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Royal Navy

 Organization

Found in 73 Collections and/or Records:

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 File

Literary: correspondence, mainly readers' comments on volume 4 ("The Hinge of Fate") of WSC's war memoirs ("The Second World War")., Oct 1950 - Aug 1961

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/57A-B
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: General Sir Kenneth Anderson on 1st Army in north Africa; Anthony Moir of Fladgate and Company [WSC's solicitor] (6); Lieutenant-Colonel L V S Blacker (6); Captain John Broome on convoy PQ17; Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Browning on the raid on Bruneval [France]; ?Robert Chapman; Admiral John Godfrey; R G Gregory (4) and Josiah Francis, Australian Minister for the Army, on Australian troops and the Burma campaign; R V Jones on German use of "Window" [the code name...
Dates: Oct 1950 - Aug 1961
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 File

Literary: correspondence with consultants and others on WSC's war memoirs ("The Second World War", mainly volumes 1 to 4), A-B., Sep 1945 - Jun 1950

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/18A-B
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: William Deakin (9); [George Gordon] Allen (16); Sir John Slessor on information on the Coastal Command in 1943; Thomas Allen, publisher, on Canadian editions of the memoirs (5); 1st Lord Altrincham [earlier Sir Edward Grigg] on Sir Edward Spears reviewing "Their Finest Hour" (volume 2); "Max", 1st Lord Beaverbrook [earlier Sir Max Aitken]; Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pownall (2); Ernest Passant, Director of Research, Librarian and Keeper of the Papers, Foreign Office...
Dates: Sep 1945 - Jun 1950
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 File

Official: Prime Minister: Far East theatre, 1941-42: proofs of mainly contemporary despatches and reports for publication, with accompanying correspondence. [some material probably used in the production of WSC's "Second World War"]., 1947 - 1948

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/251
Scope and Contents From the Series: This class comprises correspondence and papers relating to Churchill's wartime premiership. It includes: private office correspondence; personal telegrams; printed copies of personal minutes, telegrams and reports; correspondence relating to appointments and patronage; some family correspondence (for which see also CHAR 1); and some engagements cards and diaries. No distinction has been attempted between the offices of Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. The former title has been deemed...
Dates: 1947 - 1948
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Official: War Cabinet: Prime Minister's Directives., 18 Dec 1941 - 30 Dec 1942

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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

Public and Political: General: Personal Office correspondence, N-Q., Jan 1942 - Dec 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/445
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Philip Noel-Baker on overcoming difficulties; Erik Colban, Norwegian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Sir [David] Ross, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, sending on books; Ivor Novello and Sir John Ponsonby on obtaining WSC's autograph; Margot, [Lady] Oxford [and Asquith, earlier Margot Asquith] on the state of the war (2); Sir Earle Page on flowers sent by WSC and CSC; William Paley on "short snorters" and seeing WSC when he was in England; Gladys, Lady...
Dates: Jan 1942 - Dec 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Public and Political: General: Private and Personal: Correspondence I - K., 26 Nov 1945 - 08 Jul 1949

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/151
Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Ismet Inonu [President of Turkey]; Seyed Taqizadeh [Iranian Ambassador to Britain]; Sir Hastings Ismay [Additional Secretary (Military) to Cabinet] on mementoes of WSC for the Imperial War Museum and notes for ["The Second World War"] (5); Anthony Nutting on the Italian Ambassador to Britain, Duke Tommaso Gallarati-Scotti; Count Nicola Carandini, Italian Ambassador to Britain; Louis Jacquinot, French Minister of Navy, on a memorial to the Free French; Vice-Admiral...
Dates: 26 Nov 1945 - 08 Jul 1949
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
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Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and other material., 21 Oct 1941 - 11 Dec 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/149A-B
Scope and Contents Hansard copy of a debate on visits to Ireland (21 October) including WSC's statement on Defence Regulation 18b [giving the Home Secretary powers to detain people without charge]. Part published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6497-8.Notes for WSC's speech (12 November) on the parliamentary address, wartime speeches by Ministers, shipping losses, food and rations, food production, fuel and production of munitions. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard and cutting from the Times reporting...
Dates: 21 Oct 1941 - 11 Dec 1941
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 27 Jan 1942 - 13 Apr 1942

