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Second World War (1939-1945)

 Subject
Subject Source: UK Archival Thesaurus

Found in 2737 Collections and/or Records:

 Item

(Untitled), 27 May 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/53C/251
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to 1st Lord Hankey on a suggested bombing campaign: a matter not "of principle ... but of ... available resources".

Dates: 27 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 23 Jul 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54A/32-34
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Stanley Bruce [High Commissioner for Australia in London] thanking him for the note on Soviet convoys, stressing the importance of controlling sea communications.

Dates: 23 Jul 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 08 Aug 1942 -10 Aug 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54A/47-50
Scope and Contents

Letters from WSC to General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief, Middle East] on changes in Middle East command; offers him Iraq and Persia [Iran], with the Tenth Army; General Harold Alexander to command the Middle East and Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery the Eighth Army.

Dates: 08 Aug 1942 -10 Aug 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 05 Nov 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54B/200
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to General Charles de Gaulle [Chief of Free French] on Allied success in the battle in the Western desert [El Alamein, Egypt].

Dates: 05 Nov 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 12 Nov 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54C/211
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to David Robertson explaining that an Anti-U-boat Warfare Committee is considering the need for specialist aircraft to protect shipping.

Dates: 12 Nov 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 16 Nov 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54C/221
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Major-General Noel Holmes [Director of Movements, War Office] congratulating him and his staff on the planning and execution of operation Torch [codename for Allied invasion of North West Africa].

Dates: 16 Nov 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 24 Nov 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54C/236-238
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States, challenging the decision by the United States to withdraw Lend-Lease funding for operations Bolero [codename for preparations for the invasion of Normandy, France] and Roundup [codename for the Allied invasion of North West Europe] in favour of Torch [codename for Allied invasion of North West Africa].

Dates: 24 Nov 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 07 Jun 1942 - 16 Jun 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/55/97-99
Scope and Contents

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].

Dates: 07 Jun 1942 - 16 Jun 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 17 Mar 1942 - 24 Mar 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/55/103-110
Scope and Contents Letter from 1st Lord Beaverbrook [earlier Max Aitken] to WSC, on Beaverbrook's past reasons for threatening to resign from the Government, and his views on policy issues towards the Soviet Union, including recognizing their frontiers, increasing supplies of tanks and aircraft to the Soviet Union, and opening a second front; includes notes by John Peck, Edith Watson and Francis Brown [Private Secretaries to WSC], and reports by Reuters on Beaverbrook's reasons for resigning from the...
Dates: 17 Mar 1942 - 24 Mar 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 01 Apr 1942 - 03 Apr 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/56A/61-67
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 01 Apr 1942 - 03 Apr 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 02 Jul 1942 - 21 Sep 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/56B/121-184
Scope and Contents Correspondence between Sir Stafford Cripps [Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons], WSC and Sir Edward Bridges [Secretary to the Cabinet] on memoranda by Cripps on subjects including: dissatisfaction in Parliament, the vote of censure against the Government and public opinion over progress of war in the Middle East, including leadership, weaponry, research and invention and the RAF; lack of public morale, the direction of the war and need for improved co-operation between the...
Dates: 02 Jul 1942 - 21 Sep 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 24 Sep 1942 - 08 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/57A/72-79
Scope and Contents Letter from Eric Errington [including transcript] to WSC requesting that bombers be sent to stop the Germans attacking Stalingrad, as food convoys have reached the north of the Soviet Union; with reply from WSC on the impracticability of the mission, and 2 draft replies (1 satirical) from the Chief of Air Staff [Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal] and also notes and correspondence from the Air Ministry, John Martin [Private Secretary to WSC] and Lieutenant-General Sir Hastings Ismay [Chief...
Dates: 24 Sep 1942 - 08 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 20 Jul 1942 - 07 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/57A/80-83
Scope and Contents

Cuttings from the Times reporting a speech by Oliver Lyttelton, Minister of Production [later 1st Lord Chandos] on Anglo-Soviet week, the German onslaught against the Soviet Union and the need to do more to help; with letter of complaint from William Gallacher [with transcript]; includes filing note.

Dates: 20 Jul 1942 - 07 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Mar 1942 - 28 May 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/57B/157-183,185
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...
Dates: 04 Mar 1942 - 28 May 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 14 Jun 1942 - 28 Aug 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/58/24-34
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...
Dates: 14 Jun 1942 - 28 Aug 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 04 Sep 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54A/73-74
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Marshal of the Royal Air Force 1st Lord Trenchard thanking him for paper on Bomber Command and defending bombing policy, but suggesting he overstated his case for an overall head of military strategy.

Dates: 04 Sep 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 05 Sep 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54A/76
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to Henry Nimmo [Chief Engineering Inspector, Electricity Commission] thanking him for drawing attention to electrical generating stations in Germany as targets for bombing.

Dates: 05 Sep 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 15 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54B/141
Scope and Contents

Letter from Franklin Roosevelt [President of the United States] to WSC praising Lord Louis Mountbatten [Chief of Combined Operations] following his trip to Hawaii; situation with Japan worsening.

Dates: 15 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 20 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54B/150-163
Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to [Franklin Roosevelt] President of the United States, detailing secret military plans, reorganisation of command, and projected course of the war: Major-General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief, Middle East] to attack Cyrenaica [Libya], then advance on Tripoli; invasion of Norway has been planned as a cover; reports of German preparation for invasion of Britain over North Sea; seeks introduction of American troops to Northern Ireland; command. structure between the...
Dates: 20 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 31 Oct 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/54B/182-186
Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] with major points of joint strategy: expansion of shipping convoys against U-boat attack; increase of food imports in 1943; more American troops to Britain; increasing bombing, night bombing and using aircraft against U-boats.

Dates: 31 Oct 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 22 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/140-142
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...
Dates: 22 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 22 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/143
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 22 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 22 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/151-152
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 22 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 14 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/77-79
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 14 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open
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(Untitled), 13 Jan 1942

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Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHAR 20/68B/85
Scope and Contents

Telegram from WSC to General Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, commending his decision to push for battle at Agheila-Marada front [Libya].

Dates: 13 Jan 1942
Conditions Governing Access: From the File: Open