From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Letter concerning the cancellation of an enquiry for gun parts due to a decision by Lord Beaverbrook.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\4\ img033 | |
| Date | 25th August 1940 | |
| 13 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}24/ML. 25.8.40. M.Olley, Esq., Rolls Royce Incorporated., 2-251, General Motors Building, DETROIT. Michigan. U.S.A. Dear Olley, You will probably have been somewhat non-plussed by He's telegram telling you to cancel your enquiries for gun parts. The position is that Beaverbrook has refused to allow Rolls Royce to have anything to do with the manufacture of the 40 mm. gun because the order we have received is from the Navy. In consequence, Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} feels that it would be better if you were not working on gun parts while you are being paid out of Air Ministry funds. The half inch gun which is being produced for the Air Ministry is not showing up sufficiently well on test to justify jumping into production for the moment. Various parts of this country are suffering quite a bit from the Blitzkrieg, but so far I don't think it has been quite as bad as anybody expected. I am convinced that the Hun has adopted the attitude that if military objectives are too well protected for him to get at them, he will have to take it out of the civilian population. - Continued - | ||