Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)
Subject
Subject Source: UK Archival Thesaurus
Found in 153 Collections and/or Records:
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Speeches: House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 27 Jul 1943 - 13 Oct 1943
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/192A-C
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (27 July) on the fall of Mussolini including an assessment of his regime and the principles to be used in negotiations with Italy; and also on events and operations in the Soviet Union and the bombing of Germany. Also includes correspondence from 1st Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin, British Ambassador to the United States]; Francis Keenlyside [Assistant Secretary in charge of Shipping Policy]; Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the Cabinet]; and...
Dates:
27 Jul 1943 - 13 Oct 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes and source material., 27 Feb 1940 - 13 May 1940
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/139A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (27 February) on supplementary navy estimates, protecting merchant and fishing vessels from U-boats, the strength of the Fleet, and naval losses. Also includes cutting from the Daily Telegraph reporting WSC's speech and relevant extract from Hansard. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6194-8.Incomplete notes for WSC's speech (11 April) on the German invasion of Norway and Denmark and the naval battle off Norway. Also includes relevant extract from Hansard. Published:...
Dates:
27 Feb 1940 - 13 May 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
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Speeches: House of Commons: speech notes (some by WSC as First Lord of the Admiralty) and other material., 19 May 1939 - 06 Dec 1939
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/135A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for an unused speech by WSC (prepared for 8 May) on conscription and the Military Training Bill.Notes for WSC's speech (19 May) on relations with the Soviet Union and Poland, and the effect of an agreement with the Soviet Union on relations with other European nations. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6117-23.Notes for WSC's speech (23 May) on his objections to the White Paper on Palestine, and the legacy of the Balfour declaration [supporting a Jewish national home in Palestine]....
Dates:
19 May 1939 - 06 Dec 1939
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: miscellaneous biblical, literary, and historical quotations, and notes for use in speeches by WSC, in a file marked: "Keep handy for the Prime Minister"., 16 Nov 1937 - 1945
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/127
Scope and Contents
Includes notes and correspondence from: Kathleen Hill and Maud Stanley [Secretaries to WSC]; John Rodgers [Ministry of Information]; Ernest Brown [Minister of Health]; John Martin [Prime Minister's Principal Private Secretary] sending on material for a speech on shipping losses. Also includes material from unused speeches on confidence in WSC's government (January 1942) and the possibility of the invasion of Britain (no date); cutting from the Daily Telegraph of a letter from Harold Smith;...
Dates:
16 Nov 1937 - 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/181A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (9 January, Pilgrim's Society Luncheon, Savoy Hotel, London) entitled "United States co-operation" proposing a toast to Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin] on his appointment as British Ambassador to the United States and on the death of [11th] Lord Lothian [earlier Philip Kerr]. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6327-9.BBC broadcast by WSC (9 February) entitled "Give us the tools" on the war situation including: the repulsion of the threat of...
Dates:
09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 15 Feb 1942 - 15 Mar 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/188A-B
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's broadcast (15 February) on the fall of Singapore and reviewing the war. Subjects covered include: the Atlantic Charter and assistance provided by the United States; operations in the Soviet Union; the entry of Japan into the war; the Home Front and difficulties of food supply; and the strength of China. Also includes correspondence from James Stuart [Government Chief Whip]; Sir Archibald Sinclair [later 1st Lord Thurso, Secretary of State for Air]; [General Wladyslaw]...
Dates:
15 Feb 1942 - 15 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 12 Oct 1942 - 06 Dec 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/189
Scope and Contents
Speech notes for WSC's speech (12 October, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland) on receiving the freedom of the city entitled "Our greatest glory" on: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth; the death of George, Duke of Kent; his visit to inspect the fleet; his links with Scotland; speeches made by Hitler, [Joachim von] Ribbentrop and [Hermann] Goering; events and operations in the Soviet Union and the Battle of the Atlantic. Also includes correspondence from Captain Ronald Brockman [Admiral's...
Dates:
12 Oct 1942 - 06 Dec 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
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Speeches: Non House of Commons: Speech notes and source material., 11 May 1943 - 30 Jun 1943
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/194A-B
Scope and Contents
Press cuttings of WSC's broadcast from Washington, United States (14 May) on the Home Guard in which he pays tribute to the members of the Home Guard. Also includes correspondence from Sydney Redman [Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for War]; Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore [Chairman of the Home Guard Joint Parliamentary Committee] (3); Robert Gransden; George Anderson, Principal Officer Eastern civil defence region (2); telegrams from the Ministry of Information;...
Dates:
11 May 1943 - 30 Jun 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes and other material., 09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/150A-B
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's speech (9 January, Pilgrim's Society Luncheon, Savoy Hotel, London) entitled "United States co-operation" proposing a toast to Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin] on his appointment as British Ambassador to the United States and on the death of [11th] Lord Lothian [earlier Philip Kerr]. Also includes cutting from the Times reporting WSC's speech. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6327-9. Various cuttings reporting WSC's speech (17 January, Glasgow [Scotland])...
Dates:
09 Jan 1941 - 27 Apr 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes and other material., 14 Jul 1941 - 11 Nov 1941
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/152A-B
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...
Dates:
14 Jul 1941 - 11 Nov 1941
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes and other material., 08 Dec 1941 - 21 Jan 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/153
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...
Dates:
08 Dec 1941 - 21 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes (by WSC as First Lord of the Admiralty) and other material., 20 Jan 1940 - 29 Feb 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/143
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's broadcast (20 January, BBC) on the war situation, entitled "A house of many mansions" on the German threat to neutral and allied shipping, to neutral nations, and Finland's stand against the Soviet Union. Also includes cuttings from the Times and the Listener containing the text of WSC's broadcast. Published: Complete Speeches VI, pp 6183-6.Notes for WSC's statement (24 January, House of Commons 1922 Committee) on British naval strength, the U-boat war, pocket battleships,...
