Colonial Defence Committee, and Committee of Imperial Defence, Colonial Defence Committee...

This series consists of the records of four different bodies: minutes, reports and correspondence of the first Colonial Defence Committee, minutes and papers of the the Royal Commission appointed to enquire into the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad (Carnarvon Commission), minutes and papers of the second Colonial Defence Committee, and minutes and papers of the CID's Colonial Defence Committee, later renamed the Oversea Defence Committee, Additionally, there are War Office memoranda on colonial defences and various related reports.

Topics covered by the first Colonial Defence Committee were defence of the colonies and seaborne trade and the defence of colonial ports. The Royal Commission appointed to enquire into Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad (Carnarvon Commission) addressed matters of colonial defence, issues arising from the international crisis, seaborne trade, and specifically the defence and provision of coaling stations in the colonies.

Topics covered by the second Defence Committee and by the CID's Defence Committee, later the Oversea Defence Committee, included those which occupied the Committee's predecessors, together with the composition and organisation of local forces and the provision for overseas commands, principally in non-self governing territories.

Chronological

Records of the War Cabinet, Oversea Defence Committee after August 1939 continue in CAB 94

• Colonial Defence Committee, 1878-1879
• Colonial Defence Committee, 1885-1904
• Committee of Imperial Defence, Colonial Defence Committee, 1904-1911
• Committee of Imperial Defence, Oversea Defence Committee, 1911-1939
• Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, 1877-1900

Topics

Army

Trade and commerce

Armed Forces (General Administration)

The minutes and papers of these committees were circulated to all ministers, to the First Sea Lord, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the Chief of Naval War Staff and the Director of Military Operations, and to any other naval and military officers and other official who attended the meetings.

Copies were also sent to permanent secretaries of the Treasury, Foreign Office, Colonial and India Office who needed to be kept informed of decisions taken by the Committee.