Scope and Contents Autobiographical account by George Allen written for his family covering his life and naval career, highlighting key events and turning points and analysing his response to them. Also includes details of people, colleagues and family members. Subjects, issues and people covered include: childhood and education; his mother, Beatrice Allen (née Wilkinson, known as Betty) and her circumstances and career; joining the Royal Navy aged 12, naval traditions, reforms to the navy by [Sir...

Scope and Contents From the Series: This class comprises correspondence and papers relating to Churchill's wartime premiership. It includes: private office correspondence; personal telegrams; printed copies of personal minutes, telegrams and reports; correspondence relating to appointments and patronage; some family correspondence (for which see also CHAR 1); and some engagements cards and diaries. No distinction has been attempted between the offices of Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. The former title has been deemed...

Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Queen Mary asking WSC to autograph a photograph; [6th] Lord Hood [Private Secretary to the Minister of Information] on supplying a F Hourani with information on WSC's ancestor Colonel Charles Churchill; [Emmanuel] Tsouderos, Prime Minister of Greece, and James Gardiner, Canadian Minister of Agriculture, sending Christmas and New Year greetings. Also includes notes and copies of correspondence from Prime Minister's Private Secretaries "J R C" [John Colville], "E M W"...

Scope and Contents Correspondents concerning WSC's role as honorary air commodore of the 615 squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force (part of the RAF) include: several commanding squadron leaders reporting on activities and achievements including K Collard, Thomas Meyer, R Holland (3), David McCormack (3), Denys Gillam, J Kayll (4), R Simmons, P Hugo, R Mouchette, W Stern and Vere Harvey, the founder of the 615 County of Surrey squadron (11); Sir William Lindsay Everard; Sholto Douglas, Commander in Chief Fighter...

Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Ernest Marples, Postmaster General; Eugene Spier, on writing a history of the Focus luncheon meetings and combating the continuing influence of Hitler in Germany (7); Richard Greville, Personal Assistant to the Chairman, Conservative and Unionist Central Office (6); Edward Given, Foreign Office, on WSC's New Year message to Poland; Henry Price (2); Sir Clive Morrison-Bell on proportional representation; Julian Ridsdale; John Rodgers; George Beck, Bishop of Brentwood...

Scope and Contents Correspondents include: Anthony Eden on not accepting the order of the garter, building up the Conservative Front Bench and broadening the party's appeal (2); Dwight Eisenhower [Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe] on finding United States accommodation for WSC on the Riviera [France] and on a statement concerning the crisis in January 1945 over pulling troops out of Alsace (3); Frank Cook [Charge d'Affaires, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia] on the gift of a picture from...

Scope and Contents Includes a typescript of Ex-Inspector Walter Thompson's book about his experiences working for WSC between 1939 and 1945 covering subjects and events including: WSC as First Lord of the Admiralty and as Prime Minister; WSC's visits to Chequers [Buckinghamshire]; WSC's habits including methods of working and writing speeches; WSC's illnesses during the war; wartime events including the Battle of Britain, the Atlantic Charter, WSC's visits to Washington [United States] and Moscow [Soviet...

Scope and Contents Includes typescript proofs of a book by Elizabeth Layton [later Elizabeth Nel] published as "Mr Churchill's Secretary" sent for WSC's approval. The book covers her experiences working for WSC between 1941 and 1945 and subjects and events including: WSC's work habits and methods of writing speeches; his personal health during the war; wartime events including the blitz and VE Day; visits to Washington [United States], Quebec [Canada], Cairo [Egypt], Teheran [Iran], Moscow; 10 Downing Street,...

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These regular reports include regular sections on attacks by the enemy; civil defence; fire services; preparations for invasion; preparation of plans for attack; lessons from raids; and movement of population.

Scope and Contents Statement by WSC (23 May) on fighting in France. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard. Published: Complete Speeches VI p 6223.Hansard copy of statement by WSC (28 May) on the fall of Belgium. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6223-4.Notes for WSC's speech (4 June) entitled "Wars are not won by evacuations" on the fall of Belgium, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France] and the successes of the RAF. Speech includes the phrase "We shall fight on the...

Scope and Contents Statement by WSC (30 July) on making the remainder of the day's sitting a secret session. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard.Statement by WSC (17 September, secret session) on the danger to the Houses of Parliament posed by air raids and possible changes to House of Commons procedures as a consequence of this threat. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6280-3.Hansard copy of WSC's statement (13 August) on an aeroplane disaster involving Australian ministers and military...

Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's speech (8 October) on the Battle of Britain, the Home Guard and the Home Front, Hitler's threat to invade Britain, events at Dakar [Senegal], the desertion of Vichy France, the Burma road [between Burma, later Myanmar, and China] and events in Spain. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6284-94.Notes for WSC's statement (17 October) on Robert Boothby [Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Food] and Czechoslovak claims.Notes for WSC's speech (5 November) on the war situation,...

