UK Civil British War Production: Unpublished Sources

Unpublished Sources

Key to References

Note:—Unless marked with an asterisk, references are to documents in the Cabinet Office archives.

AFC	Anglo-French Staff Conversations 1939
*AG Stats. WO	Adjutant General Statistics (War Office)
Cabinet	Cabinet Meeting
CCS	Combined Chiefs of Staff Committee
CID	Committee of Imperial Defence
HDC	Home Defence Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence
COS	Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee
COS(O)	Chiefs of Staff (Operational)
CP	Cabinet Paper
CPD(P.&M.)	Joint Production and Materials Priority Committee
CPD(P.&M.) (DF)	Drop Forgings Sub-Committee of the Joint Production and Materials Priority Committee
CSA	Principal Administrative Officers’ Committee
CS(S)	Central Statistical Office, Stocks of Foodstuffs and Raw Materials
*CSSAD.	Committee for the Scientific Survey of Air Defence (Set of papers in the Ministry of Supply)
D.(38)	Defence Programmes and Acceleration Committee
DC(M) (32)	Ministerial Committee of Defence Requirements: Disarmament Conference
DS(S)	Defence Committee (Supply)
DO	Defence Committee (Operations)
DP(P)	Defence Plans (Policy) Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence
DPR	Defence Policy and Requirements Sub-Committee
DPR(DR)	Defence Policy and Requirements Sub-Committee: Defence Requirements
DRC	Defence Requirements Committee
*EC	Executive Committee of the Supply Council (Ministry of Supply)
EP	Economic Policy Committee
EP(M)	Economic Policy Committee (Ministerial)
IE	Import Executive
IP	Advisory Panel of Industrialists
JP	Joint Planning Staff
JWPS	Joint War Production Staff
LF	Land Forces Committee
LP	Lord President’s Committee
M.	Prime Minister’s personal Minute
*MAP	Ministry of Aircraft Production
MC	Military Coordination Committee
*MOP	Ministry of Production
*MOS	Ministry of Supply
MP	Manpower Committee
NAS	North American Supply Committee
NS(MPP)	Manpower Priority Sub-Committee
NS(SRO)	Schedule of Reserved Occupations
PE	Production Executive
PE(M)	Materials Committee of the Production Executive
PE(M) (DF)	Drop Forgings Sub-Committee of the Materials Committee
PSO	Principal Supply Officers’ Committee
PX	Production Council
RPM	Review of Precautionary Measures taken during the Czechoslovak crisis
*SC	Supply Council (Ministry of Supply)
*TB	Tank Board (Ministry of Supply
*TISC	Treasury Inter-Services Committee (Treasury)
WM	War Cabinet Meeting
WP	War Cabinet Paper
WP(G)	War Cabinet (General)
WP(R)	War Cabinet Report
WW	Papers of the Arcadia Conference, Washington, December 1941/January 1942

Chapter I

1. CID 236th Meeting, Minute 6, 5th July 1928.

2. CID 255th Meeting, Minute 4, 22nd March 1932.

3. DRC14. Report of the Defence Requirements Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence, dated 28th February 1934, para. 4.

4. See Errington: Naval New Construction Requirements 1934–39, Part I, pp. 29–30. (Cabinet Office file 69/7A.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/4

5. See Errington: Execution of the Naval New Construction Programmes 1936–1939, para. 22. (Cabinet Office file 69/7F.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/1

6. PSO(SB)116, 28th May, 1930; 420, 27th April, 1934, and 932, 19th July 1939. See McKenna: Naval New Construction Programmes and their Execution 1935–1945, Table I. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/C.) CAB/HIST/N/6/2/1

7. CP294(23), 15th June 1923.

8. See Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, para. 2. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1 Another copy of this narrative is in the Ministry of Supply Registry. (MOS I/HIST/142.) In the same series of MOS files are folders containing memoranda, extracts of documents, etc., used in the compilation of the narrative, and other related papers. MOS file I/HIST/261 contains a complete list of these folders and a summary of the contents of each.

9. DRC14, op. cit.

10. DC(M) (32)141, 8th May 1935. 1st interim report of Sub-Committee on Air Parity, Appendix A entitled ‘Performance of Up-to-date Types.’

11. War Office: Annual Reports of Director of Army Contracts 1923–1926.

12. See Hay: Design and Production of British Tanks, p. 13 (MOS file I/HIST/181.) CAB/HIST/T/2/1/3.

13. Sources: Figures for 1918 were obtained from the official History of the Ministry of Munitions, Vol. VIII, produced after the First World War; those for 1933 from the Annual Report of the Chief Superintendent Ordnance Factories, dated 3rd June 1939. (Woolwich Arsenal file 83/127.)

Chapter II

1. CID 255th Meeting, Minute 4, 22nd March 1932.

2. CP193(34), 16th July, 1934; CP205(34), 31st July 1934; Cabinet 29(34) Conclusion 3, 18th July 1934; Cabinet 31(34) Conclusion 1, 31st July, 1934; DC(M) (32)41st Conclusions, p. 11, 3rd May, 1934; CID paper 1149B, 23rd October, 1934; CID 261st Meeting, Minute 2, 9th November, 1933; CID 266th Meeting, Minute 1, 22nd November 1933. See also the narrative by Dr. N. H. Gibbs on ‘The Committee of Imperial Defence and the War Cabinet’, p. 82 (Cabinet Office file 70/30A.) CAB/HIST/D/4/1/1

3. See Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, para. 21. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/2.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1. The factors governing the expansion of industry for Air Force requirements are set out in DP(P)12, memorandum by Secretary of State for Air, 27th October, 1937.

4. CP65(38), 12th March 1938.

5. See for example, CP205(34), para. 47, 31st July, 1934.

6. See for example, CP87(38), 4th April 1938; Cabinet 18(38) Conclusion 8, 6th April 1938; Cabinet 53(38) Conclusion 2, 7th November 1938.

7. The section—The Re-equipment of the RAF—is largely based on the annotated narrative by Professor Postan: ‘Aircraft Programmes: Quantities’, op. cit. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3.) (See also Chapter I, note (8). op. cit.

8. DRC14, 28th February 1934.

9. CP193(34), 16th July 1934. See Postan: op. cit., para. 5.

10. CP27(36), 10th February 1936, memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air on the Air Striking Force.

11. Cabinet 10(36) Conclusion 1, 25th February, 1936.

12. Schedule III to DRC37, Appendix A, 31st October, 1935.

13. CP316(37), 15th December 1937, interim report of the Minister for Coordination of Defence, considered and approved by the Cabinet on 22nd December, 1937.

14. CP65(38), 12th March, 1938, memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air.

15. Cabinet 18(38) Conclusion 4, p. 24, 6th April, 1938.

16. Cabinet 21(38) Conclusion 6, 27th April, 1938.

17. CP86(38), 1st April, 1938, memorandum by the Minister for Coordination of Defence; the new programme is set out in detail in the Air Ministry Memorandum which is attached.

18. Cabinet 21(38) Conclusion 6, 27th April, 1938.

19. Memorandum, numbered EPM127(38), by the Director General of Production (Mr. Ernest Lemon) presented to the Air Council, 7th September, 1938 (paras. 6–10). (Copy in MOS file I/HIST/86.)

20. Ibid. para. 5

21. Ibid. paras. 3–12.

22. See Postan: ‘Aircraft Programmes: Quantities’, op. cit., para. 25.

23. Memorandum by the Director General of Production, op. cit., paras. 13–15.

24. IP13, 13th January 1939. Memorandum by Air Member for Development and Production. See also Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op. cit., para. 25.

25. Slightly different figures were given in the memorandum of July, 1939 by the Air Member for Development and Production: attached to WP(R) (39)16, dated 25th September, 1935.

26. DRC37 (also numbered DPR52), 21st November 1935.

27. Ibid. The section—The Renovation of the Navy—largely based on facts in the annotated narrative by Mr. Errington: Naval New Construction Requirements, 1934–1939. (Cabinet Office file 69/7A.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/4

28. Ibid. para. 34; also enclosure No. 2 to CID No. 1215B, 2nd March, 1936.

29. Source of figures in Table 4: see Errington, op. cit., pp. 18 and 21.

30. CP30(38), 14th February, 1938.

31. DPR(DR)9, attached to CP26(36), 12th February, 1936.

32. CP24(38), 8th February 1938.

33. CP30(38), 14th February 1938.

34. CP24(38), op. cit.

35. CP14(39), January, 1939.

36. These figures were supplied by the Admiralty (CB 01815B). They are particular to war vessels and AA vessels and are mostly standard displacement figures: Commonwealth vessels are not included.

