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First World War (1914-1918)

 Subject
Subject Source: UK Archival Thesaurus

Found in 1504 Collections and/or Records:

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(Untitled), 19 Aug 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/30
Scope and Contents Memorandum by WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on naval strength in the Baltic, stating that the Kiel Canal gave Germany the power of putting their whole naval force in the North Sea or the Baltic. He adds that the Royal Navy was not strong enough to provide two fleets, each individually superior to the German Fleet, and that the Admiralty could not obtain the naval command of the Baltic until either a decisive general battle had been won at sea or the Kiel canal was effectively blocked....
Dates: 19 Aug 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 02 Sep 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/39-40
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] on the need for artillery on the Western Front, suggesting that territorial batteries be sent to India, and regular artillery brought home: "It is an awful pity to leave these splendid batteries keeping order among natives when trained artillery is our bitterest need. I think myself that every regular battery in India except mountain, ought to come home and be replaced by...
Dates: 02 Sep 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 14 Nov 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/92-93
Scope and Contents Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in- Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on naval aircraft, recommending that they be sent back to Britain for refitting, as attempting to refit in France or Belgium would cause congestion. French states that the Royal Flying Corps would attack Zeppelin sheds as soon as the Zeppelins arrived, and that the help of the Royal Naval Air Service would be very desirable. He adds that the...
Dates: 14 Nov 1914
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 15 Nov 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/95
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] on air attacks on German Zeppelin bases. WSC states that all naval aircraft and armoured cars would be withdrawn to Dunkirk [France], "so as to keep quite clear of the British Army and its communications", but would remain there for the present. [Hand-written copy, unsigned].

Dates: 15 Nov 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 29 Nov 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/103
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres], on the military situation on the Western Front, offering to come over to see him to discuss the matter. [Hand-written copy].

Dates: 29 Nov 1914
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 10 Dec 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/111
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] on a naval bombardment to support the advance of the Army on Ostende [Belgium]. WSC suggests that the Navy attack Zeebrugge, the base of the German submarines, at the same time. [Hand-written draft, unsigned].

Dates: 10 Dec 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 10 Dec 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/112
Scope and Contents

Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel [George] Tom Bridges [Head of Military Mission with the Belgian Field Army] to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on the work of the Naval Division in Belgium.

Dates: 10 Dec 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 19 Dec 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/133
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres], regretting that the Royal Navy could not provide artillery support on the Belgian coast. WSC explains that small ships were not powerful enough, and it was not justifiable to expose battleships to risk of attack by submarines, except to support a land attack of primary importance. [Hand-written draft, unsigned].

Dates: 19 Dec 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 21 Dec 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/143-155
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] on the treatment of naval units serving with the Army in France. WSC argues that they should continue to be subject to the Naval Discipline Act, not given the choice to "become a soldier or be sent home"; he lists the five units concerned: armoured trains, motor omnibuses, aircraft, armoured cars and 15-inch howitzers. [Two draft carbon copies].

Dates: 21 Dec 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 23 Dec 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/158-160
Scope and Contents Letter from Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the status of naval units serving with the Army in France. Kitchener states that while the War Office would welcome a Naval Brigade or Division, they did not think it necessary to have "irregular" Naval units serving in armoured cars or trains, which could be provided by the War Office. He adds that if these irregular units were only a means for "certain officers and gentlemen...
Dates: 23 Dec 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 31 Dec [1914]

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/27B/162-163
Scope and Contents

Memorandum by WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the need to secure naval command of the Baltic, in view of the stalemate on the Western Front. [Hand-written draft, initialled by WSC].

Dates: 31 Dec [1914]
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 21 Nov 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/28/38-39
Scope and Contents

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher [1st Sea Lord] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] urging him to persuade Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War] to send 100,000 men to Flanders [Belgium] at once. Fisher also comments on the lack of daring shown by General Joseph Joffre [Commander-in-Chief, French Army]. [Hand-written, with typescript copy].

Dates: 21 Nov 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/34/2
Scope and Contents

Map of the Western Front, with forts and defences marked: scale 1:70,000.