Scope and Contents Statement by WSC (23 May) on fighting in France. Published: Complete Speeches VI p 6223.Statement by WSC (28 May) on the fall of Belgium. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6223-4.Speech notes for WSC's speech (4 June) entitled "Wars are not won by evacuations" on the fall of Belgium, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk [France] and the successes of the RAF. Speech includes the phrase "We shall fight on the beaches . . . We shall never surrender". Source material...

Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's speech (25 June) entitled "The fall of France" on the capitulation of France, the surrender of the French fleet to Germany and his visit to see [Paul] Reynaud [Prime Minister of France]. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6239-41.Statement by WSC (4 July) on the British destruction of the French fleet at Oran [Algeria]. Source material includes notes on the co-ordination of intelligence, the role of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces [General Sir Alan Brooke,...

Scope and Contents Statement by WSC (5 September) on the war situation and an agreement with the United States over destroyers and defence bases, events in Romania, the achievements of the RAF, damage through bombing and the insurance scheme, evacuation, air raid warnings and other Home Front issues. Source material includes: notes and correspondence from Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse [Vice-Chief of Air Staff], Norman Brook [later 1st Lord Normanbrook] (2), Arthur Cary [Assistant Principal, Air Ministry] (4),...

Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's speech (5 November) on the war situation including the air battles, the bombing of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, the threat posed by U Boats, the possibility of invasion by Germany, civil defence and the Home Guard, affairs in Egypt and the Middle East, and the Italian invasion of Greece. Source material includes correspondence from 1st Lord Beaverbrook [earlier Max Aitken, Minister for Aircraft Production], Henry Strutt [Assistant Under-Secretary of...

Scope and Contents Speech notes for WSC's broadcast (15 March, Conservative Party Conference) including: the absence of party politics during the war; thanks for support of government policy in Greece; the likelihood of a general election; post-war reconstruction including rebuilding, agriculture and education; and the importance of continuing the war against Japan. Includes the phrase "When I became Prime Minister I promised nothing but blood, toil, tears and sweat". Also includes correspondence from: Basil...

Scope and Contents BBC broadcast by WSC (19 May) entitled "Arm yourselves and be ye men of valour" on the war situation in France and the formation of the coalition government. Source material includes notes from Andrew Stewart. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6220-23.BBC broadcast by WSC (17 June) entitled "The news from France is very bad" on the capitulation of France. Published: Complete Speeches VI, p 6231.BBC broadcast by WSC (14 July) entitled "War of the unknown warriors" on the disabling of the...

Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's broadcast (30 March, BBC) entitled "A hideous state of alarm and menace" on the fate of the neutral nations, German atrocities, particularly in Poland, and wishing to avoid conflict with the Soviet Union. Also includes various cuttings reporting the speech. Part published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6199-201.Notes for WSC's broadcast (19 May, BBC) entitled "Arm yourselves and be ye men of valour" on the war situation in France and the formation of the coalition government,...

Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's speech covering subjects including: reflections on the differences between the present war and the First World War including weapons, casualty numbers and the increased importance of science and strategy; Britain's aptitude for the new forms of warfare; the decision to enforce a strict blockade on Germany, Italy and France and food supplies and distribution in Europe; review of the war situation; air warfare and the Battle of Britain including the threat of German bombing,...

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Notes for WSC's speech (County Hall, London) on: civil defence forces in London and Civil Defence Review [in Hyde Park]; conditions in London; the German bombing of London; the prospects for the future; improvements to defence and shelters; and British bombing of Germany.Typescript laid out in "psalm style" with manuscript annotations in black ink and red crayon by WSC, and with pencil notes of changes suggested by Herbert Morrison [Home Secretary].

Scope and Contents Notes for WSC's speech (18 June) entitled "Their Finest Hour" on subjects including: fighting in France; the importance of unity and respect for government Ministers; preparations, defence and forces for fighting invasion by Germany, the strength of the Royal Navy; the campaign in Norway; forecasting the Battle of Britain and the determination of the RAF; support from the Dominions. He ends "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and...

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Galley proofs reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal [1st] Lord Dowding [then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fighter Command] dated 20 August 1941 on the course of the Battle of Britain incorporating various appendices, with later Air Ministry foreword and footnotes.

Scope and Contents Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, September 1940.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence], the Chiefs of Staff and other senior military figures; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; senior civil servants including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet] and Sir Alexander Cadogan [Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs];...

Scope and Contents Detailed summary of the war situation including: the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk including the effect of weather conditions, numbers evacuated, naval losses and attacks by German bombers; attacks by U-boats on seaborne trade; anti-submarine operations; German trade; overview of the military and air situation covering Norway, Italy, the North Sea and coastal operations, the bombing of Great Britain, attacks on Germany by Bomber Command, French and German air...