| Description | It begins:
'After the war, a decision will have to be taken by the Government as to the total fraction of the national resources which are to be allocated to the armed forces'.
This manuscript, undated and incomplete, accompanies extracts from a note prepared for Chiefs of Staff Committee, 15 November by First Sea lord. The note, initialled 'D.P'. (Sir Dudley Pound), refers to 'a number of scientific and technical matters of vast proportions and great complexity' and suggests:
'...the formation of an ad hoc scientific commission to obtain an objective scientific analysis of this policy and its affect (sic) on other operations. I suggest the commission should consist of Sir Henry Tizard, Professor Bernal, Dr L.B.C. Cuningham Sir Charles Darwin, Professor Blackett and the Prime Minister should be asked to allow Lord Cherwell to preside over this body'.
Also included is an extract from Chief of Staff Committee meeting 319, in which Pound put forward the suggestion and was answered by Portal that 'he did not think that an examination of the problem by a group of scientists would be of any advantage'. This document is dated 18 November 1943, but must refer to 1942. Pound died in October 1943. |