MD1
Encyclopedia
Ministry of Defence 1 also known as "Churchill's Toyshop" was a British weapon research and development organisation of the Second World War.
Its two key figures were Major Millis Jefferis
and Stuart Macrae
, former editor of Armchair Science
magazine.
set up in 1939 under Lt-Col Joe Holland RE
. Holland was the General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) and brought in Jefferis, also a sapper (RE
), an explosives expert, with experience in India, as GSO2 to head a division of MIR that was to develop weapons for irregular warfare
. Needing special magnets, Jefferis brought in Macrae initially as an outside contractor but later to be brought into uniform and serve as his deputy. Between them they produced the limpet mine
, a timed explosive that could be stuck to the underside of a ship.
started in a room at the War Office, Macrae secured offices and workshop space at IBC, owners of Radio Normandie, in London. Following an air raid, a large country house "The Firs", (fortunately the second home of a patriotic Major) was requisitioned and the design and workshops relocated there, in Whitchurch
near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire close to the Prime Minister at Chequers
. There they developed and to some extent produced munitions.
During the phoney war, was engaged in developing the floating mine required for Churchill's planned Operation Royal Marine which aimed to disrupt German shipping in their inland waterways by dropping these mines into the river at Strasbourg.
Churchill lobbied for recognition of Jefferis, suggesting promotion.
When MIR was combined with other activities to form the Special Operations Executive
, MIR(C) instead in November 1940 became a department in the Ministry of Defence; effectively under the wing the Prime Minister, Churchill who was the Minister of Defence. As First Lord of the Treasury as well, Churchill could provide funds. Churchill, Professor Lindemann
and General Ismay
(Churchill's chief scientific and military advisors respectively) would protect MD1 from the Ministry of Supply and the Ordnance Board whose areas they encroached on. The Ministry of Supply carried out the administration but the War Cabinet
was in control.
Jefferis was promoted to Lt-Col and Macrae to Major.
Other staff at MD1 included Stewart Blacker
who was brought in after his privately invented Blacker Bombard
was taken on for official development.
With the end of the war and the removal of Churchill from office, MD1 was taken over by the Ministry of Supply
and the Weapons research establishment at Fort Haldane with the result that it was disbanded. Macrae felt this was an act of revenge by those who had opposed it and the Professor. Production machinery went to the Rocket Propulsion Establishment
at Westcott effectively for scrapping.
Jefferis received an appointment to the Pakistan Army.
Its two key figures were Major Millis Jefferis
Millis Jefferis
Major-General Sir Millis Rowland Jefferis KBE MC was, during the Second World War, the founder of a special unit of the British Ministry of Supply which developed unusual weapons.-Early career:...
and Stuart Macrae
Stuart Macrae (inventor)
Colonel Robert Stuart Macrae TD was an inventor best known for his work at MD1 during the Second World War, his best known invention being the sticky bomb.Macrae was the author of Winston Chuchill's Toyshop...
, former editor of Armchair Science
Armchair Science
"Armchair Science" was a British monthly journal of topical and popular science articles published from 1929 to 1940; it ceased publication because of wartime paper shortages. The first editor was A. Percy Bradley, a mechanical engineer associated with Brooklands, then Professor A. M. Low...
magazine.
History
MD1 began in the "Military Intelligence Research" (MIR). The MIR was a department of the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
set up in 1939 under Lt-Col Joe Holland RE
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. Holland was the General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) and brought in Jefferis, also a sapper (RE
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
), an explosives expert, with experience in India, as GSO2 to head a division of MIR that was to develop weapons for irregular warfare
Irregular warfare
Irregular warfare is warfare in which one or more combatants are irregular military rather than regular forces. Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare, and so is asymmetric warfare....
. Needing special magnets, Jefferis brought in Macrae initially as an outside contractor but later to be brought into uniform and serve as his deputy. Between them they produced the limpet mine
Limpet mine
A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
, a timed explosive that could be stuck to the underside of a ship.
started in a room at the War Office, Macrae secured offices and workshop space at IBC, owners of Radio Normandie, in London. Following an air raid, a large country house "The Firs", (fortunately the second home of a patriotic Major) was requisitioned and the design and workshops relocated there, in Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire
Whitchurch is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about four miles south of Winslow, four miles north of Aylesbury and has approximately 850 residents....
near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire close to the Prime Minister at Chequers
Chequers
Chequers, or Chequers Court, is a country house near Ellesborough, to the south of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England, at the foot of the Chiltern Hills...
