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Public and Political: General: Political: Defence - correspondence with Prime Minister Clement Attlee., Mar 1946 - Aug 1950

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 2/29A-B

Scope and Contents

Other correspondents include: Oliver Lyttelton [later 1st Lord Chandos]; Anthony Eden [later 1st Lord Avon] (2); A V Alexander [later Lord Alexander of Hillsborough] on Czechoslovak railways; Francis Graham-Harrison, Laurence Pumphrey (2), and Paul Osmond, Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister; Laurence Helsby [Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister]; Antony Head (2); 1st Lord Cherwell [earlier F A Lindemann]; Clement Davies [Leader of the Liberal Party]. Also includes notes and copies of correspondence from secretaries Jo Sturdee ("N S") [later Lady Onslow], Elizabeth Gilliatt, Lettice Marston [later Lettice Shillingford], Chips Gemmell, and Jane Portal [later Lady Williams of Elvel]; and from WSC to some of those mentioned above and to Colonel Oliver Stanley and 5th Lord Salisbury [earlier Robert Gascoyne Cecil and Lord Cranborne].Subjects covered by the file include: the co-ordination of defence; war medals; the strength of Soviet forces in Europe; the level of information available to WSC and his colleagues; the state of the armed forces; organising a Conservative defence delegation; the Western [European] Union and the Atlantic Pact [later NATO]; jet fighters; calls for a defence debate in secret session and the recall of parliament because of the world situation, including events in Korea.Also includes: draft of a speech by Lyttelton; copies of: Cabinet and white papers on a Central Organisation for Defence and war medals; [Combined Services] Committee on the grant of honours, decorations and medals report; reports by the Director of Plans and the Service Directors of Intelligence; drafts of a Conservative memorandum on the state of the armed forces.

Dates

  • Creation: Mar 1946 - Aug 1950

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Extent

2 file(s) (2 files (346 loose folios))

Language of Materials

English