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/183A-C
Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's speech (29 January) winding up a debate on the war situation and responding to parliamentary questions on subjects including: the vote of confidence in the government; general policy in the Far East; the defence of Singapore and Malaya [later Malaysia]; the scorched earth policy at Penang; the conduct of the war; and troops and supplies in India. Also includes correspondence from Oliver Locker-Lampson; Percy Harris; Sir Arnold Gridley; Colin Thornley [Principal Private...
Dates: 27 Jan 1942 - 13 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 23 Apr 1942 - 02 Jun 1942

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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
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Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 19 Jul 1944 - 08 Aug 1944

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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
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Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 28 Aug 1944 - 18 Oct 1944

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/201A-D
Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's speech (28 September) on the war situation including: successes in France, the liberation of Paris, and landings in the South of France; fighting in Italy; a tribute to the achievements of the British and United States armies; casualty figures; the campaign in Burma [later Myanmar] and progress against Japan; the use of DDT; setbacks in China; the modernisation of the British fleet; the position of Eastern European countries; and the presidential elections in the...
Dates: 28 Aug 1944 - 18 Oct 1944
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 17 Oct 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/44/10
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] urging that re-disposition of first class units to eastern hemisphere will include a modern capital ship to deter Japan.

Dates: 17 Oct 1941
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), 02 Apr 1941

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/37/36
Scope and Contents

Telegram [from WSC] to [Sir Stafford Cripps, British Ambassador to the Soviet Union] (Moscow) with a message for Yosuke Matsuoka [Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs] of "sincerity and goodwill": warning him of the possible consequences if Japan and the combined British and American "naval superiority" should come into conflict.

Dates: 02 Apr 1941
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), 17 Nov 1939

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/15/10
Scope and Contents

Memorandum by WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, for the War Cabinet entitled "Australian Naval Defence (Winter 1939)"; suggests that Japan will reserve its strength for controlling China and not attempt to attack Singapore or Australia, therefore the Australian army can be dispatched wherever necessary. [expanded to produce CHAR 20/15/11].

Dates: 17 Nov 1939
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), 21 Nov 1939

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/15/11
Scope and Contents

Memorandum by WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, for the War Cabinet entitled "Australian and New Zealand Naval Defence (Winter 1939)". [expands on content of CHAR 20/15/10].

Dates: 21 Nov 1939
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), 12 Mar 1940

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/15/12
Scope and Contents

Printed note by WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, for the War Cabinet entitled "Comparison of British and Japanese Fleets"; discusses capacity of British Fleet which can be spared for the Far East, assuming the French Fleet will command Home Waters, with tables showing projected Capital Ship strengths in 1942, with dates of completion of ships.

Dates: 12 Mar 1940
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), 05 May 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/74/119-121
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India: undertakes to keep Wavell more fully informed of the whole picture and states that Lieutenant-General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to WSC] has responsibility for this; comments on "Operation Ironclad" [codename for operation against Diego Suarez, Madagascar]; comments on naval strength in the Indian Ocean; comments on the effect of damage to HMS King George V and the presence of the German battleship Tirpitz...
Dates: 05 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 15 May 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/75/34-35
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief India, marked "most secret" outlining objectives for the war in the Far East: comments on the transfer of troops from Madagascar; comments on plans to assemble the whole Eastern Fleet at Colombo [Ceylon, later Sri Lanka] and Port Trincomalee [Ceylon, later Sri Lanka] before the middle of July and to recover effective control of the Bay of Bengal [Indian Ocean]; suggests that these dispositions will facilitate offensive...
Dates: 15 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 13 Jun 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/76/103-104
Scope and Contents Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Commander- in-Chief, India] to WSC marked "most secret" regarding British naval forces in the Indian Ocean: comments on the intentions of Admiral Sir James Somerville [Commander-in- Chief, Eastern Fleet] and states that he is sending a general appreciation; comments on communications with Admiral Somerville; states that he was informed of damage to HMS Ramillies by Naval Headquarters in India and asks about the final composition and assembly of the...
Dates: 13 Jun 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), 01 Jul 1943 - 31 Jul 1943

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/104/1
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, July 1943.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; senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; "C" [Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service].Subjects covered by the minutes...
Dates: 01 Jul 1943 - 31 Jul 1943
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 01 Sep 1943 - 30 Sep 1943

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/104/3
Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, September 1943. Some written by WSC when in Canada and the United States.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: senior civil servants, particularly Sir Alexander Cadogan [Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs]; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; President Roosevelt; Harry Hopkins [Special...
Dates: 01 Sep 1943 - 30 Sep 1943
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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