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Winston Churchill and the Singapore Naval Base, 1924–1929

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Ian Hamill
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Extract

Sir Winston Churchill's doctor has recalled the “stupefying” effect which the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 had upon his patient. Britain's wartime leader, Lord Moran suggests, knew that the surrender was “something more than a reverse. I think he wondered if it were a portent”. The spectre of one of the worst defeats in British military history was to return to haunt Churchill in later years. His torment was, perhaps, not solely portentous but also recollective for in the years 1924–29 Churchill himself, while serving in Stanley Baldwin's second government, had played the major role in delaying the building and defence of the Singapore naval base and in disparaging its associated strategy.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , September 1980 , pp. 277 - 286
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1980

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References

The views expressed in this article were arrived at by the author in the course of academic research and should not be interpreted as reflecting the official opinion of any organization.

1 Moran, C.M.W., Winston Churchill: The Struggle for Survival, 1940–1965 (London, 1966), p. 27Google Scholar.

2 Ibid., p. 101.

3 140th meeting of the CID, 10 June 1921, CAB 2/3, and Cabinet minute 50(21)3, 16 June 1921, CAB 23/26, Public Record Office, London. Unless otherwise stated, all primary sources are in the PRO.

4 CID memorandum 166-C, CAB 5/4.

5 Churchill to Baldwin, 15 Dec. 1924, vol. 2, Baldwin Papers, Cambridge University Library.

6 Sir Oswyn Murray, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Admiralty, to Sir George Barstow, Controller of Supply Services at the Treasury, 4 Dec. 1924, ADM 116/2300.

7 See, e.g., the Daily Mail, 19 and 26 Mar. 1924 and 26 Mar. 1925.

8 Cabinet minute 64(24)2, 26 Nov. 1924, CAB 23/49.

9 2nd meeting of the Naval Programme Sub-Committee of the Cabinet, 5 Mar. 1925, CAB 27/273.

10 Ibid., and 3rd meeting, 9 Mar. 1925, ibid.; Cabinet memorandum CP 554(24), CAB 24/169.

11 Churchill to Baldwin, 15 Dec. 1924, vol. 2, Baldwin Papers.

12 Churchill to Chamberlain, 15 Dec. 1924, file 51, item 66, Austen Chamberlain Papers, University of Birmingham Library.

13 193rd meeting of the CID, 5 Jan. 1925, CAB 2/4.

14 War Cabinet meeting 616A, 15 Aug. 1919, CAB 23/15.

15 15 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th meetings of the Singapore Sub-Committee, 16 Jan., 5, 17, and 26 Feb. 1925, CAB 16/63; Cabinet minute 12(25)2, 2 Mar. 1925, CAB 23/49.

16 Churchill to Sir Samuel Hoare, 12 Dec. 1924, AIR 8/70.

17 5th and 6th meetings, 27 July and 15 Oct. 1925, CAB 16/63.

18 2nd meeting of the Naval Programme Sub-Committee, 5 Mar. 1925, CAB 27/273.

19 1st meeting of the Naval Programme Sub-Committee, 2 Mar. 1925, ibid.

20 Cabinet memorandum CP 139(25), CAB 24/172.

21 198th meeting of the CID, 30 Mar. 1925, CAB 2/4.

22 Cabinet minute 24(25)3, 6 May 1925, CAB 23/50.

23 199th meeting of the CID, 2 Apr. 1925, CAB 2/4.

24 Cabinet minute 24(25)3, 6 May 1925, CAB 23/50.

25 199th meeting of the CID, 2 Apr. 1925, CAB 2/4 [emphasis in original].

26 Cabinet minute 39(25)3, 22 July 1925, CAB 23/50.

27 209th meeting of the CID, 11 Feb. 1926, CAB 2/4.

28 Hankey to Trenchard, 23 June 1926, and Trenchard to Hankey, 5 July 1926, CAB 21/335; 215th meeting of the CID, 22 July 1926, CAB 2/4.

29 7th meeting of the Singapore Sub-Committee, 20 July 1926, CAB 16/63.

30 CID memorandum 274–C, CAB 5/6.

31 Minute by Capt. Egerton, 16 Apr. 1926, ADM 116/2416.

32 Memorandum by Stanhope, 21 June 1926, ibid.

33 Minute by Beatty, 24 June 1926, ibid.

34 Cabinet minute 50(26)1, 3 Aug. 1926, CAB 23/53; 215th meeting of the CID, 22 July 1926, CAB 2/4; CID memorandum 275–C, CAB 5/6.

35 215th meeting of the CID, 22 July 1926, CAB 2/4.

36 Ibid., and 229th meeting, 14 July 1927, CAB 2/5.

37 236th meeting of the CID, 5 July 1928, CAB 2/5.

38 Cabinet minute 52(28)12, 21 Nov. 1928, CAB 23/59.