37. The section—The ‘Cinderella’ Service—is largely based on the annotated narrative by Professor Postan: ‘Production Programmes and Requirements (Ministry of Supply) 1936–1942’ (Cabinet Office file 69/7/6.) Another copy of this narrative is in the Ministry of Supply Registry (MOS I/HIST/168): for a list of other related documents in the Ministry of Supply Registry the reader if referred to MOS I/HIST/261.

38. DRC14, 28th February, 1934, para. 26.

39. See Postan: Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), op. cit., para. 8 and Appendix, Note II on ‘Peacetime Provision for the Territorial Army’.

40. Cabinet 75(36) Conclusion 6, 16th December, 1936; CP326(36), 3rd December, 1936. See also the narrative by Dr. N. H. Gibbs on ‘Rearmament 1919–1939’, p. 111. (Cabinet Office file 70/40A.)

41. See CP334(36), 11th December, 1936 and CP337(36), 14th December 1936.

42. COS536, 21st December, 1936.

43. CP41(37), 28th January, 1937.

44. CP316(37), 15th December, 1937.

45. See CP26(38), 10th February, 1938, memorandum by the Secretary of State for War on the Organisation of the Army for its role in War.

46. CP27(39), 27th January, 1939, memorandum by the Secretary of State for War on the State of Preparedness of the Army.

47. CP26(38), 10th February, 1938.

48. Cabinet 31(34) Conclusion 1, 31st July, 1934; CP205(34), para. 51, 31st July, 1934. See also Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), op. cit., para. 21. CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1.

49. Ibid, para. 22.

50. Table compiled by official historians, figures checked with War Office Branch Records.

51. CID241A, 7th October, 1936.

52. CID205A, dated 11th April, 1935. Enclosure No. 2 to DPR 2, dated 1st July, 1935.

53. See Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), op. cit., Appendix, Note I on ‘Pre-war requirements for ADGB’ CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1

54. CID 271A, 4th December, 1937.

55. MC(39)12, 9th December, 1939.

56. CP115(37), 23rd April, 1937. See Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), op. cit., para. 32.

57. PSO 51st Meeting, Minute 2, 12th June, 1931.

58. DPR89, 2nd June, 1936, memorandum by Board of Trade Supply Organization.

59. DPR 22nd Meeting, 11th June, 1936.

60. DPR211, 14th July, 1937, Sixth Report of the Sub-Committee for the Accumulation of Stocks of Essential Raw Materials.

61. Memorandum by Director of Aircraft Production, December, 1937. See Scott: Plans for War Potential in the Air Ministry, para. 10–24. (MOS file I/HIST/144.)

62. CP316(37), 15th December, 1937, paras. 98 (iii) (a) and (b). See also Scott: op. cit., para. 25.

63. CP24(38), Appendix IV, 8th February, 1938, revised proposals, submitted by the Air Ministry, based on the recommendations of the Minister for Coordination of Defence.

64. See Scott: op. cit., para. 27.

65. PSO(SB)363, 30th June, 1933; PSO(SB)392, 26th January, 1934 and PSO(SB) 10th Meeting, Minute 3(a), 20th May, 1930. For a short account of ‘List 392’ see Gordon: The Priority Organisation and the part played by the Ministry of Supply, paras. 37–40. (MOS file I/HIST/206.)

66. The Higher Organisation of the War Office: Report to the Executive Committee of the Army Council. (War Office file No. 1/General/4073, copy in MOS file I/HIST/238.)

67. See Gordon: op. cit., para. 40.

68. See Postan: Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), op. cit., para. 34.

69. Ibid. para. 35.

70. PSO 563 (also numbered CID No. 1275B), 12th November, 1936; PSO557 (also numbered PSO(SB)629), para. 9, 30th September, 1936.

71. CP 115(37), 23rd April, 1937; see also Postan, op. cit., para. 32.

72. Ibid. para. 42.

73. DRC37, 21st November, 1935; CP115(37), 23rd April, 1937 and CP24(38), 8th February, 1938.

74. See for example PSO(SB)905, 28th February, 1939. Quoted Inman: Labour Requirements and supply for Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, 1935–1945, p. 4. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/2._ CAB/HIST/L/4/1/1

75. See Inman, op. cit., para. 9.

76. See Errington: Execution of Naval New Construction Programmes, 1936 to 1939, Part V, Gun-mounting Production. (Cabinet Office file 69/7F.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/1

77. Ibid: Part III, Fire Control Production.

78. Ibid: Part IV, Production of Armour Plate.

79. John Brown, Beardmores and Vickers Armstrongs.

80. Errington: op. cit., Part VI, Gun Production.

Chapter III

1. WM(39) 9th Conclusions, Minute 15, 9th September, 1939.

2. CID 333rd Meeting, Minute 1, 6th October, 9th 1938.

3. RPM11, 28th October, 1938. Review of defects disclosed by the Czechoslovak crisis: report by the War Office—Defects and Remedies, para. 7.

4. RPM14, 28th October, 1938. Report by the Air Ministry, Appendix A, para. 7.

5. RPM11, op. cit., Section 7.

6. RPM14, op. cit., Part II and Appendix A.

7. See the narrative ‘The Expansion of the RAF 1934–1939’, pp. 77–78 (Air Ministry Historical Branch).

8. This assumption was expressed as early as 1935, see CID 241A, 7th October, 1936 and DRC37, 21st November, 1935. Quoted Hay: AA Guns, p. 16.(MOS file I/HIST/176.)

9. Air Ministry Historical Branch narrative, pp 58–59.

10. RPM12, 28th October, 1938.

11. RPM11, op. cit., para. 21.

12. D.(38)3, 31st October, 1938, Appendix I: The role of the Army in the light of the Czechoslovak crisis, para. 7.

13. The facts in the section—The Two Power Navy and Emergency Programmes—a largely taken from the documented narrative on Naval New Construction Requirements, September, 1939 to December, 1941 by Mr. L. Errington. (Cabinet Office file 69/7B.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/6

14. DP(P)63, discussed at CID 364th (DP(P)) Meeting, 6th July, 1939.

15. See Errington:, paras. 2 and 3.

16. WP(40)53, para. 7, 2nd March, 1940.

17. See Errington: paras. 45–47.

18. Ibid. para. 3.

19. WP(G)(39)15, 19th September, 1939. See Wrigley: Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs, p. 225. (Cabinet Office file 69/7E.) CAB/HIST/M/13/1/1–2

20. WM(40) 18th Conclusions, Minute 15, 19th January 1940.

21. WP(G) (40)183, 9th July, 1940; WM(40) 254th Conclusions, Minute 9, 19th September, 1940; WP(4)365, 9th September, 1940.

22. WP(41)69, Annex II, 26th March, 1941.

23. See Errington: op. cit., para. 41.

24. WM(40) 144th Conclusions, Minute 10, 28th May, 1940.

25. WP(40) 349, 9th October, 1940.

26. WP(41) 69, Annex II, op. cit.

27. See Errington: op. cit., para. 8.

28. See McKenna: Naval New Construction programmes and their Execution, 1935–1945, para. 226. (Cabinet Office file 69/7C.) CAB/HIST/N/6/2/1

29. See McKenna: op. cit., Table 5.

30. WM(40) 18th Conclusions, Minute 15, 19th January, 1940.

31. WP(40) 53, 2nd March 1940.

32. See Errington: op. cit., paras. 4, 14 and 32; Hay: Designs and Production of British Tanks, p. 64. (MOS file I/HIST/181.) CAB/HIST/T/2/1/3

33. See Errington: op. cit., para. 42.

34. See Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op. cit., para. 34. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3 and MOS file I/HIST/142.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

35. See Scott: Plans for War Potential in the Air Ministry, 1935–1938, para. 47. (MOS file I/HIST/144.)

36. See Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys narrative, p. 5. (MOS file I/HIST/1124.)

37. See Postan: op. cit., para. 39.

38. CP218((38), dated 25th October, 1938. See Postan: op. cit., para. 28.

39. See Postan: op. cit., para. 35.

40. WM(39) 23rd Conclusions, Minute 6, 22nd September, 1939.

41. The section—The Size of the Army—is based mainly on the documented narrative by Professor Postan: Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS) (For file references see Chapter II, note 37.) CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1

42. CP28(39) covering COS827, dated 25th January, 1939, para. 17. Also CID 341st Meeting, Minute 2, 15th December, 1938.

43. CID 333rd Meeting, Minute 1, 6th October, 1938.

44. D(38)3, Appendix I; D(38) 4th Meeting, 1st November, 1938.

45. CID 345th Meeting, Minute 1, 26th January, 1939.

46. CP27(39), 27th January, 1939, discussed in Cabinet 5(39) Conclusion 3, 2nd February, 1939, covering the memorandum dated 13th December, 1938 by the Secretary of State for War on ‘State of preparedness of the Army in relation to its role’. This memorandum, submitted to the CID in December, 1938, had been referred by them to the COS Sub-Committee for examination and report. (See under footnote (42) above—CP28(39).)

