Catalogue description Records of research establishments

In 1855 the War Office took over from the Board of Ordnance responsibility for establishments engaged in research and development of munitions. They were made the responsibility of the succession of Artillery and Ordnance Departments which became the Department of the Master General of the Ordnance in 1904. They were also of concern to the succession of Ordnance committees and their sub-committees. During the First World War a number of new research establishments were created, mainly under the Ministry of Munitions, which also took over those previously under War Office control.

After the war responsibility for armaments research returned to the War Office, together with control of its former research establishments and several of the new ones created under the Ministry of Munitions. During the inter-war period administration of these establishments was mostly in the hands of the director of artillery. In 1939 it passed to the Ministry of Supply, whence it returned in 1959 to the master general of the Ordnance at the War Office, except for those establishments which passed to the Ministry of Aviation.

Responsibility for research and development into chemical warfare agents and equipment moved from the Ministry of Munitions to the War Office after the First World War. A Chemical Warfare Research Department was established with headquarters in London, and Chemical Defence Experimental Stations (later Establishments) at Porton and Sutton Oak. By 1939, when responsibility for what was now called the Chemical Defence Research Department passed to the Ministry of Supply, its scope had extended to include biological as well as chemical agents and equipment. In 1959 it returned to the War Office.

The Military Operational Research Unit originated during the Second World War within the Ministry of Supply. When this was transferred to the control of the War Office in 1946 it was renamed the Army Operational Research Group. Until 1954 it was concerned mostly with equipment research, but then began work on war-gaming and other operational analysis techniques which steadily increased in importance. It created several overseas groups such as that with the British Army in Germany.

In January 1962 the name was changed to Army Operational Research Establishment (AORE). Following the creation of a unified Ministry of Defence, a tri-service operational research organisation was established: the Defence Operational Research Establishment (DOAE) which was formed in 1965, and it absorbed the Army Operational Research Establishment based at West Byfleet.