Catalogue description Admiralty and Ministry of Defence: Admiralty Corrosion Committee and successors: Reports, Minutes and Papers

The Admiralty Corrosion Committee was set up in 1939 by Admiralty Fleet Order 1441a of 1939. It was reconstituted in 1943 with expanded terms of reference (AFO 2923 of 1943). Initially it was chaired by a senior representative of the director of naval construction, then of the Royal Naval Scientific Service director responsible for materials research and development. In 1963 it was renamed the Admiralty Committee for Prevention of Corrosion and Fouling; in 1964 it became the Navy Department Committee for Prevention of Corrosion and Fouling and in 1974 it was replaced by the Ship Hull Corrosion Committee. Its purpose was to co-ordinate research into protecting ships and their machinery from corrosion and marine fouling. It operated primarily through sub-committees dealing with particular aspects of the problem, and much research was carried out on its behalf by naval research establishments. Implementation of the Committee's recommendations was a matter for its members representing departments affected.