal operations, the bombing of Great Britain, attacks on Germany by Bomber Command, French and German air...
Dates: 30 May- 6 Jun 1940
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Unknown

"Wars are not won by evacuations", 04 Jun 1940

 Unknown
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/140A/9-28
Scope and Contents Typescript copy of notes for WSC's speech on the fall of Belgium and surrender of King [Leopold] of Belgium; the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France]; the successes of the RAF; losses of men and weaponry; military development and the possibility of German invasion. Speech includes the phrase "We shall fight on the beaches . . . We shall never surrender".Carbon typescript copy with some manuscript annotations in ink [not by WSC] laid out in "psalm style" apart...
Dates: 04 Jun 1940
Conditions Governing Access: Open