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Date(s)
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1939-1945 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
20 cm of textual records
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Professor Patrick M.S. Blackett was appointed to the British Board of Admiralty to advise the Board on matters of operational research with the title of Chief Advisor Operational Research in December 1941. Blackett was assisted by other scientists who were attached to the Naval Staff and was responsible to the Controller and the Assistant Chief of Naval Service (Weapons). In June 1944, operational research in the Admiralty was reorganized and the Department of Naval Operational Research (DNOR) was created. Professor Blackett, the former Chief Advisor Operational Research, was then appointed Director of Naval Operational Research. In Canada, Dr. J.H.L. Johnstone and Dr. G.H. Henderson formed the first operational research units that worked with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Dr. Johnstone was appointed Director of Operational Research (DOR) in Ottawa, in July 1943 he organized the original RCN operational research staff which included himself as Director of Operational Research, Dr. Henderson as Operational Research Staff Officer Atlantic Command, and several other scientists. At the end of World War II, the RCN operational research unit was disbanded and in October 1945, Dr. Johnstone prepared the final report on its activities.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Fonds consists of material pertaining to anti-submarine warfare operations research. Operational research involves the study of strategic, tactical, or logistic processes with the aim of providing a better basis for decisions on the employment of men and equipment.The documents were generated from three main sources: the Chief Advisor Operational Research (a British body), the Department of Naval Operational Research (a British body), and the Directorate of Operational Research (a Canadian body). In addition, some documents were produced in collaboration with the Anti-submarine Warfare Operational Research Group (an American body). Includes reports, memoranda, notes and other documents.
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Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Fonds acquired from the Defence Research Board in 1977.
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
Script of material
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Restrictions on access
Unclassified
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
None
Finding aids
Copies of the finding aid are located in the first file of the fonds and in the Reading Room at the Directorate of History and Heritage. Electronic copies are also available.
Associated materials
For other material that relates to operational research see John W. Mayne's "Operational Research in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War" (79/558) and G.D. Kaye's and John Mayne's "An Introduction to Military Operational Research in Canada" (86/74) and John Mayne's "History of Operational Research in the Royal Canadian Navy" (74/608). For information concerning the formation, function, and organization of Chief Advisor Operational Research and then the Department of Naval Operational Research, see the Public Record Office ADM 1/20113. See Kardex 112.3O1 (D1) for information on the formation of the Directorate of Operational Research in Canada. For information concerning operational research and the Defence Research Board, see information folders inside PRF Defence Research Board. For information concerning the United States' ASWORG, see "History of Operational Research in the Royal Canadian Navy" by J. Mayne (74/608) and "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume 10" by Samuel Morison (D 773 H4 v.10).
Record Group 24 at the National Archives of Canada also holds records from these bodies. The National Archives in Washington, D.C., Navy Historical Center and the Public Record Office also have records from these bodies.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
General note
Originally titled Operational research on anti-submarine warfare collection held by the Defence Research Board
General note
The documents in the fonds were not created by Defence Research Board. They were likely accumulated and used by a scientist or scientists at DRB, and have been re-integrated into one fonds under accession number 96/51.