47. CP49(39), 18th February, 1939.

48. Cabinet 8(39) Conclusion 6, 22nd February, 1939.

49. CP84(39) paras. 10 and 30a, 14th April, 1939; AFC25, Annex 3, 11th May, 1939; LF(39)3, 8th September, 1939.

50. Cabinet 21(39) Conclusion 11, 19th April, 1939.

51. See WM(39) 58th Conclusions, Minute 4(v), 24th October, 1939.

52. i.e. 32 divisions from UK, 14 from the Dominions, 4 from Indian and a margin of 10 percent (5 divisions). LFt(39) 1st Meeting, 7th September, 1939.

53. i.e. of 100 divisions—LP(39)13, 18th September, 1939.

54. WM(39) 9th Conclusions, Minute 6, 11th September, 1939.

55. MC(40) 4th Meeting, p. 11, 10th January, 1940.

56. WP(40)48; WM(40) 40th Conclusions, Minute1, 13th February, 1950.

57. CP84(39) Revise, para. 4, 14th April, 193.

58. TISC 248th Meeting, Minute 1, 2nd September, 1939.

59. WM(39) 23rd Conclusions, Minute 6, 22nd September, 1939. Quoted Postan: Note IV, Discussion on the Size of the Army, September, 1939, to February, 1940, para. 17 (Cabinet Office file 69/7/6 and MOS file I/HIST/168.) CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1

60. D.(38) 4th Meeting, p. 3, 1st November, 1938.

61. Cabinet 8(39), Conclusion 6, 22nd February, 1939.

62. TISC, 226th Meeting, Minute 22, 19th May, 1939.

63. TISC, 234th Meeting, Minute 8, 29th July, 1939.

64. See the annotated draft narrative by Mr. W. Ashworth: War Production Contracts and Finance pp. 23–25. (Cabinet Office file 69/77A.) CAB/HIST/C/7/3/3

65. EP(M)(40)35, 3rd May, 1940. Memorandum on labour policy and the armament programme, prepared by Lord Stamp’s Survey of Economic and Financial Plans.

66. DP(P)12, para. 12, 27th October, 1939.

67. DP(P)13, para. 11, 25th November, 1939.

68. DP(P)20 (also numbered COS(38)683), 11th February, 1938.

69. Cabinet 15(38), Conclusion 2, 22nd March, 1938.

70. EP(M)(40) 11th Meeting, Minute 1, 30th April, 1940. EP(M)(40)e 26, 5.th April, 1940.

71. MOS files 2900/GEN./59; 290/GEN./164. See the narrative by Mr. W. C. Hornby: Machine Tools and Production Programmes 1935–45. (MOS file I/HIST/172.)

72. NS(SRO)34, 17th April, 1939. Quoted Bowley: Manpower History, Labour in the present war preparations, Part II, para. 22. (Cabinet Office file 69/29/11.) CAB/HIST/M/12/1/1

73. See Inman: Requirements and Supply of Labour for the Aircraft Industry, 1935–1944, p. 3. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/3.) CAB/HIST/L/4/2/1

74. See Errington: Execution of the Naval New Construction Programmes, 1936–1939, paras. 56, 61, 81–82. (Cabinet Office file 69/7F.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/1

75. Royal Ordnance Factory Nottingham. SC 46th Meeting, 5th March, 1941: (MOS file 201/GEN/83.) See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for Ministry of Supply Production, para. 102. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/1.) CAB/HIST/L/4/1/4

76. WP(G.) (40)9,.Annex A, dated 13th December, 1939, memorandum submitted by the Inter-departmental Conference on the labour requirements of the proposed war programme, para. 17; WM(40) 17th Conclusions, Minute 1, 18th January, 1941.

77. WP(G) (40) 46, 13th February, 1940; WM(40) 47th Conclusions, Minute 1, 20th February, 1940; WM(40) 62nd Conclusions, Minute 1, 7th March, 1940.

78. Figures of the industrial labour force were supplied by the Ministry of Labour.

79. Compiled from figures obtained from Ministry of Supply Statistical Summaries. (MOS file I/HIST/176); Ministry of Supply Statistical Summary No. 3, Table 2A. (MOS file I/HIST/269.)

80. DPR 287, dated 17th October, 1938; Ministry of Supply Statistical Summaries. (MOS file I/HIST/269.)

81. See Hay: AA Guns, pp. 26, 27 and 30. (MOS file I/HIST/176); Ministry of Supply Statistical Summary.

82. DPR 287, 17th October, 1938; DPR 314, 15th June, 1939.

83. See papers of the CSSAD. (MOS file AR/200/1).

84. Figures of British first-line strength were obtained from the Air Ministry Historical Branch. Figures of the first-line metropolitan strength computed by the British Air Staff are quoted in the Air Ministry narrative, op. cit.,p. 59 and p. 67.

85. Figures reported by the Secretary of State for Air to the War Cabinet on 20th March, 1939. Quoted in the Air Ministry narrative, op. cit., 9. 67.

86. In September, 1938–1 Spitfire squadron, 5 Hurricane squadrons; by the end of September 1939–10 Spitfire squadrons, 16 Hurricane squadrons. From Air Ministry narrative, op. cit., pp. 78–79.

87. Information from War Office (MI4A).

88. Ibid.

89. Other figures of German production were obtained from the Foreign Office (German Industrial Division); figures of British production from Ministry of Supply Statistical Summaries, op. cit.

90. TISC 245th Meeting, Minute 2, 28th August, 1939; 252nd Meeting, Minute 52, 14th September, 1939.

91. See McKenna: Naval New Construction Programmes, op. cit., pp. 87 and 88.

92. See Postan: An Historical Note on Filling Factories, para. 13(c). (MOS file I/HIST/170.)

Chapter IV

1. See the narrative ‘The Campaign in France and the Low Countries, September, 1939 to June, 1940,’ Appendix M. (Air Ministry Historical Branch.)

2. See Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op. cit., para. 45. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3.) See also Chapter I, note 8. CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

3. Ibid.

4. WP(40)339, 29th August, 1940.

5. From British Army Staff—British Ministry of Supply Mission Statistical Review, 1939–45; supplies procured up to February, 1941. (MOS file I/HIST/271.)

6. From information supplied by the War Office (See encl. ‘K’ in MOS file I/HIST/141.)

7. COS(40)373, 22nd May, 1940.

8. WP(40)168 (also numbered COS(40)390), dated 25th May, 1940. See also Brigadier H. W Wynter: The Higher Strategic Decisions of the War, Vol. II, pp. 30–31. (Official Military History narrative, AL 1200/75.) CAB/HIST/S/10/1/3

9. COS(40)647(JP), 21st August, 1940.

10. JP(41)444, para. 249, 13th June, 1941. See also Brigadier H. W. Wynter’s narrative, op. cit., Vol. III, pp. 328–329. (Official Military History narrative, AL 1200/76(A).)

11. Exchange of telegrams between Mr. A. B. Purvis and the North American Supply Committee. NAS(40)11, dated 31st July, 1940, summarises some of the most important telegrams, dated June and July, 1940, dealing with the special powers which the United States Administration had taken to control the production and allocation of armament. See also E.c.15, 24th March, 1941. (MOS file 2790/MISC/559.)

12. COS(40)422, 3rd June, 1940.

13. JP(41)444, para. 5, 13th June, 1941.

14. The facts in this section—The Bomber Programmes—are largely taken from the annotated narrative by Professor Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op, cit. (For file references see Chapter I, note 8.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

15. DC(S)(41)135, p. 29, 30th October, 1941.

16. Prime Minister’s minute, serial number M.878/1, dated 7th September, 1941. See Postan: op. cit., para. 58.

17. Ibid. para. 59. See also DC(S)(41)133, 21st October, 1941.

18. The ‘December’ programme was approved by the Defence Committee (Supply) on 9th December, 1941: DC(S)(41) 15th Meeting.

