Committee of Imperial Defence: Home Ports Defence Committee later Home Defence Committee:...

CAB 13

1909-1939

This series consists of the memoranda and papers of the Home Ports Defence Committee (HPDC), later the Home Defence Committee (HDC) of the Committee of Imperial Defence, and of its sub-committees.

Subjects covered include fixed defences at defended ports (including defence of the Channel Islands ports), harbours, the defence of vulnerable points, air attack and air defence, coal supplies, cable landings, government offices, posts, telegraphs and communications, oil and petrol stores and the role of the Territorial Army.

Loosely chronological by HPDC and HDC reference, and then by sub-committee. The original numerical sequence of the creating bodies has been followed.

For later Home Defence Committees see CAB 93

HPDC, HDC, and ADGB file series

Public Record(s)

English

• Committee of Imperial Defence, Home Defence Committee, 1923-1939
• Committee of Imperial Defence, Home Ports Defence Committee, 1909-1922

29 volume(s)

Topics

Army

Air Force

Oil and gas

Coal

Communications

1909-1922

No future accruals expected

The Home Ports Defence Committee (HPDC) was a principal standing committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The HPDC was appointed in 1909 to deal with the armament of coast defences and home ports. Its membership included representatives of the CID and additional representatives of the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry. In December 1922, the Committee's remit was extended to include all aspects of Home Defence and its title amended to Home Defence Committee (HDC).

Sub-committees were appointed by the HPDC and HDC as necessary to deal with the Protection of Cable Landings, the Protection of Government Offices, the Protection of Posts and Telegraphs, the Protection of Oil and Petrol Stores, Air Defence, the Protection of Vulnerable Points, and the Co-ordination of Active and Passive Air Attacks. All sub-committees had the power to co-opt individuals from the services and other government departments as required.

The memoranda of the HPDC, HDC and of their sub-committees were circulated by the Secretary to members of the committees, to other members of the CID, to ministers, and to other officers and officials who needed to be kept informed of decisions of the committees.