. There they developed and to some extent produced munitions.
During the phoney war, was engaged in developing the floating mine required for Churchill's planned Operation Royal Marine which aimed to disrupt German shipping in their inland waterways by dropping these mines into the river at Strasbourg.
Churchill lobbied for recognition of Jefferis, suggesting promotion.
When MIR was combined with other activities to form the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
, MIR(C) instead in November 1940 became a department in the Ministry of Defence; effectively under the wing the Prime Minister, Churchill who was the Minister of Defence. As First Lord of the Treasury as well, Churchill could provide funds. Churchill, Professor Lindemann
Frederick Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell
Frederick Alexander Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell FRS PC CH was an English physicist who was an influential scientific adviser to the British government, particularly Winston Churchill...
and General Ismay
Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
General Hastings Lionel "Pug" Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay, KG, GCB, CH, DSO, PC was a British Indian Army officer and diplomat, remembered primarily for his role as Winston Churchill's chief military assistant during the Second World War and his service as the first Secretary General of NATO from 1952...
(Churchill's chief scientific and military advisors respectively) would protect MD1 from the Ministry of Supply and the Ordnance Board whose areas they encroached on. The Ministry of Supply carried out the administration but the War Cabinet
War Cabinet
A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers. It is also quite common for a War Cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members....
was in control.
Jefferis was promoted to Lt-Col and Macrae to Major.
Other staff at MD1 included Stewart Blacker
Stewart Blacker
Lieutenant-Colonel Latham Valentine Stewart Blacker OBE was a British Army officer and inventor of weapons.He invented the Blacker Bombard, laid the basis of the PIAT - both based on the spigot mortar - and the Ayre Petard...
who was brought in after his privately invented Blacker Bombard
Blacker Bombard
The Blacker Bombard, also known as the 29mm Spigot Mortar, was an infantry anti-tank weapon devised by Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart Blacker in the early years of the Second World War.-Development:...
was taken on for official development.
With the end of the war and the removal of Churchill from office, MD1 was taken over by the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
and the Weapons research establishment at Fort Haldane with the result that it was disbanded. Macrae felt this was an act of revenge by those who had opposed it and the Professor. Production machinery went to the Rocket Propulsion Establishment
Rocket Propulsion Establishment
The Rocket Propulsion Establishment at Westcott, Buckinghamshire on the site of the former RAF Westcott has made a number of notable contributions in the field of rocket propulsion, including input on the rocket design for the Blue Streak missile and the propulsion systems on Chevaline...
at Westcott effectively for scrapping.
Jefferis received an appointment to the Pakistan Army.
Inventions
- Sticky bombSticky bombThe Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank No. 74, commonly known as the sticky bomb, was a British hand grenade designed and produced during the Second World War. The grenade was one of a number of anti-tank weapons developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard as an ad hoc solution to a lack of...
- PIATPIATThe Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank was a British hand-held anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon, and entered service in 1943.The PIAT was based on the spigot...
- Limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
- Puff Ball
- W bomb
- Clam - miniature version of Limpet mine
- Squawker acoustic decoy - developed by Lt-Col Brinsmead
- Time pencil
- Lead Delay - or "Switch No. 9"
- M Mine
- Kangaroo bomb
- "AP Switch" an anti-personnel weapon based on a .303 inch.303 British.303 British, or 7.7x56mmR, is a .311 inch calibre rifle and machine gun cartridge first developed in Britain as a blackpowder round put into service in December 1888 for the Lee-Metford rifle, later adapted to use smokeless powders...
rifle cartridge and a pressure sensitive trigger.
- "Bomb, H.E., Aircraft, J.W., 400lb", the "Johnnie Walker" bomb. Upon entering the water the bomb was expected to dive underwater then surface. This would be repeated until it struck the relatively less protected underside of a ship at which point the 90 lb TorpexTorpexTorpex is a secondary explosive 50% more powerful than TNT by mass. Torpex is composed of 42% RDX, 40% TNT and 18% powdered aluminium. It was used in the Second World War from late 1942. The name is short for Torpedo Explosive', having been originally developed for use in torpedoes...
warhead would explode.