19. DC(S)(41)135, 30th October, 1941. See also Postan: op. cit., para. 61 and Appendix I, Table 6.

20. Information on deliveries of American aircraft was provided by the Central Statistical Office.

21. LP(39)13, 18th September, 1939.

22. COS(40)647(JP), 21st August, 1940.

23. COS(41)(60)0, 6th March, 1941; also Annex I to WP(41)69, 26th March, 1941.

24. See The Administrative History of the Middle East Force, Section 6, Vol. I, p. 176. (Official Military History narrative AL 1200/29.)

25. DC(S)(40), 5th Meeting, 19th June, 1940.

26. COS(41)66(0) 23rd March, 1941.

27. DO(41)12, 19th September, 1941.

28. COS(41)66(0), Appendices A and C, 23rd March, 1941.

29. WM(40) 217th Conclusions, Minute 7, Confidential Annex, 1st August, 1940.

30. Memorandum dated August, 1940, by the Director General of Army Requirements on the scale of military effort at Z+27 (MOS file 270/WO/23.) See also Postan: Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS) op. cit., para. 69. (See above Chapter II, note 37.) CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1

31. DC(S)(41)27, 22nd February, 1941.

32. WP(41)69, 26th March, 1941.

33. DC(S)(41) 7th Meeting, Annex, 23rd July, 1941.

34. From Order of Battle (Middle East), summary of approximate strengths on 15th March, 1941. (AG Stats. War Office 110/254.)

35. COS(41)(60)0, 6th March, 1941, op. cit.

36. DO(41)18, 9th October, 1941, directive by Minister of Defence.

37. See encl. K in file I/HIST/141, and DO(41)30, 23rd November, 1941.

38. Source of figures: 57/Gen/689 (DGAR), 1st April, 1940 and 57/Gen/689 (DGAR), 13th August and 19th October, 1940. (MOS file 270/WO/23.)

39. Source of figures: 57/Gen/689 (DGAR), 13th August, 1940, 57/Gen/1674 (DGAR), 30th May, 1941 and 57/Gen(A)2285 (DGAR), 2nd January, 1942. (MOS files 270/WO/23, 33 and 48.) See also Hay: Design and Production of British Tanks, Appendix, Table V. (MOS file I/HIST/181.) CAB/HIST/T/2/1/3

40. Source of figures: as under footnote (39) above.

41. See Postan: Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), para. 74. (for file references see Chapter II, note 37.) CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1

42. Ibid. para. 75.

43. MC(40)47, 9th February, 1940. See also Postan: op. cit., para. 80.

44. MC(39) 7th Meeting, Minute 2, 15th December, 1939.

45. WP(40)339, 29th August, 1940.

46. DC(S)(41)27, 22nd February, 1941. See Postan: op. cit., para. 83.

47. EC74, 11th June, 1941. (MOS file 279/MISC/559.)

48. War Office letter 57/Gen/1674 (DGAR) of 30th May, 1941. (MOS file 270/WO/33.)

49. Source of figures: 57/Gen/254 (DGAR) of 1st April, 1940; 57/Gen/689 (DGAR), 30th May, 1941. See under (38) and (39) above. See also Postan: op. cit., para. 84.

50. See Gordon: Organisation and Administration of the Ministry of Supply, 1939 to 1945. (MOS file I/HIST/190.)

51. WM(40) 133rd Conclusions, Minute 1(6), 22nd May, 1940.

52. Letter, dated 22nd November, 1940, from Mr. Greenwood (Minister without Portfolio) to Sir Thomas Grigg (War Office). (War Cabinet file 51.)

53. Minute dated 26th August, 1940, from Secretary of the Production Council to Secretary of the War Cabinet (War Cabinet file 51.)

54. WP(G)(40)338, 30th December, 1940.

55. See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, 1935–1945, para. 196. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/2.) CAB/HIST/L/4/1/1

56. See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for MOS Production, pp. 78–79. (Cabinet Office file 65/75/1.) CAB/HIST/L/4/1/4

57. M.209/1. Minute, dated 20th February, 1941, from the Prime Minister to Minister of Labour.

58. PX(40) 10th Meeting, Minute 1, Conclusion V, 15th August, 1940.

59. PX(40)46, 14th August, 1940, memorandum by Minister of Labour. See Judges: Allocation of Manpower, 1939–1945, p 49. (Cabinet Office file 69/29/3.) CAB/HIST/M/11/1/1

60. PX(40)68, 8th November, 1940, interim Report; PX(40)79, 11th December, 1940, 2nd Report of Manpower Requirements Committee.

61. PX(40)68, op. cit., Table II.

62. PX(40)79, op cit, Conclusions (iii) and (iv).

63. Ibid. para. 5.

64. PX(40) 12th Meeting, Minute 2, 12th November, 1940.

65. See Bowley: Manpower History, Labour Supply Policy, Chapter VIII, paras. 18–43: Mobilisation of Women under the Registration for Employment Order, 2nd phase, July—November, 1941. (Cabinet Office file 69/29/1.) CAB/HIST/M/12/1/1

66. Bowley: op cit, Table B.

67. See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, 1935–1945, op cit, para. 86. CAB/HIST/L/4/1/1

68. See Bowley: Manpower History, op cit, Labour Supply Policy, Part II, Chapter IV, para. 20. CAB/HIST/M/12/1/1

69. PX(40)69, para. 4, 8th November, 1940.

70. See Inman: Requirements and Supply of Labour for the Aircraft Industry, 1935–1944, pp. 46–47. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/3.) CAB/HIST/L/4/2/1

71. Ibid. pp. 75 and 65.

72. Ibid. p. 64, quoting from report on a conference at de Havilland’s, 10th October, 1940.

73. Agreement signed 10th June, 1941, explained in Ministry of Labour Circular 126/85, 20th June, 1941. See Bowley: op cit, p. 132. CAB/HIST/L/4/1/1

74. See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering 1935–1945, op. cit., p. 132 CAB/HIST/L/4/1/1

75. WM(40) 262nd Conclusions, 30th September, 1940.

76. WP(40)416, 15th October, 1940.

77. PX(40)32, 8th July, 1940, memorandum by the Minister of Labour.

78. See Iron and Steel narrative, paras. 201–214. (MOS file I/HIST/1142.) CAB/HIST/I/2/1/1

79. MOS Memorandum to TISC No. 406/40, 31st July, 1940; TISC 298th Meeting, Minute 38, 1st August, 1940.

80. PX(40)15; PX(40) 5th Meeting, Minute 2, 14th June, 1940.

81. Appointed by the Production and Materials Priority Committee at its 52nd Meeting on 2nd August, 1940.

82. Drop Forging Sub-Control was instituted on 22nd July, 1940. CPD(P. and M.)(43), Interim Report dated 3rd January, 1941.

83. CPD(P. and M.)(DF)32, April, 1941.

84. CPD(P. and M.)(DF)25, section V. December, 1940.

85. PE(M)(DF)(42)50; PE(M)(DF)(42)57, 61. Undated.

86. MOS Memorandum to TISC, No.557/40, 23rd October, 1940 and No. 248/41, 21st May, 1941; TISC 310th Meeting, Minute 25, 24th October, 1940 and TISC 340th Meeting, Minute 26, 22nd May, 1941.

87. See Iron and Steel narrative, op. cit., p. 162 CAB/HIST/I/2/1/1

88. MOS Memorandum to TISC No. 40/41, 23rd January, 1941.

89. Source of figures: Statistics of Iron and Steel Industry of the United Kingdom, 1939–44, compiled by the British Iron and Steel Federation.

90. CPD(P. and M.)(41)496, 23rd April, 1941.

91. PE(M)(41)511, 21st May, 1941.

92. MOS Memorandum to TISC No. 248/41, 21st May, 1941, TISC 340th Meeting. Minute 26, 22nd May, 1941.

93. MOS Memorandum to TISC No. 365.40, 16th July, 1940; TISC 296th Meeting, Minute 26, 18th July, 1940.

94. WP(41)68, 26th March, 1941.

95. LP(40) 4th Meeting, Minute 3, 21st June, 1940.

96. LP(40) 9th Meeting, Minute 1(3), (4), (7) and (8), 10th July, 1940.

97. LP(41) 5th Meeting, Minute 2, 18th February, 1941.

98. PX(40)3, 27th May, 1940. See also Gordon: The Priority Organisation and the part played by the Ministry of Supply, paras. 17–25. (MOS file I.HIST/206.)

