
The United Kingdom in the Second World War
Despatches Published in the London Gazette
These despatches were written by the
commanders concerned during the war and then published later in the
British Government newspaper of record, the London
Gazette. All, except the first were published postwar. The number
is the issue number of the London Gazette in which the despatch was
published.
- No. 35305 Despatches on operations of the British Expeditionary
Force, France and
Belgium 1939 Sept.3-1940 May 31, by General the Viscount Gort,
Commander-in-Chief, B.E.F. [PDF]
- No. 37573 Despatch on
operations of the British Expeditionary
Force, France,
12-19 June 1940, by Lieutenant-General Sir Alan Brooke, commanding II
Corps [PDF]
- No. 37584 Despatch on operations in central Norway 1940, by
Lieutenant General H. R. S. Massy, Commander-in-Chief, North West
Expeditionary Force [PDF]
- No. 37594 Somaliland: despatch on operations in the Protectorate
1939-1940, by
General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East [PDF]
- No. 37609 Despatch on operations in the Middle East 1939
Aug.-1940 Nov., by
General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East [PDF]
- No. 37628 Western Desert: despatch on operations 1940 Dec. 7-1941
Feb. 7, by
General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief British Land
Forces, Middle East [PDF]
- No. 37638 Despatch on operations in the Middle East 1941 Feb.
7-July 15, by
General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East [PDF]
- No. 37645 East Africa: despatch on operations 1940 Nov.-1941
July, by General Sir
Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, covering reports
by Lieutenant-General Sir William Platt and Lieutenant General Sir Alan
G. Cunningham [PDF]
- No. 37655 East Africa: despatch on operations 1941 July 12-1943
Jan. 8, by
Lieutenant-General Sir William Platt, General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, East Africa Command [PDF]
- No. 37685 Iraq, East Syria and Iran: despatch on operations 1941
Apr. 10-1942
Jan. 12, by General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India [PDF]
- No. 37695 Despatch on operations in the Middle East 1941 July
5-Oct.31, by
General Sir Claude J. E. Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East [PDF]
- No. 37703 Persia and Iraq: despatch for the period 1942 Aug.
21-1943 Feb. 17, by
General Sir H. Maitland Wilson, Commander-in-Chief, Persia and Iraq
Command [PDF]
- No. 37711 Despatch on
operations in North West Europe 1944 June
6-1945 May 5, by
Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Commander 21st Army
Group [PDF]
- No. 37719 Despatch on the Battle of Britain, air fighting,
1940-1941, by Air
Chief Marshal Sir Hugh C.T. Dowding, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Fighter Command, Royal Air Force [PDF]
- No. 37729 Middle East: despatch on air operations 1941 Jan. 1-May
3, by Air Chief
Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Royal Air
Force, Middle East [PDF]
- No. 37779 North West Africa: despatch on operations 1942 Nov.
8-1943 May 13, by
Lieutenant-General K. A. N. Anderson, General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, 1st Army [PDF]
- No. 37838 Despatch on air
operations by the Allied Expeditionary
Air Force in
North West Europe 1943 Nov. 15-1944 Sept. 30, by Air Chief Marshal Sir
Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Air Commander-in-Chief Allied Expeditionary Air
Force [PDF]
- No. 37846 Greece: despatch on air operations 1940 Nov.-1941 Apr.,
by Air Vice
Marshal J. H. D'Albiac commanding the Royal Air Force in Greece [PDF]
- No. 37989 Despatch on the River Plate battle, 1939 Dec. 13-17, by
Rear Admiral
H.H. Harwood, Rear Admiral Commanding South American Division [PDF]
- No. 38005 Despatch on the first and second battles of Narvik,
1940 10 and 13, by
Rear Admiral R. H. C. Hallifax, Rear Admiral (D) Home Fleet and
Vice-Admiral W. J. Whitworth, Vice-Admiral Commanding, Battle Cruiser
Squadron [PDF]
- No. 38011 Despatch
on operations in Northern Norway: 1940 Apr. 10-June 8, by Admiral of
the Fleet the Earl of Cork and Orrery, Flag Officer, Narvik; 1940 Apr.
14-May 13, by Major-General P. J. Mackesy, Commander Avonmouth and
Rupertforce; 1940 May 13-June 8, by Lieutenant-General C. J. E.
Auchinleck, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Norwegian
Expeditionary Force [PDF]
- No. 38017 Despatch on operation "Dynamo", the evacuation of the
Allied armies
from Dunkirk 1940 June, by Vice-Admiral Sir Bertram H. Ramsay, Flag
Officer Commanding, Dover [PDF]
- No. 38023 Taranto: despatch on Fleet Air Arm operations 1940 Nov.