Dates:
20 Jan 1940 - 29 Feb 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
File
Speeches: speech notes (some by WSC as First Lord of the Admiralty) and other material., 08 Aug 1939 - 24 Jan 1940
File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 9/138
Scope and Contents
Notes for WSC's broadcast (8 August, United States [National Broadcasting Company]) entitled "A hush over Europe" on German and Italian war preparations, and [Adolf] Hitler's pivotal role. Published: Complete Speeches VI pp 6149-51.Notes for WSC's broadcast (1 October, BBC) entitled "The first month of war" on Poland, the Soviet Union, U-boat attacks, the situation in Britain, and Franco-British relations, which includes the phrase that Russia "is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an...
Dates:
08 Aug 1939 - 24 Jan 1940
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
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(Untitled), 06 Oct 1944
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/172/135
Scope and Contents
Telegram from WSC to President Roosevelt marked "Personal and Top Secret" reporting that there has been a lull in U-boat activity during September 1944.
Dates:
06 Oct 1944
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.
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(Untitled), 01 May 1945 - 31 May 1945
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/209/5
Scope and Contents
Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, May 1945. Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; the Chief Whip [James Stuart]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; the Chiefs of Staff; "C" [Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service]....
Dates:
01 May 1945 - 31 May 1945
Conditions Governing Access:
Open, except for minutes M 497/5 and C 42/5, which are closed on Cabinet Office instructions under S23 of the Freedom of Information Act. Review 2032.
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(Untitled), 01 Jul 1943 - 31 Jul 1943
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/104/1
Scope and Contents
Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, July 1943.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; senior civil servants, including Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers; "C" [Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, Head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service].Subjects covered by the minutes...
Dates:
01 Jul 1943 - 31 Jul 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
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(Untitled), 01 Aug 1943 - 28 Aug 1943
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/104/2
Scope and Contents
Prime Minister's printed personal minutes, August 1943. Some written by WSC when in Canada and the United States.Includes texts of minutes from WSC (annotated with additional printed information) to: Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the War Cabinet]; General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence]; members of the Cabinet and other government ministers, particularly Foreign Secretary [Anthony Eden, later 1st Lord Avon]; the Chief Whip [James Stuart]; the Chiefs of...
Dates:
01 Aug 1943 - 28 Aug 1943
Conditions Governing Access:
Open
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(Untitled), 12 Mar 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/71B/142-143
Scope and Contents
Telegram from WSC to Harry Hopkins [Special adviser and assistant to the President of the United States], commenting on immense numbers of sinkings of tankers in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic and possible solutions.
Dates:
12 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
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(Untitled), 17 Mar 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/71B/181-182
Scope and Contents
Telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] to WSC regarding naval matters: suggests that the United States reinforce the British Home Fleet and that British ships are used to replace the HYPO Force or to do the whole escorting job [to Diego Suarez, Madagascar, in operation "Ironclad"]; states that tanker sinkings are very disturbing; comments on the role of American destroyers and trawlers in the Atlantic; suggests measures for dealing with the submarine menace.
Dates:
17 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
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(Untitled), 18 Mar 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/72/15
Scope and Contents
Telegram from the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, to WSC outlining details of the United States naval force assigned to report for temporary duty with the British Home Fleet; states that a similar detachment will be kept on "this side" to "head off enemy when he comes into open Atlantic.".
Dates:
18 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
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(Untitled), 29 Mar 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/72/126-129
Scope and Contents
Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] regarding bombing: states that bombing attacks are being made on U-boat nests and reports a successful raid on Lubeck [Germany]; comments on the policy of menacing U-boats in the Bay of Biscay and his keenness to add six bomber squadrons to this new Biscay patrol; comments on the need to bomb Germany and on a structural defect to the wing tip of Lancasters which requires the laying up of four squadrons; appeals that...
Dates:
29 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
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(Untitled), 17 Apr 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/73/119
Scope and Contents
Telegram from the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] to Harry Hopkins [Special adviser and assistant to President Roosevelt] for WSC concerning shipping and the decision to lay up all tankers operating on the Atlantic Coast.
Dates:
17 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
Item
(Untitled), 19 May 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/75/53
Scope and Contents
Telegram from WSC to Premier Joseph Stalin marked "personal and most secret" informing him that a convoy of 35 ships sailed yesterday "with orders to fight their way through to you" but warning about possible severe losses from German bombers, stating that much will depend on the Soviet ability to bomb enemy aerodromes, and suggesting that, if losses are severe, it may be necessary to hold up further convoys until the ice recedes.
Dates:
19 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
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(Untitled), 28 May 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/75/97-98
Scope and Contents
Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt: informs Roosevelt that he is sending a report of his conversations with Vyacheslav Molotov [Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs] covering "Bolero" [codename for build-up of United States forces in Britain for invasion of Europe], "Sledgehammer" [codename for plan to attack coast of France in 1942] and "Super Round- up" [codename for the liberation of France in 1943, later Overlord]; comments on talks with United...
Dates:
28 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open
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(Untitled), 25 Apr 1942
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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/74/28-29
Scope and Contents
Telegram from Harry Hopkins [Special adviser and assistant to the President of the United States] to WSC regarding accumulations of shipping for the Soviet Union and asking if more ships can be carried in the next convoys in order to clear this up.
Dates:
25 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access:
From the File:
Open