99. PX(40) 3rd Meeting, Appendix, 31st May, 1940.

100. PX(40)15, dated 13th June, 1940, approved at 5th Meeting, Minute 2, 14th June, 1940.

101. PX(40)49, Appendix A, 2nd August, 1940.

102. PX(40)52, 3rd August, 1940.

103. WM(40) 139th Conclusions, Minute 2, 26th May, 1940.

104. WM(40) 229th Conclusions, 16th August, 1940.

105. WM(40) 262nd Conclusions, 30th September, 1940.

106. PX(40) 11th Meeting, Minute, 9th October, 1940.

107. See Gordon: op. cit., para. 25.

108. PE(41)185, 5th December, 1941.

109. SC 44th Meeting, 18th October, 1940: Report by the Minister of Supply. (MOS file 201/Gen/83.)

110. Note by Sir Alan Green, Principal Priority Officer, MOS (MOs. file 208/Priority/3132.) See Gordon: op. cit., p. 20.

111. See Gordon: op. cit., p. 17.

112. The facts in the section—The Bombers Delayed—are largely taken from the annotated narrative, Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op. cit., (see Chapter I, note 8). CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

113. See Jeffreys: Labour Welfare and Utilisation in the Aircraft Industry, p. 12, footnote (4). (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3B.) CAB/HIST/L/3/1/1

114. W.P/(40)427, 27th October, 1940. See also Scott: Construction of Aircraft Factories, Chapter III, Dispersal of Aircraft Factories. (MOS file I/HIST/160.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

115. See Postan: op. cit., Section IV, para. 129.

116. See Parry: Memorandum on the Production of Reciprocating Aero Engines, 1935–1945. (MOS file I/HIST/151.)

117. See McKenna: Memorandum on the Production of Propellers. (MOS file I.HIST.204.)

118. DC(s)(41)152, 8th December, 1941, especially para. 3 and Appendix I.

119. See Postan: Quantities, op. cit., Section I, para. 60. CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

120. Structure weights of aircraft were provided by MOS Stats. ASI

121. These figures were provided by the Central Statistical Office. See Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op. cit., Section III, para. 85. CAB/HIST/A/6/1/1

122. See Postan: op. cit., paras. 86 and 87.

123. Ibid. para. 82.

124. Source of figures: Light Metals Control. See Appendix V, Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys, 1939–1945. (MOS file I/HIST/1124.)

125. See Inman: Requirements and Supply of Labour for the Aircraft Industry, op. cit., Appendix X. CAB/HIST/L/4/2/1

126. DS(S)(41) 14th Meeting, 27th November, 1941.

127. See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for MOS Production, op. cit., Appendix I. CAB/L/4/1/4

128. See Postan: An Historical Note on Filling Factories. (MOS file I/HIST/170).

129. MC(40)21, 15th January, 1940.

130. Sellafield.

131. Bridgend and Glascoed.

132. Swynnerton, Risley and Kirkby.

133. Aycliffe and Thorp Arch.

134. Memorandum by the Director General of Ordnance Factories, (MOS file 260/Indus/129/3, Encl. 89A.) Quoted Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for MOS Production, op. cit., p. 66.

135. DC(S)(41)27, para. 5, 22nd February, 1941. See also Postan: op. cit., para. 9.

136. DC(S)(41)17, para. 3, 29th January, 1941.

137. See Postan: op. cit., para. 19; EC40, April, 1941 and EC54, 8th May, 1941. (MOS file 279/MISC/559.)

138. See Postan: op. cit., para. 21.

139. Royal Ordnance Factory Nottingham.

140. Source of figures: Ministry of Supply Statistical Summaries. (MOS file I/HIST/269.)

141. DS(S)(40) 12th Meeting, 22nd July, 1940.

142. See Hay: Design and Production of British Tanks, op. cit., Part I, para. 163.

143. DC(S)(41) 3rd Meeting, Minute 1(e), 26th February, 1941.

144. PE(41) 21st Meeting, Minute 1, 9th July, 1941; PX(40)15, 13th July, 1940.

145. DC(S)(40)10, 17th June, 1940, discussed at 6th Meeting of the Defence Committee (Supply, 20th June, 1940.

146. DC(S)(40) 11th Meeting, 19th July, 1940.

147. MC(40) 16th Meeting, Minute 1, 8th April, 1940.

148. See Hay: op. cit., Appendix III.

149. Ibid: Appendices XIII and III.

150. Hay: Design and Production of British Tanks, op. cit., Part I, para. 67.

151. Ibid: Part I, para. 66.

152. Quoted Postan: Historical Notes on the Tank, p. 3. (MOS file I/HIST/168.) CAB/HIST/T/2/1/8

153. See also DC(S)(41)26, 21st February, 1941.

154. These are the figures quoted in the joint memorandum of the Ministry of Supply and the War Office to the Defence Committee (Supply—see DC(S)(41)26, 21st November, 1941. In the requirements submitted to the Ministry of Supply in August, 1940, the proportion of cruiser tanks to the total tank requirements was 60 percent. See Hay: op. cit., Appendix V.

155. DC(S)(40)93, 25th November, 1940, endorsed at the 17th Meeting of the Defence Committee (Supply_, 28th November, 1940.

156. Meeting of the Tank Board, 9th September, 1941. Quoted Postan: op. cit., p. 5.

157. See note by Sir Walter Layton, dated 17th August, 1940. (MOS file I/HIST/168.)

158. DC(S)(40) 4th Meeting, 11th June, 1940.

159. DC(S)(40) 11th Meeting, 19th July, 1940.

160. Meeting of the Tank Board, 17th January, 1941 (MOS file 257/TANKS/385.)

161. D.C(S)(40)10, 17th June, 1940.

162. TB(40)5, 1st July, 1940. (MOS file 257/TANKS/385.)

163. War Office file 57/Guns/1428; also see Hay: British Tank and Anti-Tank guns, Appendix I. (MOS file I/HIST/180.)

164. DC(S)(41)14, 29th January, 1941; DS(S)(41) 2nd Meeting, Minute 2, 5th February, 1941.

Chapter V

1. W,W,(1) Final: Statement agreed at the Arcadia Conference, December, 1941/January, 1942.

2. D.O(42) 10th Meeting, 14th April, 1942.

3. CCS83/1, 24th June, 1942: Offensive operations in 1942 and 1943.

4. Compiled by official historians from statistics supplied by the Ministry of Supply (CFI). See Hornby: Machine Tools and Production Programmes, Part II, para. 6 (MOS file I/HIST/172.)

5. Based on Admiralty Appropriation Accounts, sub-head 8111D, see Hornby: op. cit.

6. Requirements estimates were provided by the Machine Tool Control; see also Hornby: op cit., para. 13, 18, 27 and 30.

7. Sources: Machine Tool Control records (see MOS file op. cit., I/HIST/172) and United States Department of Commerce: Foreign Commerce and Navigation of USA 1939–1944.

8. Based on Machine Tool Control records. See memorandum by Mr. Hornby on Requirements and Supply of Small Tools 1935–1945. (MOS file I/HIST/189.)

9. Air Supply Board meeting, 25th July, 1941, para. 4. See Hornby: op. cit., Part II, para. 35.

10. DC(S)(41)152, 8th December, 1941.

11. Letter from Deputy Secretary MAP to the Controller General, Machine Tools, 14th April, 1942. (MOS file 290/MISC/6.) See Hornby: op. cit., para. 34.

