Armed forces
Found in 991 Collections and/or Records:
(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].
(Untitled), 09 Dec 1934
(Untitled), 03 Aug 1928
Letter from C L Bullock (Air Ministry] to WSC reminding him, with reference to his wish to fly from Biggin Hill [Kent] to Tidworth [Hampshire] next week, that Monday is a Bank Holiday when the Air Ministry and RAF stations are closed.
(Untitled), 02 Nov 1934
Letter from Lilian Buck, PS to Randolph Churchill, May Fair Hotel, Berkeley St., London W1, to Violet Pearman, PS to WSC, enclosing copy of letter RSC had received from Terence Hanbury, Ashford, Middlesex, on Britain's inadequate strength in the air and the need for deep underground shelters.
(Untitled), 07 Jan 1935
Letter from F A Lindemann (later Lord Cherwell), Christ Church, Oxford, to WSC, enclosing draft letter from WSC and Austen Chamberlain to the Prime Minister [Ramsay Macdonald], on the need for a Committee to discuss the problem of defence against night bombers.
(Untitled), 08 Jan 1935
Letter from WSC to [Austen Chamberlain], on draft letter from WSC and Chamberlain to the Prime Minister [Ramsay Macdonald], on the need for a Committee to discuss the problem of defence against night bombers [carbon].
(Untitled), 09 Jan 1935
Letter from Sir [Joseph] Austen Chamberlain (58 Rutland Gate [London]) to WSC, informing him that he had signed and sent a letter [jointly from himself and WSC, on the need for an enquiry on air defence] to the Prime Minister [James Ramsay MacDonald], with a covering note.Chamberlain also says that the second volume of WSC's biography of the 1st Duke of Marlborough had formed his Christmas reading, and had fascinated him: "What a man!".
(Untitled), 13 Jan 1935
Letter from F A Lindemann (later Lord Cherwell), Christ Church, Oxford, to WSC, on letter to the Prime Minister [Ramsay Macdonald] on air defence.
(Untitled), 18 Jan 1935
Letter from F A Lindemann (later Lord Cherwell), Christ Church, Oxford, to WSC, on letter to the Prime Minister [Ramsay Macdonald] on air defence. Commenting that it was "hopeless the way Ramsay chops and changes", also that he had learned that Air Ministry was determined to "do everything to inhibit action of the sort we want".
(Untitled), 21 Jan 1935
Letter from WSC to F A Lindemann, (later Lord Cherwell), on letter from the Prime Minister [Ramsay Macdonald] on air defence. Describing Macdonald as a "hopeless twister" and stating that the only solution was a debate in the House of Commons [carbon].
(Untitled), 22 Jan 1935
(Untitled), 27 Feb 1935
Letter from Desmond Morton, (21 Queen Anne's gate, London SW1) to WSC, on letter from Air Commodore Peregrine Fellowes. Commenting that Fellowes had been one of the Air Ministry's experts on dirigibles, and that he might have a considerable personal bias towards "matters of air policy with which the Air Ministry would not be wholly in agreement".
(Untitled), 10 Feb 1935
Letter from Air Commodore Peregrine Fellowes (Chester Street, London SW1) to WSC, asking for meeting to discuss air policy.
(Untitled), 22 Mar 1935
Letter from James A Petrie, Estoril, Portugal, to WSC, on German military aviation. Stating that the Germans had 1500 new aircraft, and in time of war could put into the air 4000 machines. Suggesting that Britain should start to re-arm immediately, and that to pay for it, Super-Tax should be increased by 6d or 1s in the pound.
(Untitled), 07 Apr 1935
Letter from Robert Dele, Geneva, Switzerland (Geneva Correspondent of the Manchester Guardian) to WSC, on the German Air Force, drawing attention to an article on enormously increased consumption of aluminium in Germany in "Das Neue Tage-Buch" published on 6 Apr. Commenting that it showed that there was every reason to believe that the German Air Force was much larger than the British or the French.