Armed forces
Found in 991 Collections and/or Records:
(Untitled), 13 May 1935
Letter from Desmond Morton to WSC, commenting on memorandum by Norman Macmillan on German Air Strength [CHAR 2/243/68-77].
(Untitled), 14 May 1935
Letter from WSC to H A Gwynne, on his comments in the Morning Post on German re-armament. Stating that there was no doubt that Germany was considerably stronger that Britain in the aim, and had the power to add to that lead indefinitely [carbon].
(Untitled), 16 May 1935
(Untitled), 01 Jun 1935
Letter from Lord Rothermere, (Stratton House, Piccadilly, London) to WSC, sending article from "Marianne" [not retained] summarising the German air position. Describing it as a modest statement, and stating that according to his sources German air preparations were much greater. Commenting that in air preparations the influence of Hermann Goering was decisive, and that at a meeting with journalists he had stated that he would build aeroplanes against a constellation of the powers.
(Untitled), 05 Jun 1935
(Untitled), 21 Jul 1934
Letter from Air Commodore Peregrine Fellowes, Chester Street, London SW1 to WSC, on forthcoming debate in the House of Commons on the Air Estimates. Asking for meeting to discuss the state of the RAF [signature cut out, with covering note from Violet Pearman].
(Untitled), 26 Jul 1934
(Untitled), 31 Jul 1934
Letter from Sir Abe Bailey, Bryanston Square, London, W1 to WSC, congratulations on "air speech", defending the Government's decision to increase the size of the RAF, in the House of Commons, also praising Stanley Baldwin's speech in the same debate.
(Untitled), 01 Aug 1934
Letter from Lord Rothermere, Burghfield House, Dornoch, Sutherland, to WSC, on his speech in air debate in the House of Commons. Asking where he obtained the information that Germany would only have "a few hundred aeroplanes" by the end of 1935. Stating that his information was that they would have a force of around 20,000 aircraft by that date "Is everybody in this country blind?".
(Untitled), 06 Aug 1934
(Untitled), 10 Aug 1934
(Untitled), 11 Aug 1934
(Untitled), 14 Aug 1934
Letter from WSC to Lord Rothermere, on the size of the German air force. Stating that his figure of 500 aircraft related purely to military aircraft and did not take into account conversion from civil aviation. Hoping that Rothermere would publish his information in the Daily Mail. "Even at my figures, which I gather the Government do not dispute, the prospect is most alarming, and their measures hopelessly inefficient" [carbon].
(Untitled), 18 Nov 1934
Letter from WSC to David Margesson, Government Chief Whip, sending House of Commons Amendment to the Address representing that the strength of British Air defences was "no longer adequate to secure the peace, safety and freedom of Your Majesty's faithful subjects" signed by WSC, Sir Robert Horne, Leo Amery, Frederick Guest, Lord Winterton and Robert Boothby.
(Untitled), 20 Nov 1934
(Untitled), 20 Nov 1934
Letter from Desmond Morton to WSC, on the radius of action of Germany's new bomber, and on Archambaud's Statement on the French Chamber of Deputies on the number of pilots in Germany.
(Untitled), 22 Nov 1934
Letter from Desmond Morton to WSC, on statement by the French Air Minister, Victor Denain, in which he claimed that the Germans had 1100 aircraft capable of immediate use or rapid conversion as service aircraft, and between 3500 and 4000 fully qualified pilots. His own estimate was slightly lower at 1000 military aircraft and over 3000 pilots.
(Untitled), 24 Nov 1934
Letter from WSC to David Lloyd George, confirming that he had sent him a copy of precis he had given to Stanley Baldwin for the Air debate, mentioning that he had done the same for LLG before debate in Secret Session in 1917. Hoping that he would come to lunch to discuss the air situation, commenting that his Amendment to the Address had caused much disturbance in Government circles [carbon].
(Untitled), 03 Nov 1934
Letter from Michael von Saint-Obyn, Newport, Kentucky, United States to WSC, on German air expansion. Stating that the Germans were "working feverishly" to bring out a more formidable military aircraft, powered by a gas turbine engine. Also on their use of light magnesium alloys for the instruction of aircraft and weapons. "The next war will be decided in the air but it will not be done by the number of planes engaged, but by the size, speed, and silence of those in operation".
(Untitled), 26 Nov 1934
Letter from Desmond Morton to WSC, commenting on abusive anonymous letter from "An Austrian but a German" [CHAR 2/228/45-46].
(Untitled), 28 Nov 1934
Letter from Lord Winterton, Eccleston Square, London SW1 to WSC, stating that he had been told "on high authority" that the Government were going to announce that they would "concertina" the five year RAF expansion into two years. Suggesting that a shorter period and a greater extension was necessary.
(Untitled), 29 Nov 1934
Letter from Desmond Morton, Beaufort Gardens, London SW3 to WSC, congratulations on "masterly" speech in the Air debate in the House of Commons. Expressing relief that Stanley Baldwin had pledged not to allow the strength of the RAF to fall below that of Germany. Commenting on Baldwin's statements on the relative strength of the two air forces.
(Untitled), 29 Nov 1934
(Untitled), 03 Dec 1934
Letter from WSC to Colin Coote, The Times, commenting on the Air Debate in the House of Commons, particularly the anxiety of the Government to classify the 127 territorial Air Force machines with the best front line aircraft. Commenting that these were the oldest, had no reserves, and only weekend pilots. [carbon].