Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's speech (2 March, Royal College of Physicians, London) on advances in medicine and science and the importance of a National Health Service. Also includes correspondence and source material from: 1st Lord Moran [earlier Charles Wilson] President of the Royal College of Physicians (2); Michael Reed [Private Secretary to Minister of Health]; notes and copies of correspondence from Leslie Rowan [Principal Private Secretary to WSC] and John Martin [Private Secretary to WSC];...

Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's speech (14 July, County Hall, London) entitled the "Grit and Stamina of London" on the German bombing of London, the prospects for the future, and British bombing of Germany. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6448-52.Brief notes for WSC's speech (14 July, Civil Defence Review, Hyde Park, London). Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6447-8.Also includes cuttings from the Yorkshire Post and the Glasgow Herald reporting the above two speeches.Cutting from the Times on the...

Scope and Contents Cuttings from the Listener containing the text of WSC's broadcast (8 December, BBC) entitled "The Great Alliance of Free Peoples" on the attack on Pearl Harbor [United States], liaison with President Roosevelt, and the declaration of war on Japan. [Repeat of WSC's speech delivered to the House of Commons earlier that day with one added paragraph; for further material see CHAR 9/149 and CHAR 9/180] Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6523-6.Notes for WSC's broadcast (24 December, Washington...

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Letters from Rear-Admiral Tufton Beamish to WSC enclosing extracts from an account by his son of a journey from Singapore to Sumatra; with reply. [See CHAR 20/53C/290 for further copy of WSC's reply].

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Letter from Sir Edward Campbell [Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer] to WSC warning about the danger of Australia and the United States attacking Japan too soon and the efficiency and strength of the Japanese; includes manuscript, typescript copy and WSC's reply.

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...

Scope and Contents Draft letter from WSC to General Douglas MacArthur [Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, South West Pacific Area] bearing good wishes for MacArthur and his command, with appreciative reply, including MacArthur's opinion that WSC deserved the Victoria Cross, passed on by "C" [General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6]; includes correspondence between John Martin and Francis Brown [Private Secretaries to WSC] and Valentine Lawford [Assistant Private Secretary to...

Scope and Contents Letter from Admiral Sir Herbert Richmond, Master, Downing College, Cambridge, to WSC on the threat to Trincomalee [Ceylon, later Sri Lanka] and need to improve its defences; also includes note to Richmond by John Peck [Assistant Private Secretary to WSC], notes by Colonel Leslie Hollis [Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet] to John Martin [Private Secretary to WSC] and WSC, and draft reply from WSC explaining that Trincomalee must be defended by British troops rather than Dutch,...

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Telegrams from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] and to the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] with a proposal for a Far Eastern council in London to co-ordinate the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in the conduct of war against Japan.

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Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell, Supreme Commander, South West Pacific, insisting that Singapore be defended until the city is ruined and all equipment destroyed to prevent its capture.

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Telegram from the Chiefs of Staff to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] with detailed suggestions for the defence of Johore [Malaya, later Malaysia] and Singapore.

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Telegram from General Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC on subjects including: congratulating him on his trip [to Washington, United States]; commending the defence of the Far East but insisting on the Middle East and North Africa as the theatre of prime importance; Soviet success against Germany and Hitler's intentions towards Turkey and the Caucasus; making political concessions in India to secure support; improving tanks to German standards.

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Telegram from Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pownall [Chief of Staff, ABDA (Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian) Command] to WSC advising that the situation around Singapore is worsening.

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Telegram from the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] to WSC acknowledging the new arrangements for the ABDA area [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian], suggesting that the United States, which has naval responsibility for the Pacific and Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] areas should be on the consultative committee and asking for improved communications with General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific].

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Telegrams from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to WSC advising that as communication has been established with General Douglas MacArthur [Commanding General, United States Army Forces in the Far East] and Sharpe [Major-General William Sharpe], he will take over command of the Philippines; Singapore defences were aimed solely at seaward attack; reinforcements for Singapore, Java [part of Indonesia] and Sumatra.

Scope and Contents Telegrams from John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia, to WSC on subjects including: naval proposals for the Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] area; the appointment of a British Flag Officer to work with the United States Flag Officer in command, both co-operating with the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board against the Japanese; the gravity of events in the Pacific not being appreciated in London, and the belief of Lieutenant-General [Henry] Gordon Bennett [General Officer...

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Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC advising that the Australian War Cabinet rejects the proposed Far Eastern Council in London and requires an Australian representative on the War Cabinet and authorised Government representatives from Britain, the United States, Australia, China, the Netherlands and New Zealand to formulate policy as a Pacific War Council in Washington.

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Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] suggesting that he has misunderstood the proposed Far Eastern Council and that it would not be a purely advisory body; agreeing to Curtin's request [for an Australian representative on the War Cabinet]; asks if the British Government should put Curtin's suggestion of [a Pacific War Council] to the United States Government.

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Telegram from John Curtin [Prime Minister of Australia] to WSC with the views of the Chiefs of Staff on the threat of Japanese invasion of Australia and on defence: safety depends on maintaining the Allied position in Malaya [later Malaysia] and the Dutch East Indies [later Indonesia], and on the United States Fleet increasing pressure on Japanese southern communications; United States reinforcements required to increase land forces.

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Telegram from the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] to WSC accepting proposals of 14 January [see CHAR 20/68B/87-89] on the establishment of an Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] and ABDA [Australian, British, Dutch and Australasian] area and closer contact with United States forces; hopes co-operation will extend beyond the purely naval to fully defeat Japan.

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Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] responding to criticism of Britain's conduct of the war: explains that Malaya [later Malaysia] cannot be defended and only Singapore is vital and supports the decisions of [General Sir Archibald Wavell], Supreme Commander, South West Pacific; discusses the general direction of the war, strategy in the 'Anzac' [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] area and United States naval contribution towards defence.

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Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] with figures for army and air reinforcement of Malaya [later Malaysia].

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Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of New Zealand [Peter Fraser] with proposals agreed by the United States Naval Staff and the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] for establishing a new Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] naval area, including a definition of the area and allocation of forces.

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Telegrams from WSC to John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia, on the safe arrival in Singapore of a convoy including the United States transport ship Mount Vernon; with proposals agreed by United States Naval Staff and the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] for establishing the new Anzac [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] naval area, including a definition of the area and allocation of forces.

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Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Supreme Commander, South West Pacific] to the Chiefs of Staff on his visit to Singapore and meeting with Heath [Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Heath, 3rd Indian Corps] and Gordon-Bennett [Lieutenant-General [Henry] Gordon Bennett, General Officer Commanding, Australian Imperial Force in Malaya [later Malaysia]]; enemy advancing rapidly, inflicted heavy losses north of Kuala Lumpur; fears for Singapore.