12. DC(S)(41)133, 21st October, 1941.

13. WP(43)138, 12th April, 1943.

14. IE(41)123, 29th September, 1941; IE(41)142, 8th December, 1941.

15. IE(42) 2nd Meeting, Minute 2, 3rd February, 1942.

16. LP(42) 5th Meeting, Minute 3, 16th February, 1942.

17. IE(42)8, 30th January, 1942.

18. MOS memorandum dated 24th February, 1942. (Copy in Cabinet Office file 55/18.) Treasury file EAS.35/01B

19. MOS file 314.Shipping.14, Part III, enclosure 51.

20. JWPS(43)1, 4th January, 1943.

21. Ibid, para. 5.

22. Prime Minister’s minute, M.641/2, 26th December, 1942.

23. WP(43)138, Annex, 12th April, 1943.

24. WP(43)153, 14th April, 1943, gives details of the revised programme for 1943.

25. WP(43)46, 29th January, 1943.

26. WP(43)138, 12th April; WM(43) 57th Conclusions, Minute 1, 21st April, 1943.

27. CS(S)(44)8, para. 2, 26th January, 1944.

28. See WP(45)69, Appendix, Table 2, 30th January, 1945.

29. From Ministry of Labour ‘L’ returns.

30. PX(40)69, 8th November, 1940.

31. EP(M)(40)35, 3rd May, 1940.

32. PX(40)68 and 79. See Chapter IV, footnote (60).

33. NS(MPP)(41)41 and 44, 30th September and 13th October, 1941. See Judges: The Allocation of Manpower, p. 61. (Cabinet Office file 69/29/3.) CAB/HIST/M/11/1/1

34. See Judges: op. cit., Table V, p. 59 and Table VII, p. 64.

35. Cited Inman: Requirements and Supply of Labour for the Aircraft Industry, 1935–1944, p. 82. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/31.) CAB/HIST/L/4/2/1

36. See Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for MOS Production, p. 152. (Cabinet Office file 69/75/1.) CAB/HIST/L/4/1/4

37. See Judges: Irish Labour in Great Britain 1939–1945, pp. 78–79. (Cabinet Office file 69/29/2.) CAB/HIST/L/2/1/1

38. JWPS(42)50 Final, 15th September, 1942.

39. LP(42)235, 20th October, 1942. See also Judges: The Allocation of Manpower, 1939–1945, op. cit., p. 106.

40. WP(42)539, 20th November, 1942. See Judges: op. cit., paras. 161–172.

41. WM(42) 167th Conclusions, Minute 1 and Annex, 11th December, 1942.

42. JWPS(42)5, 29th April, 1942.

43. WP(42)570, 9th December, 1942.

44. WP(43)472, 22nd October, 1943.

45. WP(42)173, 21st April, 1942.

46. DC(S)(42) 3rd Meeting, Minute 1, 13th May, 1942.

47. This decision is quoted in NAS(40)11, 31st July, 1940. para. 5.

48. NAS(40)11, p. 5, 31st July, 1940; NAS(40)18, Annex II, 26th August, 1940.

49. NAS(40)44, 14th December, 1940.

50. This was the result of the Dewar-Pratt Mission which went to American at the end of July, 1940. Actually 2,085 tanks were ordered during the autumn before the money ran out.

51. Sir Walter Layton’s memorandum on the British supply programme submitted on 2nd October, 1940, to Mr. Morgenthau—encl. No. 2, supplementary memorandum on army requirements. See encl. ‘A’ in MOS file I/HIST/141.

52. MOO file 2153/81.

53. See, for example, Sir Arthur Salter’s views in NAS(40)3, July, 1940 and above all M. Monnt’s letter to Sir Arthur Salter of 15th November, 1940—encl. ‘B’ in MOS file 1/HIST/141.

54. See Hay: Design and Production of British Tanks, p. 173, for output of tanks in the United States. (MOS file I/HIST.181.) CAB/HIST/T/2/1/3 Figures of output of guns in the United States were obtained from the Central Statistical Office: other figures from MOS Statistical Summaries, op. cit.

55. See Professor Hancock’s draft on ‘British-American Combination before the Combined Boards,’ pp. 64–65. (Cabinet Office file 69/72.) CAB/HIST/B/7/1/1

56. See ‘Discussions preparatory to Mr. Purvis’s balance sheet’ and table attached, encl. ‘C’ in MOS file I/HIST/141.

57. Telegram No. 142, Pursa, 1st March, 1941. (Copy in MOS file 2153/198, encl. 11A and in MOS file I/HIST/141, encl. ‘D’.)

58. Telegram Suply 1629, 9th March, 1941. (Copy in MOS file 2153/198, encl. 12B.)

59. See encl. ‘E’ in MOS file I/HIST/141.

60. See encl. ‘F’ in MOS file I/HIST/141.

61. DGP 607, 9th October, 1941, para. 31 (copy in MOS file I/HIST/141, encl. ‘G’); also Summary of ‘Victory Programme,’ Gen. Stats. 6294 (D. Stats. of 2nd October, 1941). (Copy in MOS file I/HIST/141, encl. ‘H.’)

62. DGP607, op. cit., para. 32 and 33.

63. JP(42)488, 8th May, 1942.

64. Tel. Min. No. 125 from Britman, Washington to Air Ministry, London, dated 21st October, 1942, para. 6. (Copy in MOS file I/HIST/141, encl. ‘I.’)

65. Minute from the Minister of Production to Prime Minister, dated 14th October, 1942. (See papers in MOS file I/HIST/141.)

66. See ‘Productivity of United States Munition Workers,’ encl. ‘J’ in MOS file I/HIST/141.

67. JWPS(42)84 Final, note by Minister of Production, 27th October, 1942.

68. Table compiled from statistics obtained from the Ministry of Supply and the Central Statistical Office.

69. The section—The Ministry of Production—is largely based on the earlier documented draft by W. Piercy in Cabinet Office file 69/7/7. CAB/HIST/P/6/1/2

70. PE(41) 20th Meeting, Minute 7, 26th June, 1941.

71. PE(41)164, 8th October, 1941.

72. Mr. Myrrdin Evans’ memorandum on Production Machinery, dated 26th January, 1942, summarised the counter-arguments. (War Cabinet file 19/6/699/3.)

73. Note by Mr. G. H. Ince, dated 17th October, 1941. (War Cabinet file 51B.)

74. JWPS(42)3, 13th April, 1942.

75. Sir Walter Layton’s memorandum on a Production General Staff, dated 6th March, 1942. (MOP file SEC/15.)

76. The proposal originated in Mr. Chegwidden’s memorandum dated 18th July, 1942, on the organisation of the office of the Ministry of Production. (MOP file SEC/15.)

77. WM(43) 102nd Conclusions, Minute 1(10), 22nd July, 1943.

78. WM(43) 117th Conclusions, Minute 1, 19th August, 1943; WP(43)373, 18th August, 1943.

Chapter VI

1. JWPS(42), 27th July, 1942.

2. JWPS(44)4, 15th January, 1944.

3. JWPS(44)5, 17th January, 1944.

4. COS(43) 102nd Meeting, 10th June, 1943.

5. COS(43)297(0) (also numbered CSA(43)13(0)), 9th June, 1943.

6. COS(44)1032(0), 13th December, 1944.

7. CSA(45) 28th Meeting, Minute 2, 9th July, 1945.

8. Most of the facts in this and the following seven paragraphs are taken from Sir Walter Mockton’s ‘Report on the part played in “Overlord” by Synthetic Harbours’ and the attached documents, COS(46)11, 18th January, 1946.

9. Percentage calculated by official historians.

10. For labour engaged in munitions production, see Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for MOS Production, Appendix I, Table I and Appendix II; Inman: Labour Requirements and Supply for Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, Table I. (Cabinet Office files 69.75.1 and 2.) CAB/HIST/L/4/1/4 and CAB/HIST/L/4/1/1

11. Most of the facts in the sections ‘Landing craft’ and ‘ Naval Construction and Shipbuilding’ are taken from the annotated narrative by Miss D. McKenna (Mrs. D. Fearon): Naval New Construction Programmes and their Execution, 1935–1945. (Cabinet Office file 69/7X.) CAB/HIST/N/6/2/1

12. DC(S)(43) 8th Meeting, Minute 1, 22nd November, 1943: W.P(43)549, 2nd December, 1943.

13. Between January, 1943, and the end of May, 1944, 2,858 vessels were completed of which 2,087 were landing craft. See McKenna: op. cit., Table 9.

14. WP(41)69, Annex II, 26th March, 1941.

15. W.P(42)484, 26th October, 1942.

16. See McKenna: op. cit., para. 316.

17. Ibid. Table 8. Figures were provided by Admiralty, P. Branch.

18. Ibid. para. 334.

19. Ibid. para. 389 and Table 5.

20. Ibid. para. 439.

21. Ibid. para. 341, quoting from W.P(42)484.

22. Memorandum by Mr. (later Sir Robert) Barlow to the Minister of Production, 27th July, 1942. (MOP file SEC.70).

23. See Wrigley: Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs 1939–1945, Part II, para. 157, quoting from Office Acquaint No. 424, 21st November, 1942. (Cabinet Office file 69/7E.) CAB/HIST/M/13/1/1 and 2

24. From Admiralty file MFO 89/44—quoted by Bolster: Execution of the Naval New Construction Programmes, September, 1939 to August, 1945, p. 153. (Cabinet Office file 69/7D.) CAB/HIST/N/6/1/1

25. McKenna: op. cit., quoting from the Report for 1943 of the Director of Naval Construction.

26. Final report of the Shipyard Development Committee P. (L)1939/43, 3rd August, 1943. Quoted McKenna: op. cit., para. 391.