Dates: 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/34/3
Scope and Contents

Map of the area surrounding Antwerp [Belgium], showing Allied defences, scale 1:40,000.

Dates: 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 30 Oct 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/68-74
Scope and Contents

Letter from Francis Grenfell to WSC, asking for help in obtaining an armoured car with a machine gun for his squadron; also giving an account of an action at Neuve Chapelle [France] and of trench warfare generally, particularly the difficulties of keeping in touch with the artillery.

Dates: 30 Oct 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 09 Nov 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/75-78
Scope and Contents

Letter from Francis Grenfell, (Dublin [Ireland]) to WSC, giving an account of fighting at Messines [Belgium], problems with the artillery, the shortage of machine guns, and his being wounded.

Dates: 09 Nov 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 15 Jan 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/83-85
Scope and Contents

Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander- in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] to WSC, on meeting with General Joseph Joffre [Commander-in-Chief, French Army] on the military situation in France and Belgium, particularly the possibility that a joint expedition to Ostend might have to be postponed.

Dates: 15 Jan 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/86
Scope and Contents

Note from Edward Marsh [Private Secretary to WSC] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], reporting on his meeting with Noel Noel-Buxton on the Balkans, particularly the need to persevere with diplomacy, and the misfortune of having the pro-Serbian Sir Henry Bax-Ironside as [Minister Plenipotentiary] to Bulgaria.

Dates: 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Mar 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/101-102
Scope and Contents Telegram from Sir Francis Elliot [British Minister, Athens, Greece] to the Foreign Office, on his meeting with the Russian Minister, who informed him that his Government would not allow Greek soldiers to enter Constantinople [later Istanbul, Turkey]. Elliot explains his fear that this might stop Greece from joining the Allies and urges that the Russian Government should be brought to reconsider. Also includes message from the Military Attache [Sir Thomas Cuninghame] on the views of the...
Dates: 04 Mar 1914
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 05 Mar 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/103
Scope and Contents

Telegram from Sir George Buchanan [British Ambassador to Russia], to the Foreign Office, reporting that he had delivered a message from WSC to the Grand Duke Nicholas, and that the Russian fleet would proceed to the Bosphorus [Karadeniz Bogazi, Turkey]. [Typescript copy].

Dates: 05 Mar 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 10 Mar 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/120-122
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Vice-Admiral Sackville Carden [in command of naval operations at the Dardanelles], on the Dardanelles campaign, urging him to destroy the forts at Chanak, and stating that the results to be gained were great enough to justify the loss of ships and men which success could not be obtained without. [Hand-written drafts, initialled by WSC. See also CHAR 13/45/165.].

Dates: 10 Mar 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 22 Feb 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 13/45/124
Scope and Contents

Minute from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], on the landing of the Royal Naval Division in the Dardanelles: WSC suggests that a good General be sent there to take command of the troops, including the Royal Naval Division, and suggests Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston. [Hand-written copy].

Dates: 22 Feb 1915
Conditions Governing Access: Open
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(Untitled), 15 Oct 1914

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/64/30
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC (Admiralty) to Charles a Court Repington on: arrangements for providing information about the war to the press; the fall of Antwerp [Belgium]; the prospect of a hard struggle on the Western Front. Copy in WSC's hand.

Dates: 15 Oct 1914
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), 23 Jun 1915

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/69/15
Scope and Contents

Cutting from the Daily Mail: editorial on: the enthusiastic response to the War Loan; German intrigues to prevent Eleutherios Venizelos regaining power in Greece and the desirability of harnessing the support for the Allies in the Balkans.

Dates: 23 Jun 1915
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), 25 Jan 1916

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 2/71/1-3
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC (6th Royal Scots Fusiliers in the field) to David Lloyd George on Lloyd George's political position and the discouraging war situation from the British point of view. Asserts that the position would have been much better if either Lloyd George or WSC had had their way about Salonika [Greece] or the Dardanelles early in 1915, and wonders whether there is to be a costly campaign in the Balkans. Typescript copy. Manuscript drafts at CHAR 2/71/4-5.

Dates: 25 Jan 1916
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.