Skip to main content

Cambridge University Libraries are providing a blend of online and controlled in-person services. Please see our website for more details.

North Africa (general region)

 Subject
Subject Source: Local sources

Found in 296 Collections and/or Records:

 Item

(Untitled), 18 Jun 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/76/137
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Field Marshal Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC marked "most secret and personal" commenting on the battle in the Libyan desert: agrees with the text of WSC's draft message to General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief, Middle East] and comments on the "defensive spirit" of "our Commands"; comments on the implications of an initiative by General Erwin Rommel [Commander of the German Afrika Korps]; states that "Position at moment looks grave.".

Dates: 18 Jun 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 24 Jun 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/77/19-20
Scope and Contents Telegram from General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander in Chief Middle East] to WSC marked "personal and most secret" regarding the situation in North Africa: deeply regrets "this severe blow" and comments on advantages to enemy of capture of Tobruk [Libya]; comments on "untenable" position of continuing resistance at the Salum frontier and describes build up of forces at Matruh [Egypt]; comments on risks of drawing too many troops from rest of Middle East theatre. [see also CHAR...
Dates: 24 Jun 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 03 Feb 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/108
Scope and Contents Telegram from General Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in- Chief, Middle East, to WSC regarding the latest position in North Africa: estimates no more than 1000 prisoners captured by enemy in Benghazi [Libya]; positions at Mechili [? Al Makili, Libya] and Tengeder [? Bir Tanjadar, Libya] being consolidated; our mobile columns and fighting patrols operating actively in the vicinity of Msus [? Masus, Libya] and Charruba; suggests enemy may continue eastward movement and identifies possible...
Dates: 03 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 03 Feb 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/69B/114-115
Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander- in-Chief, Middle East, to WSC regarding the latest position in North Africa: describes troop positions; states that the immediate intention is to stabilise on a general line of present positions while retaining control of No Man's Land; believes that the tank situation is favourable and that the enemy is at the end of a long line of communications; is preparing a defensive position on a general line Sollum-Giarabub [Libya].

Dates: 03 Feb 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 1946

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/246/29-101
Scope and Contents Page proofs for a supplement to the London Gazette entitled "Operations in East Africa, November 1940 - July 1941", reprinting contemporary despatches and reports by General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East (21 May 1942), Lieutenant-General Sir William Platt, on the operations in Eritrea and Abyssinia [Ethiopia] (11 September 1941) and Lieutenant-General Sir Alan Cunningham on East Africa Force Operations (6 June 1941 and 22 July 1941) with various appendices and...
Dates: 1946
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), Aug 1946

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/246/141-156
Scope and Contents "Revised" page proofs of a supplement to the London Gazette entitled "Operations in the Middle East, 5 July 1941 - 31 October 1941" reprinting a contemporary despatch by General Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief the Middle East Forces (8 March 1942), on Syria and Palestine, Cyprus, Iran [Persia], Turkey, co-operative planning with India, East Africa, Sudan, the Western Desert, Tobruk [Libya], and Egypt, and administrative matters, with appendices including communications from...
Dates: Aug 1946
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), Jul 1946 - Aug 1946

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/246/167-182
Scope and Contents

Page proofs for a supplement of the London Gazette entitled "Operations in North West Africa 8th November 1942 to 13th May 1943" reprinting a contemporary despatch by Lieutenant-General [Kenneth] Anderson, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, 1st Army, (7 June 1943) with later War Office preface and footnotes. [annotated].

Dates: Jul 1946 - Aug 1946
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 11 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/41-43
Scope and Contents Telegram from Minister of State in the Middle East [Richard Casey] to WSC marked "personal" presenting a general review of his work. Comments on: the arrival of Lord Moyne [earlier Walter Guinness, Deputy Minister of State in the Middle East], Duncan Sandys [later Lord Duncan-Sandys, Financial Secretary to the War Office] and Field Marshal Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa]; liaison with Commanders in Chief and Services; relations with United States personnel and Free French forces;...
Dates: 11 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 24 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/91
Scope and Contents

Telegram from President Roosevelt to WSC marked "most secret" regarding WSC's proposal for an interchange of destroyers, and stating that the detailed plans for the use of American destroyers in "Torch" [code name for Anglo-American invasion of French north west Africa] make it impossible to substitute British destroyers in the time available. Comments on the possibility of an exchange immediately after the assault phase.

Dates: 24 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 24 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/102-103
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to President Roosevelt marked "most secret and personal" explaining that he does not want to omit the reference to the participation of British forces in "Torch" [codename for Anglo-American occupation of French North West Africa] from the British message to the Spanish and Portuguese governments "if only to remove any suspicions about the object of our own concentrations at Gibraltar and to lend force to the assurances we are giving them".

Dates: 24 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 27 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/105-106
Scope and Contents

Telegram from President Roosevelt to WSC marked "most secret" reciting text of press release for issue to the United States press immediately following the American landings in French North West Africa [Codename "Torch"].

Dates: 27 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 27 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/107
Scope and Contents

Telegram from President Roosevelt to WSC marked "most secret" agreeing with WSC's suggestions of 26 Oct regarding the British messages to General Franco [President of Spain] and Dr Antonio Salazar [Prime Minister of Portugal] [about Anglo-American occupation of French North West Africa] but expressing the hope that he "will stress the fact that the expedition is under American command".