27. Most of the facts in this section—The Merchant Ships—are taken from the narrative by Mr. C. C. Wrigley: Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs 1935–1945. (Cabinet Office file 69/7E.) CAB/HIST/M/13/1/1-2

28. See note (14) above.

29. Prime Minister’s personal minute M109/2.

30. WP(42)484, 26th October, 1942.

31. See Bolster: op. cit., p. 153, quoting extract from Admiralty file MFO 89/44.

32. WM(43) 171st Conclusions, Minute 1, 16th December, 1943; DC(S)(43) 8th Meeting, Minute 1, 2nd November, 1943.

33. WP(43)549, 2nd December, 1943.

34. See Wrigley: op. cit., para. 356.

35. The section—Aircraft Production—is largely based on annotated narrative: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities 1943–1945. (MOS file I/HIST.143.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/7. This is a continuation by Miss Keppel of the narrative by Professor Postan: Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, op. cit. (see also Chapter I, note 8.)

36. See Inman: Requirements and Supply of Labour for the Aircraft Industry, p. 82 (Cabinet Office file 69/75/3) CAB/HIST/L/4/2/1 and Judges: The Allocation of Manpower 1939–1945, para. 92. (Cabinet Office file 69/29/3.) CAB/HIST/M/11/1/1

37. See Judges: op. cit., para. 142.

38. Letter dated 23rd September, 1942, from Secretary of State for Air to Minister of Aircraft Production. (MAP Private Office folder No. 13.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/7 See Aircraft Programmes: Quantities, 1943–1945, op. cit., p. 2.

39. Ibid. p. 3.

40. Ibid. Letter dated 2nd October, 1942, from Minister of Aircraft Production to Secretary of State for Air. (MAP Private Office folder No. 13.)

41. Ibid. Note by Secretary of State for Air on DDG Stats. P’s paper dated 12th December, 1942, on the technique of aircraft programming. (MAP Private Office folder No. 46.)

42. Ibid. Note by Secretary of State for Air dated 12th December, 1942, op. cit.

43. Ibid. p. 5: Note by DDG Stats. P. on the technique of aircraft programming, 12th December, 1942. (MAP Private Office folder No. 46.)

44. As for Note (41) above.

45. DC(S)(43)3; DC(S)(43) 1st Meeting, Minute 1, 7th January, 1943. The figures used that his meeting varied slightly from those shown in the text and are quoted in Aircraft Programmes: Quantities 1943–1945, op. cit., p. 6.

46. DS(S)(43)40, 29th December, 1943.

47. DS(S)(43) 3rd Meeting. Minute 1, 30th March, 1943; DC(S)(43) 4th Meeting, Minute 1, 7th April, 1943.

48. Memorandum by DDG Stats. P. entitled ‘The Aircraft Programme.’ See Aircraft Programmes: Quantities 1943–1945, op. cit., p. 12. CAB/HIST/A/6/1/7

49. DC(S)(42) 2nd Meeting, Minute 1, 7th April, 1942; 5th Meeting, Minute 2, 17th July, 1942; DC(S)(42)64, 15th July, 1942.

50. DC(S)(42) 1st Meeting, Minute 1, 12th February, 1942.

51. Memorandum by DDG Stats. P., dated 19th November, 1943. Quoted Aircraft Programmes: Quantities 1943–1945, op. cit., p. 15.

52. The facts in the section—Repairs and Spares—are largely taken from the annotated narrative by Mrs. E. Bridge: The Repair and Maintenance of Aircraft of the RAF, 1939–1945. (MOS file I/HIST/161.)

53. The section—The Quality of Aircraft—is largely based on the annotated narrative by Professor Postan: Aircraft Production: Quality. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3A/) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/3 Another copy of this narrative is in the Ministry of Supply Registry—file I/HIST/145. For a list of files containing papers, extracts from documents, etc., used in the compilation of this narrative, appendices and related information see MOS file I/HIST/261.

54. CP218(38), para. 27. Quoted Postan: op. cit., para. 8.

55. The Air Staff was represented by DCAS (Air Marshal Sir William Sholto Douglas). See Mr. Calder’s memorandum to Sir Patrick Hennessy dated 12th June, 1941. (MOS file I/HIST/191) referred to in Postan: op. cit., para. 10, footnote (1).

56. See type biographies of the Hurricane and Spitfire. (MOS files I/HIST/106 and 111.)

57. See sources for type biographies of the Blenheim, Hurricane, Beaufighter and Defiant. (MOS files I/HIST/102, 106, 100 and 103 respectively.)

58. See Postan: op. cit., para. 11.

59. See Postan: op. cit., para. 12.

60. DGRD/ACAS(T), 24th Meeting, Minute 2, 12th June, 1940. (Copy in MOS file I/HIST/191.)

61. See statement of orders placed under Scheme F—Air Ministry memorandum No. 44 dated 10th November, 1936 enclosed in Secretary’s brief for 1937 Air Estimates. (Copy in MOS file I/HIST/198.)

62. See Postan: op. cit., para. 170.

63. Ibid. para. 171.

64. Memorandum dated March, 1938, and revised July, 1940, entitled ‘Considerations affecting the designs of the ideal bomber aircraft for the Royal Air Force.’ (MOS file I/HIST/198.)

65. See Postan: op. cit., para. 173.

66. CP218(38), dated October, 1938.

67. See Postan: op. cit., para. 176.

68. Ibid. paras. 172 and 192.

69. See sources for type biography: Vickers Warwick. (MOS file I/HIST/116.)

70. See Postan: op. cit., para. 192.

71. Report of the Fedden Mission to America, section 3, part B, chapter V. (MOS file I/HIST/199.)

72. Table 45 is adapted from one dated 1935 supplied to Professor Postan by Captain Liptrot (AD(RDT1)). See Postan: op. cit., p. 181.

73. Meeting held on 15th January, 1944, to discuss design and production of aircraft for operation in the Far East (CMS347). (MOS file I/HIST/198.)

74. See Postan: op. cit., para. 212.

75. Sir Ernest Lemon’s report on the development of new types,dated 20th August, 1942. (MOS file I/HIST/198.)

76. See ‘Administration of Airframe Modifications,’ Appendix IV to aircraft Production: Quality, op. cit. (MOS file I/HIST/149.)

77. The so-called Aircraft Modifications Committee ‘Brown Book’ and Aircraft Design Memoranda Nos. 358, 359 and 298, etc. See Postan: Aircraft Production: Quality, op. cit., para. 237. CAB/HIST/A/6/1/3

78. Ibid. para. 242.

79. War Office letter 57/Gen/2285 (DGAR) of 19th February, 1942 (MOS file 270.WO40). Quoted Postan: Production Programmes and Requirements (MOS), p. 56. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/6; MOS file I/HIST/168.) CAB/HIST/M/15/1/1

80. JP(42)488, 8th May, 1942.

81. See EC144, 24th January, 1942 (MOS file 279/MISC/559); also Postan: op. cit., para. 100.

82. See Turner: The Control of Production Programmes 1942–44, para. 5 (MOS file I/HIST/207.)

83. LP(42)235, Appendix II, Table 7, 20th October, 1942. For later reduction to 132,00 see Turner: op. cit., para. 5.

84. The facts in the section—The Cuts in Equipment for the Army—are mainly taken from the memorandum by Sir George Turner: The Control of Production Programmes 1942–44, op. cit.

