Catalogue description War Cabinet: Vulnerable Points Advisor: Files

Original numerical sequence of creating body has been followed

The Vulnerable Points Advisor was appointed in August 1940 to assist departments in the organisation of protection for areas considered of strategic importance in the British Isles, and to reduce the numbers of Field Army and Home Defence troops by replacing them with Home Guard and other formations, including a special wing of the Corps of Military Police.

Prior to the Advisor's appointment and before the Second World War, the protection of vulnerable points (establishments of strategic importance) had long been of interest to the Committee of Imperial Defence when, in June 1939, the Home Defence Committee produced a report listing these and the authorities to be responsible for their safety [see CAB 13/11]. After the outbreak of war, an Inspector of Vulnerable Points was appointed, and attempts were made to save manpower by re-assessing the military protection required. In 1940, the Deputy Chiefs of Staff Committee set-up the Sub-committee on Vulnerable Points to review the problems of protection and to recommend modifications in the list of points and scale of defence. This Sub-committee met on six occasions between February and April 1940. A large reduction in numbers of troops was achieved, but the invasion threat after June 1940 led to a subsequent increase.

In 1943, policy was revised to ensure adequate protection of more important points at the expense, if necessary, of less important ones and a new system of grading was introduced. On the recommendation of the Vulnerable Points Adviser, further reductions in manpower were made after the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944.

At the end of the war, the functions of the Vulnerable Points Adviser were absorbed by the Home Defence Committee.