Catalogue description Admiralty: Committee on Naval Life-Saving Equipment and Naval Life-Saving Committee: Minutes

As over 30, 000 officers and men of the Royal Navy were drowned or died of exposure after their ships were sunk during World War II (about two-thirds of the total naval casualties), it became clear that the lifesaving and survival equipment of the Navy were of vital importance, not only to the war effort, but to the morale of the Fleet.

On 15 May 1945, a meeting was held at the Admiralty, under the Chairmanship of the Assistant Controller (RD), to discuss the organisation of Research and Development of Naval Lifesaving equipment. This meeting recommended the setting up of a Committee to review the whole problem of lifesaving and the co-ordination of safety equipment. As a result, the Committee on Naval Life-Saving Equipment was approved on 20 October, and commenced work on 7 November 1945, under the Chairmanship of Rear Admiral A G Talbot, CB, DSO, RN.

Its terms of reference were as follows:

• a) In the light of practical experience, to examine the requirement for all forms of Naval lifesaving equipment, together with special equipment required for the Fleet Air Arm.
• b) To examine equipment used by other countries, notably USA, Canada and Germany, and to state what lessons can be learned therefrom.
• c) To examine existing British equipment and to report to what extent it falls short of requirements.
• d) As a result of the above examination, to make recommendations for the design and issue to the Fleet of efficient lifesaving equipment.
• e) To call all such evidence as may be required and co-opt one or more additional members for any special enquiries.

Unlike former committees, it was essentially "Non-Admiralty" in that Admiralty Departments were not represented, but were co-opted as and when found necessary.

Following the Talbot Report (April 1946), a small standing committee was formed under the chairmanship of W J Holt of the Naval Construction Department, with representatives from Admiralty departments, to discuss progress and co-ordinate action. It was at first called the Royal Naval Life-Saving Committee: later "Royal" was dropped. It first met in March 1947.