85. WP(42)556, 28th November, 1942—reissued as WP(43)296, 6th July, 1943.

86. WM(42) 167th Conclusions, Minute 1, 11th December, 1942.

87. WM(43) 57th Conclusions, Minute 1, 28th April, 1943.

88. WP(43)139, 19th July, 1943; WM(43) 102nd Conclusions, Minute 1, 22nd July, 1943.

89. See Burnet: op. cit., para. 28.

90. Source: Ministry of Supply Statistical Summaries. (MOS file I/HIST/269.)

91. Ibid.

92. See MOS file I/HIST/186.

93. The section—Production of Radio—is based on the documented narrative by Mr. J. D. Scott and Mr. K. E. B. Jay: Development and Production of Radio and Radar. (MOS files I/HIST/208-211. See also MOS file I/HIST/261 for files of source material and related papers.) CAB/HIST/R/7/1/1-3

Chapter VII

1. W.M(44) 106th Conclusions, Minute 6, 14th August, 1944.

2. W.M(44) 116th Conclusions, Minute 8, 4th September, 1944.

3. W.M(44) 129th Conclusions, Minute 2, 29th September, 1944.

4. W.M(44) 138th Conclusions, Minute 2, 17th October, 1944.

5. W.M(45) 9th Conclusions, Minute 1, 25th January, 1945.

6. M.268/5, 29th March, 1945.

7. W.M(45)250, 14th April, 1945.

8. W.M(45)117, 26th February, 1945.

9. W.M(44)553, October, 1944.

10. DCS(S)(44)30, 24th October, 1944.

11. DCS(S)(44) 8th Meeting, Minute 1, 28th November, 1944.

12. DCS(S)(44)36 and 37, 23rd December, 1944.

13. See McKenna: Naval New Construction Programmes and their Execution, 1935–1945, p. 290 (Cabinet Office file 69/7C). CAB/HIST/N/6/2/1

14. CCS680/2, Report on Octagon Conference, 16th September, 1944.

15. WP(45)323, 23rd May, 1945.

16. WP(44)572, 15th October, 1944; WM(44) 138th Conclusions, Minute 2, 17th October, 1944.

17. CCS680/2, op. cit.

18. CCS900/3. Report on Terminal Conference, 24th July, 1945.

19. DO(45)3, 8th August, 1945, memorandum by Foreign Secretary.

20. See McKenna: op. cit., pp. 277–295.

21. DC(S)(45) 2nd Meeting, Appendix, 7th March, 1945.

22. See memorandum by Sir George Turner: Control of Production Programmes 1945–6: Conversion to Peace Production, para. 14. (MOS file I/HIST/207.)

23. War Office Memorandum, NA56, dated 5th May, 1945. See Hornby: Directorate of Royal Engineer Equipment, p. 239. (MOS file I/HIST/186.)

24. JWPS(45) 4th Meeting, Minute 1, 11th August, 1945.

25. COS(45)565(0), 6th September, 1945; DO(45)29, 5th November, 1945.

26. JWPS(45) 5th Meeting, Minute, Minute 1, 14th August, 1945.

27. DO(46) 4th Meeting, Minute 1, 8th February, 1946.

28. MP(45)32, 21st September, 1945.

29. See Wrigley: Merchant Ship Repairs and Conversions, p. 92 (Part VI of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs narrative). (Cabinet Office file 69/7E.) CAB/HIST/M/13/1/1

30. DO(45)28, Appendix 3, 5th November, 1945.

31. Ibid.

32. See Wrigley: op. cit., p. 92.

33. JWPS(45) 4th Meeting, Minute 2, 11th August, 1945.

34. DO(45)21, 22nd October, 1945.

35. See Turner: op. cit., p. 14.

36. DO(45)28, 5th November, 1945; DO(45)21, 22nd October, 1945.

37. Figures supplied by the Ministry of Labour and National Service.

38. See Turner, op. cit., p. 20.

39. DO(45)28, 5th November, 1945.

40. JWPS(45) 5th Meeting, Minute 6, 14th August, 1945.

41. See Turner: op. cit., p. 21.

Chapter VIII

1. Information about American war industry is based mainly on the ‘Analysis of War Department Procurement in World War II,’ prepared in the Ordnance department of the United States War Department as part of their departmental war history, pp. 49–53. (See Cabinet Office file 69/7/8.) CAB/HIST/S/11/1/1

2. For Report of the Weir Committee, dated 13th February, 1934, see CID1138B, Appendix.

3. English Electric Co., Ltd.

4. Jowett Cars, Ltd.

5. Baker Perkins, Ltd.

6. Vauxhall Motors, Ltd.

7. Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

8. See memorandum on Armament Capacity—Guns and Carriages. (MOS file 1/HIST/205.)

9. See memorandum on Capacity for Small Arms Production. (MOS files 1/HIST/205 and 188.)

10. See the narrative by Mr. Hornsby: Machine Tools and Production Programmes, 1935–1945. (MOS file 1/HIST/172.)

11. MOS file 201/Gen/822 contains papers on FBI’s general protests against an extension of ‘free issues.’ See also Mr. W. Ashworth’s draft narrative: War Production Contracts and Finance, p. 263. (Cabinet Office file 69/77A.) CAB/HIST/C/7/3/3

12. See memorandum on Production Groups. (MOS file 1/HIST/205.)

Chapter IX

1. Royal Ordnance Factory Dalmuir.

2. WM(42) 2nd Conclusions, Minute 8, 5th January, 1942; W.M(41) 127th Conclusions, Minute 3, 12th December, 1941; WP(42)4, 2nd January, 1942; WM(41) 133rd Conclusions, Minute 9, 22nd December, 1941.

3. See the section on ‘Agency schemes’ in the draft narrative by Mr. W. Ashworth: War Production Contracts and Finance, op. cit., paras. 446–449. CAB/HIST/C/7/3/3

4. See Postan: Aircraft Production: Quality, para. 41 and 106. (Cabinet Office file 69/7/3A.) CAB/HIST/A/6/1/3

5. Ibid. para. 97.

6. Report of MAP Committee set up under OM49/43 to examine the nature and extent of work at contractors’ works by MAP representatives, para. 19. Approximate date of circulation, November, 1943. Quoted Postan: op. cit., para. 97.

7. See narratives by Mr. J. D. Scott: ‘The Organisation and Administration of the Royal Aircraft Establishment’ and ‘The Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment’ in the series on Government scientific establishments (MOS files 1/HIST/153 and 166.)

8. The section—Prices, Profits and Assisted Investments—is largely based on the annotated draft narrative by Mr. W. Ashworth: War Production Contracts and Finance, op. cit., Chapters V, XI and XII.

9. See Ashworth, op. cit., Appendix, Table D. CAB/HIST/C/7/3/3

10. See sources for type biography of the Mosquito (MOS file 1/HIST/108).

11. DC(S)(44) 1st Meeting, Minute 1, 3rd January, 1944; see also MOS file I/HIST/201.

12. DC(S)(44) 1st Meeting, 3rd January, 1944; DS(S)(44) 2nd Meeting, 27th January, 1944; DC(S)(43)40, 29th December, 1943.

13. See Scott and Jay: Development and Production of Radio and Radar, op. cit., Part II, Chapter IV, paras. 361–439 for fuller account of the development and production of Gee, Oboe and H2S and other devices. CAB/HIST/R/7/1/1-3

14. See Professor Postan’s correspondence with Mr. Ord. (MOS file 1/HIST/78.)

Appendices

1. DRC37 (also numbered DPR52), 21st November, 1935. Also Errington: Naval New Construction Requirements, 1934–39, Part I, pp. 30–31. (Cabinet Office file 67/7A.) CAB/HIST/N/6/3/4

2. Compiled from information in Errington’s narrative, op. cit., Part I, pp. 31–37, Part II, pp. 48 and 74, and in McKenna: Naval New Construction Programme, 1935–1945. (Cabinet Office files 69/7A and 7C.)

3. See Errington: Naval New Construction Requirements 1939–1941, p. 6 (Cabinet Office file 69/7B.)

4. Figures supplied by the Air Ministry Historical Branch.

5. MOS file 1/HIST/51.

6. MOS file 1/HIST/52.

7. MOS file 1/HIST/54.

8. MOS file 1/HIST/56.

9. MOS file 1/HIST/57.

10. MOS file 1/HIST/57.

11. MOS file 1/HIST/58.

12. MOS file 1/HIST/62.

13. MOS file 1/HIST/62.

14. MOS file 1/HIST/62.

15. MOS file 1/HIST/63.

16. MOS file 1/HIST/64.

17. Figures for 1938–40 were supplied by the Ministry of Supply (Stats. AS1); those for 1941–44 were taken from MAP Statistical Bulletins (MOS file 1/HIST/270.)

18. Compiled from Machine Tool Control records. (See MOS file 1/HIST/172.)

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