Dates: 27 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 29 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/124-125
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Harold Alexander [later Lord Alexander of Tunis] (Commander in Chief Middle East) marked "private" conveying congratulations of the Defence Committee of the War Cabinet for the resolute and successful manner in which he and General Bernard Montgomery [General Officer Commanding Eighth Army] have opened the battle. He refers to Boniface information [Enigma decrypts] regarding strain and anxiety behind the enemy's front. He comments on the progress of "Torch"...
Dates: 29 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 30 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/129
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Lord Gort (Governor and Commander in Chief Malta) marked "private" informing him that "Torch" [codename for Anglo American occupation of French North West Africa] "is moving forward so far with complete secrecy and good fortune", and commenting on the secret negotiations between "an American general of high rank" [General Mark Clark, Commander of United States Ground Forces in Europe] and "friendly" French generals. He asks Gort to bear all this in mind when...
Dates: 30 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 27 Oct 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/81/133
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to President Roosevelt marked "personal and secret" suggesting two changes to the President's proposed press release regarding "Torch" [codename for Anglo American occupation of French North West Africa].

Dates: 27 Oct 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 06 Aug 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/91B/8-12
Scope and Contents Copy of a telegram from [?] Captain R F Gore Browne forwarded to Commodore Horace Norman, Brigadier Francis de Guingand [Chief of Staff to 8th Army], Group Captain A J Rankin and Director CBME, giving [an Enigma decrypt] of a report on the battle strength of the German Army in North Africa by divisions, showing personnel, tank strengths, guns and transports, with the same information also given in an attached table (originally separated and given to Lieutenant-General Sir Wilfrid Lindsell...
Dates: 06 Aug 1942
Conditions Governing Access: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 22 Feb 1943

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/92/19-20
Scope and Contents Letter from King George VI to WSC about his concern for the political situation in North Africa: stating that since the launch of Torch [Allied invasion of French North Africa] the situation has grown worse blaming the "underhand dealings" of Robert Murphy [United States Political Representative in North Africa] with the Vichy Regime [France] for dividing the two French sides; that little can be done to strengthen the position of General Sir Harold Alexander [later Lord Alexander of Tunis]...
Dates: 22 Feb 1943
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 22 Feb 1943

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/92/24-28
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to King George VI about the situation in North Africa stating that: he is not seriously worried by the events in North Africa and does not doubt the loyalty of Robert Murphy [United States political representative in North Africa]; that the divisions between the French are due to General de Gaulle's hostility to Britain and that his refusal to make a friendly settlement at Casablanca [Morocco] angered the United States; that Husky [capture of Sicily] is due to commence in...
Dates: 22 Feb 1943
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 18 Jan 1943

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/93A/52
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC (Anfa Camp, Casablanca, Morocco) to Lieutenant-General Brehon Somervell [Commanding General of the Services of Supply, United States Army] marked "Secret" regarding the monthly figures for the loss rates of dry cargo ships for 1942, stressing that these figures included the heavy losses of Torch [Allied Invasion of French North Africa] and estimated that the rate for the next four months would be about two percent Signed in typescript.

Dates: 18 Jan 1943
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 28 Mar 1943

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/93B/110-111
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to Sir Alexander Hardinge [King's Private Secretary] marked "Secret" stating: that he had heard that General Dwight Eisenhower [Commander in Chief of North African Theatre of Operations, United States Army] was "rather hurt" that King George VI's message to the troops before the battle had not gone through him and that WSC took responsibility for this; that Torch [Allied Invasion of West North Africa] which was supposed to be a United States operation had now fallen into the...
Dates: 28 Mar 1943
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
 Item

(Untitled), 28 Jun 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/77/34-36
Scope and Contents Telegram from the Minister of State in the Middle East [Richard Casey] to WSC marked "personal and most secret" reporting on the battle in North Africa: States that General Claude Auchinleck [Commander in Chief Middle East] is telegraphing him directly and regularly from Eighth Army Headquarters; comments on Auchinleck's plan of campaign ; states that the battle will be a mobile one fought between Matruh [Egypt] and El Alamein [Egypt] and southwards to the Qattara depression [Egypt];...
Dates: 28 Jun 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 30 Jun 1942 - 01 Jul 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/77/49
Scope and Contents

Telegram from General Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC suggesting that the Royal Air Force concentrate its maximum bombing force against the German army and ports in North Africa instead of bombing towns in Germany.

Dates: 30 Jun 1942 - 01 Jul 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 04 Jul 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/77/63-64
Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] marked "most secret and personal": states that he has "been so much harried by the weaker brethren in the House of Commons since my return from America last week" and offers condolences for cruel losses to South African Divisions; comments on reverses in Middle East over last three weeks and lists reinforcements being sent to the area; comments on plans to strike at Japan through Burma [later Myanmar]. Annotated in red...
Dates: 04 Jul 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 05 Jul 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/77/71
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Air Marshal Arthur Tedder [Air Officer Commander in Chief Mediterranean] to WSC marked "personal" thanking him for his inspiring message: "All of us are determined to do our utmost and more to help the Army to clear the enemy out of Africa.".

Dates: 05 Jul 1942
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.
 Item

(Untitled), 07 Jul 1942

Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/77/79
Scope and Contents Telegram from General Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC marked "most secret and personal": comments on "heartening" news from Middle East and predicts successful counter stroke; comments on difficulties facing General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander in Chief Middle East] as he advances; expresses anxiety to accelerate movement of South African Brigade Group from Madagascar to Middle East; expresses admiration for the way WSC has handled "parliamentary situation" [vote of...
Dates: 07 Jul 1942
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.