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Royal Navy

 Organization

Found in 1962 Collections and/or Records:

 Item

(Untitled), 09 Nov 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/44/137
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] informing him of destruction of 2 Axis convoys to Benghazi [Libya].

Dates: 09 Nov 1941
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 18 Nov 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/45/31
Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC on talks with Admiral Sir Tom Phillips [Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet]; expresses doubts about capability of 2 separate fleets to combat superior Japanese fleet.

Dates: 18 Nov 1941
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 07 Jul 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/52/76-78
Scope and Contents

Letter and memorandum from Stanley Bruce [High Commissioner for Australia in London] to WSC urging greater defence to maintain convoys to the Soviet Union.

Dates: 07 Jul 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Mar 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/53B/100-102
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Chatfield explaining delays in completion of capital ships, such as Lion and Temeraire.

Dates: 04 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 23 Jul 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54A/32-34
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Stanley Bruce [High Commissioner for Australia in London] thanking him for the note on Soviet convoys, stressing the importance of controlling sea communications.

Dates: 23 Jul 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 20 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54B/150-163
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to [Franklin Roosevelt] President of the United States, detailing secret military plans, reorganisation of command, and projected course of the war: Major-General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief, Middle East] to attack Cyrenaica [Libya], then advance on Tripoli; invasion of Norway has been planned as a cover; reports of German preparation for invasion of Britain over North Sea; seeks introduction of American troops to Northern Ireland; command. structure between the...
Dates: 20 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 31 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54B/182-186
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] with major points of joint strategy: expansion of shipping convoys against U-boat attack; increase of food imports in 1943; more American troops to Britain; increasing bombing, night bombing and using aircraft against U-boats.

Dates: 31 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 22 May 1942 - 08 Jul 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/55/111-137
Scope and Contents Letters from 1st Lord Beaverbrook [former Minister for Aircraft Production and Minister of Supply, earlier Max Aitken] to WSC, Lord Cranborne [Lord Privy Seal, later 5th Lord Salisbury] and Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the Cabinet] on the aircraft and shipbuilding programme, including the lack of dive-bombers, asking for minutes of the Defence Committee of Supply and on his speech in the House of Lords on anti-tank gun development; also includes a letter from A V Alexander [First Lord of...
Dates: 22 May 1942 - 08 Jul 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), [Aug 1942]

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/56B/107-108
Scope and Contents

Memorandum [submitted by Sir Edward Bridges, Secretary to the Cabinet] examining proposition by the Lord Privy Seal [Sir Stafford Cripps] for co-operation between the Services through an overall commander. [See CHAR 20/56B/129-134 for Cripps's proposition].

Dates: [Aug 1942]
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Mar 1942 - 28 May 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/57B/157-183,185
Scope and Contents Letter from 1st Lord Hankey [Paymaster-General] to WSC enclosing memoranda on the use and techniques of Bomber Command and the dispersal of capital ships and their use against Japan, written before his resignation; forwarded to the Secretary of State for Air [Sir Archibald Sinclair, later 1st Lord Thurso] and Chief of Air Staff [Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal], the First Lord of the Admiralty [A V Alexander] and 1st Sea Lord [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound]; with replies by...
Dates: 04 Mar 1942 - 28 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 24 Nov 1942 - 26 Nov 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/57B/187-189
Scope and Contents

Memorandum by Professor A V Hill [Member, War Cabinet Scientific Advisory Committee] on Science and the U-boat War addressed by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee to all MP's; includes covering note by Edward Salt, Deputy Chairman, Parliamentary and Scientific Committee.

Dates: 24 Nov 1942 - 26 Nov 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 08 Mar 1942 - 03 Jun 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/57C/264-286
Scope and Contents Correspondence between Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes, A V Alexander [First Lord of the Admiralty] and Herbert Morrison [Home Secretary] on Keyes's allegations of corruption in dockyards and delayed ship repairs; with memorandum by Alexander on Keyes's allegations, extracts from the Sunday Times and the Times, notes between Leslie Rowan, John Martin and Edith Watson [Private Secretaries to WSC] and Clifford Jarrett [Principal Private Secretary to Alexander], Alan Ker, Admiralty and...
Dates: 08 Mar 1942 - 03 Jun 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 16 Feb 1942 - 25 Feb 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/60/1-27
Scope and Contents Letter from Francis Brown [Private Secretary to WSC] to Bernard Sendall [Principal Private Secretary to Minister of Information, Brendan Bracken] enclosing drafts of a memorandum on the role of Minister of Defence and the directing of the war by WSC, for use by Bracken, annotated; also includes notes on Chiefs of Staff meetings and also notes on Defence Administration by 4th Lord Salisbury [earlier Lord Cranborne], with covering letter, note by John Martin [Private Secretary to WSC] and...
Dates: 16 Feb 1942 - 25 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 01 Mar 1942 - 30 Mar 1942

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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
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(Untitled), 01 Apr 1942 - 30 Apr 1942

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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
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(Untitled), 01 May 1942 - 31 May 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/4
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, May 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; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence].Subjects covered by the minutes include: aircraft production; bombing policy; operation "Ironclad" in Madagascar; the availability of ammunition for the Home Guard; naval operations in the Indian Ocean;...
Dates: 01 May 1942 - 31 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 01 Jun 1942 - 27 Jun 1942

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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
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(Untitled), 03 Jul 1942 - 28 Aug 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/6
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, July and August 1942. Some written by WSC when in the Middle East.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; the Chiefs of Staff; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; Major-General Leslie Hollis [Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet]; Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet].Subjects covered by the...
Dates: 03 Jul 1942 - 28 Aug 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 02 Oct 1942 - 31 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/67/8
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, October 1942.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; the Chiefs of Staff; Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Jacob [Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet].Subjects covered by the minutes include:...
Dates: 02 Oct 1942 - 31 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 01 Dec 1942 - 31 Dec 1942

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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
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(Untitled), 01 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68A/12
Scope and Contents

Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia, John Curtin, to WSC rejecting the decision by the Chiefs of Staff to have separate Indian and Pacific fleets to face the superior Japanese fleet.

Dates: 01 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68A/27
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] relaying note by the 1st Sea Lord [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound] on the inadvisability of Allied combined fleet engaging Japanese Fleet in Pacific, in aftermath of Pearl Harbor [United States] attack, where Japan has air superiority.

Dates: 04 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 19 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/116-119
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] on subjects including: denying personal responsibility for lack of preparation for war; relating the threat in the Middle East to European and Japanese campaigns; the development of military strategy; details of ships lost and the future build-up of naval power in the Indian Ocean and Pacific.

Dates: 19 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 24 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69A/33-34
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Commanders in Chief (Middle East) to WSC giving details of German and Allied army strengths at the beginning of "Crusader" [codename for British North African operation], including details of losses on both sides and reasons for Allied success.

Dates: 24 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 16 Feb 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/70/52-54
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: comments on personnel changes at ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] Command; comments on implications of the new situation created by the fall of Singapore and Japanese landings in Sumatra [Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia]; states that a battle is impending in Libya; comments on the retreat of the German naval forces from Brest [France], and the damage inflicted on the [German battleships], the...
Dates: 16 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open