Scope and Contents

Minutes of the War Cabinet Chiefs of Staff Committee meeting in which various matters were discussed, including the defence of the Eastern Mediterranean, repatriation of POWs and civilians, co-operation with the Soviet Union, the South-East Asia theatre, strategic bombing, zones of occupation in Germany, and supplying Italy. [flagged "D"].

Scope and Contents Minute from WSC to Chancellor of the Exchequer [Sir John Anderson, later 1st Lord Waverley], Minister of Labour [Ernest Bevin], Minister of Production [Oliver Lyttelton, later 1st Lord Chandos], Secretary of State for War [Sir James Grigg], and General [Sir Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] for the Chiefs of Staff Committee, asking the Secretary of State for War to put forward proposals to reduce manpower in the Middle East, setting out the existing position, and...

Scope and Contents

Memorandum from the Commander in Chief, Middle East Forces [General Sir Bernard Paget] (General Headquarters, Middle East Forces) marked "Top Secret" on manpower levels in the Middle East Base, prepared on WSC's verbal instructions, with an appendix table setting out the relevant figures.

Scope and Contents Minute from [General Sir Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] to WSC marked "Top Secret" reporting the Tripartite military meetings held on 5 and 6 February 1945 [at the Yalta Conference, Soviet Union] at which the following were discussed: the co-ordination of operations on the Western, Eastern and Italian fronts, the war against Japan, co-operation between the Allies and Soviets including over bombing, and the assumed date for the end of the war with Germany....

Scope and Contents

"Table 1" giving the "estimated strengths of imperial armed forces (white troops)" at approximately 1 May or 1 June 1945 and analysing the imperial army and air force by theatre at approximately 1 June 1945.

Scope and Contents

Bar charts showing British, Allied, and neutral merchant tonnage lost by aircraft, surface craft, mines, and U-boats between September 1939 and May 1945.

Scope and Contents

Figures showing tonnage of bombs dropped on Germany and German occupied territory by Britain and the United States between April and July 1944. [annotated by Leslie Rowan, Prime Minister's Private Secretary].

Scope and Contents

Page proofs for a supplement to the London Gazette entitled "Fleet Air Arm Operations Against Taranto [Italy] on 11th November 1940", reprinting contemporary despatches and reports from individuals including Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean (16 January 1941) and [Denis] Boyd, Commanding Officer, HMS Illustrious (13 November 1940), with later Admiralty footnotes. [annotated by ?Kathleen Hill, WSC's secretary].

Scope and Contents

Page proofs [for a supplement to the London Gazette] entitled "Sinking of the German Battleship Bismarck on 27th May, 1941" reprinting contemporary despatches and reports from Admiral Sir John Tovey, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet (5 July), and Vice-Admiral James Somerville, Flag Officer Commanding Force H (4 June), with an appendix and later Admiralty footnotes. [annotated by ?Kathleen Hill, WSC's secretary].

Scope and Contents Page proofs [for a supplement to the London Gazette] entitled "The Carrier Borne Aircraft Attack on Kirkenes [Norway] and Petsamo [Finland]", July and August 1941, reprinting contemporary despatches and reports from Admiral Sir John Tovey, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet (12 September), Rear Admiral [William] Wake-Walker, Commanding First Cruiser Squadron (15 August), Captain [Arthur] Talbot, HMS Furious (5 August), and Captain [Henry] Bovell, HMS Victorious, with later Admiralty footnotes....

Scope and Contents

Printed despatch marked "Secret" entitled "Operations in North-West Europe, 6 June 1944 - 5 May 1945" by Field Marshal [1st] Lord Montgomery of Alamein [then Commander 21st Army Group]. [typescript copy; cover has some minor annotations].

Scope and Contents

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

Galley proofs reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory, [then] Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, dated November 1944, entitled "Air Operations by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force in [North-West] Europe from November 15, 1943 to September 30, 1944" giving details of the AEEF's structure and the planning and carrying out of operations before, including, and after D Day. [annotated by WSC's office].

Scope and Contents

Galley proofs reprinting a despatch by Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, [then] Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Coastal Command, RAF, dated 1 November 1944, entitled "Liberation of Europe (Operation 'Overlord'): operations of Coastal Command, Royal Air Force, from May to August 1944".

Scope and Contents Letter from Captain A C Beer, Private Secretary to General Sir Hastings Ismay [Additional Secretary (Military) of the Cabinet] (Offices of the Cabinet and Minister of Defence, Great George Street) to Elizabeth Gilliatt [WSC's secretary] stating that Ismay has asked him to assure WSC that there is nothing in an attached despatch [?by Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory, see CHAR 20/245/37-100] which might cause him trouble and that there is no mention of the "dispute about not...

Scope and Contents

Typescript copy of a report by Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Hill, former Air Marshal Commanding, Air Defence of Great Britain, RAF, entitled "Air Operations by Air Defence of Great Britain and Fighter Command in connection with the German Flying Bomb and Rocket Offensives, 1944-1945". [annotated].

Scope and Contents

Brief report from "Young" ("C I Desk" and "P I Secretary") to "C of S" [Chief of Staff, ?Northwest African Strategic Air Force] on an attack by 301 Bomb Group on installations at Foggia [Italy] ?aerodrome on 31 May 1943. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents

Series of black and white bomb strike photographs from an attack [by 301 Bomb Group] on installations at Foggia, Italy; some with details highlighted in coloured pencil.

Scope and Contents

Brief report from "Young" ("C I Desk" and "P I Secretary") to "C of S" ?[Chief of Staff, Northwest African Strategic Air Force] on an attack by 310 Bomb Group on Pantellieria [Italy] gun emplacements on 31 May 1943. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents

Series of black and white bomb strike photographs from an attack [by 310 Bomb Group] on Pantellieria [Italy] gun emplacements; some with details highlighted in coloured pencil.

Scope and Contents

Brief report from "Young" ("C I Desk" and "P I Secretary") to "C of S" ?[Chief of Staff, Northwest African Strategic Air Force] on an attack by 97th Bomb Group on the Northeast side of Foggia [Italy] ?aerodrome on 31 May 1943. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents

Brief report from "Young" ("C I Desk" and "P I Secretary") to "C of S" ?[Chief of Staff, Northwest African Strategic Air Force] on an attack by 99th Bomb Group on the Southwest side of Foggia [Italy] ?aerodrome on 31 May 1943. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents

Brief report from "Young" ("C I Desk" and "P I Secretary") to "C of S" ?[Chief of Staff, Northwest African Strategic Air Force] on an attack by 2 Bomb Group on Foggia [Italy] rail road facilities on 31 May 1943. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents

Operations report on an attack by 301st Bombardment Group on Cagliari Harbour, Sardinia [Italy]. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents

Series of black and white bomb strike photographs [from an attack by 301st Bombardment Group on Cagliari Harbour, Sardinia, Italy].