11, by Admiral
Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean [PDF]
- No. 38031 Mediterranean: despatch on the Battle of Matapan 1941
Mar. 27-30, by
Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Station [PDF]
- No. 38038 Despatch on the sinking of the German Battle Cruiser
"Scharnhorst" 1943
Dec.26, by Admiral Sir Bruce A. Fraser, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38045 Dieppe raid: despatch on the raid 1942 Aug. 18-19, by
Captain J. Hughes-Hallett, Naval Force Commander [PDF]
- No. 38073 Mediterranean: despatch on the Battle of Sirte 1942
Mar. 22 by Admiral
Sir Henry H. Harwood, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station [PDF]
- No. 38086 Despatch on the
attack on St. Nazaire 1942 Mar.28, by
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles M. Forbes, Commander-in-Chief,
Plymouth [PDF]
- No. 38098 Despatch on the sinking of the German battleship
"Bismarck" 1941 May
27, by Admiral Sir John C. Tovey, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38110 Despatch on the
assault phase of the Normandy landings
1944 June, by
Admiral Sir Bertram H. Ramsay, Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief,
Expeditionary Force [PDF]
- No. 38111 Despatch on
operations of Coastal Command, Royal Air
Force in operation
"Overlord" - the invasion of Europe 1944 May-Aug., by Air Chief Marshal
Sir Sholto Douglas, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Coastal Command [PDF]
- No. 38149 Despatch on the anti-aircraft defence of the United
Kingdom, 1939 July
28-1945 Apr. 15, by General Sir Frederick A. Pile, General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, Anti-Aircraft Command [PDF]
- No. 38171 Despatch on the
final stages of the naval war in North
West Europe, by
Admiral Sir Harold M. Burrough, British Naval Commander-in-Chief,
Germany [PDF]
- No. 38177 Despatch on operations in the Middle East 1941
Nov.1-1942 Aug.15, by
General Sir Claude J.E. Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief, the Middle East
Forces [PDF]
- No. 38183 Despatch on the Far East 1940 Oct. 17-1941 Dec. 27, by
Air
Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, Commander-in-Chief, Far East;
includes correspondence with Major-General Sir Hastings Ismay and
comments on General Gordon Bennett's report on the Malay campaign.
1940-1942 [PDF]
- No. 38190 Despatch on operations in Hong Kong 1941 Dec.8-25, by
Major-General C.
M. Maltby, General Officer Commanding British Troops in China [PDF]
- No. 38196 North Africa: despatch on the campaign from Alamein to
Tunis, by Field
Marshal the Viscount Alexander of Tunis, Deputy Commander-in-Chief
Allied Forces North Africa [PDF]
- No. 38204 Despatch on the attack on the German battle cruiser
"Tirpitz" by midget
submarines, 1943 Sept.22, by Rear Admiral C. B. Barry, Admiral
(Submarines) [PDF]
- No. 38214 Despatch on the loss of H.M. ships "Prince of Wales"
and "Repulse" 1941
Dec. 10, by Vice Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton, Commander-in-Chief,
Eastern Fleet; includes reports by Captain W. G. Tennant, Captain of
"Repulse" and Lieutenant-Commander A. G. Skipwith, senior surviving
officer "Prince of Wales" [PDF]
- No. 38216 Report on the air operations during the campaigns in
Malaya and
Netherland East Indies 1941 Dec.8-1942 Mar. 12, by Air Vice-Marshal Sir
Paul Maltby Air Officer Commanding Royal Air Force in Java [PDF]
- No. 38269 Despatch on
Naval operations in Ramree Island area
(Burma) 1945
Jan.19-Feb.22. by Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur J. Power, Commander-in-Chief,
East Indies Station [PDF]
- No. 38273 Despatch on action with the Italian Fleet off Calabria
(Central
Mediterranean) 1940 July 9, by Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham,
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station [PDF]
- No. 38281 Despatch on action between British and Italian forces
off Cape
Spartivento (Central Mediterranean) 1940 Nov.27, by Vice-Admiral Sir
James F. Somerville, Flag Officer Commanding, Force "H" [PDF]
- No. 38287 Despatch on action against an Italian convoy 1941 Apr.
15-16, by
Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Station [PDF]
- No. 38293 Greece: despatch on the transportation to and the
evacuation of the
army from Greece 1941 Mar. 4-Apr. 30, by Admiral Sir Andrew B.
Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station [PDF]
- No. 38296 Crete: despatch on the battle of Crete 1941 May 15-June
1, by Admiral
Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean [PDF]
- No. 38300 Despatch on carrier-borne aircraft attack on Kirkenes
(Norway) and
Petsamo (Finland) 1941 July 22-Aug.7, by Admiral Sir John C. Tovey,
Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38308 Despatch on the contribution of the British Pacific
Fleet to the
assault on Okinawa 1945 Mar. 26-May 25, by Admiral Sir Bruce A. Fraser,
Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38331 Despatch on raid on military and economic objectives in
the Lofoten
Islands (Norway) 1941 Mar., by Admiral Sir John C. Tovey,
Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38342 Despatch on
raid on military and economic objectives in
the vicinity of
Vaagso Island (Norway) 1941 Dec.27, by Admiral Sir John C. Tovey,
Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38346 Despatch on
battle of the Java Sea 1942 Feb.27, by
Commodore J. A. Collins, Commodore Commanding China Force [PDF]
- No. 38349 Despatches on actions against German and Japanese
raiding ships 1941
Jan.-1943 Apr., by Vice-Admiral A. U. Willis, Commander-in-Chief South
Atlantic Station and Admiral Sir James F. Somerville,
Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet [PDF]
- No. 38377 Despatches on Mediterranean Convoy operations 1941
Jan.-1942 Aug., by
Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Station and the Force Commanders [PDF]
- No. 38404 Despatch on Air Operations by Fighter Command, 1940
Nov. 25-1941 Dec.
31, by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Sholto Douglas, Air Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, Fighter Command [PDF]
- No. 38426 Despatch on operations in the Aegean 1943 Sept.7-Nov.
28, by Vice-Admiral Sir Algernon U. Willis, Commander-in-Chief, Levant [PDF]
- No. 38432 Despatches on Coastal Force actions 1943 Feb.-1944 Oct.
by the
Commanders-in-Chief, Levant, Dover, the Nore and Mediterranean Station [PDF]
- No. 38437 Report on air operations by Air Defence of Great
Britain and Fighter
Command in connection with the German flying bomb and rocket
offensives, 1944-1945, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Hill, Air
Marshal Commanding Air Defence of Great Britain [PDF]
- No. 38569 North Africa: despatch on operation "Torch", the
landings in North
Africa 1942 Oct. 22-Nov. 17, by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew B.
Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean [PDF]
- No. 38895 Sicily: despatch on the invasion 1943 July, by Admiral
of the Fleet Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief,
Mediterranean [PDF]
- No. 38899 Italy: despatch on naval operations in connection with
the landings in
the Gulf of Salerno 1943 Sept. 9, by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew B.
Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station [PDF]
- No. 38937 Italy: despatch on operations of the Allied Armies 1943
Sept. 3-1944
Dec. 12, by Field Marshal the Viscount Alexander of Tunis, former
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, 15th Army Group [PDF]
- No. 39041 Extracts from despatches on convoys to North Russia
1942, by Admiral Sir John C. Tovey, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet [PDF]
- No. 39171 Despatch on operations in Burma and North-East India
1943 Nov. 16-1944
June 22, by General Sir George J. Giffard, Commander-in-Chief, 11th
Army Group South-East Asia Command [PDF]
- No. 39173 Despatch on air operations in South-East Asia 1943 Nov.
16-1944 May 31,
by Air Chief Marshal Sir R. E. C. Peirse Allied Air Commander-in-Chief,
South East Asia [PDF]
- No. 39187 Despatch on operations in Assam and Burma 1944 June
23-Nov. 12, by
General Sir George J. Giffard, Commander-in-Chief, 11th Army Group,
South East Asia Command [PDF]
- No. 39191 Despatch on the carrier-borne aircraft attacks on oil
refineries in the
Palembang (Sumatra) area 1945 Jan., by Admiral Sir Arthur J. Power,
Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station [PDF]
- No. 39195 Despatch on operations in Burma 1944 Nov.12-1945 Aug.15
by
Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese, Commander-in-Chief, Allied Land
Forces, South-East Asia [PDF]
- No. 39196 Despatch on air operations in South-East Asia 1944 June
1-1945 May 2,
by Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, Allied Air Commander-in-Chief, Air
Command, South-East Asia [PDF]
- No. 39202 Despatch on air operations in South East Asia 1945 May
3-Sept. 12, by
Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, Allied Air Commander-in-Chief, South
East Asia [PDF]