Series
Admiralty: Directorate of Operational Research and predecessors: Reports
Catalogue reference: ADM 219
What's it about?
ADM 219
Reports issued by the Directorate and its predecessors reflecting analyses of various naval operations undertaken, techniques employed, and conclusions reached as to their efficacy and possible applications for the future.
Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- ADM 219
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Title (The name of the record)
- Admiralty: Directorate of Operational Research and predecessors: Reports
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1917-1980
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Description (What the record is about)
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Reports issued by the Directorate and its predecessors reflecting analyses of various naval operations undertaken, techniques employed, and conclusions reached as to their efficacy and possible applications for the future.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Creator(s) (The creator of the record)
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- Board of Admiralty, Department of Naval Operational Research, 1944-1946
- Board of Admiralty, Royal Naval Scientific Service, Directorate of Operational Research, 1946-1964
- Ministry of Defence, Directorate of Operational Analysis (RN), 1965-1965
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Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
- 733 file(s)
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Access conditions (Information on conditions that restrict or affect access to the record)
- Open unless otherwise stated
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Immediate source of acquisition (When and where the record was acquired from)
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From 1976 Ministry of Defence
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Accruals (Indicates whether the archive expects to receive further records in future)
- Series is accruing
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Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
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A comparatively new and successful military science, Operational Research, came into existence at the Admiralty when in June 1942, after forming research groups both in Anti-Aircraft Command and Coastal Command, Professor P.M.S. Blackett was appointed Chief Advisor Operational Research by the Board of Admiralty.
The original purpose of Naval Operational Research can be broadly defined as the quantitative study of warfare by the analysis of past operations, to find means of improving the weapons, tactics and strategy of future operations. As in his previous appointments Professor Blackett gathered together a team of eminent civilian scientists whose function as a group was to tender advice to the professional naval staff on strategical and tactical problems. The group was directly responsible to the Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff.
The Directorate of Naval Operational Studies originated in the appointment as chief adviser operational research in 1942 of Professor P M S Blackett, who had previously formed research groups both in Anti-Aircraft Command and Coastal Command. He gathered together a group of civilian scientists to tender advice to the professional naval staff on strategical and tactical problems, directly responsible to the vice-chief of the naval staff. In 1944 the group became the Department of Naval Operational Research, in 1946 the Department of Operational Research, in 1965 the Directorate of Operational Analysis (RN) and in 1968 acquired its present title. Its reports are in ADM 219
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C1927/
Catalogue hierarchy
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
Within the department: ADM
Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
You are currently looking at the series: ADM 219
Admiralty: Directorate of Operational Research and predecessors: Reports