Catalogue description Air Ministry: Air Historical Branch: Papers (Series I)

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Details of AIR 1
Reference: AIR 1
Title: Air Ministry: Air Historical Branch: Papers (Series I)
Description:

Papers, mostly dated 1914 to 1918, received by the Air Historical Branch from Air Ministry Departments, from formations of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force and various other sources for use in the official history of the Air Ministry, squadron histories and operation narratives. Also includes registered files which originated in the Admiralty, Air Ministry, Ministry of Munitions and War Office.

Included in this series are a large number of important papers collected for use in the official history of the department and which otherwise would have been in AIR 2, but which were kept separate by the Historical Branch of the Air Ministry and were placed in this series.

Date: 1794-1974
Related material:

See also the Records of the Historical Section in Division within CAB

Material of further interest may be found in AIR 76

Separated material:

The series is continued in AIR 5

Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Physical description: 2703 boxes and files
Access conditions: Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

from 1980 Air Ministry

Accruals: Series is accruing.
Administrative / biographical background:

In 1919 functions of the Air Historical Branch were transferred to the Air Ministry and organised into three sections - Records, Operations and Technical. In addition to the main history a short history of the air war and squadron histories were produced for official use.

With the completion of six volumes of 'War in the Air', in 1935, the Operation and Technical Sections became redundant and the Record Section was absorbed as part of the Air Ministry Library.

The Air Historical Branch was re-established in 1941 under the authority of the Air Council and its duties extended to include the compilation of operation narratives.

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