Zuckerman Archive: British Bombing Research Mission

This series contains correspondence concerning the establishment of the British Bombing Research Mission (BBRM), its policies and work, and an incomplete set of BBRM reports.

The formation of the BBRM, at the suggestion of the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Charles Portal, was approved on 10 August 1944. Its terms of reference were discussed at a meeting on 5 September 1944 at which it was agreed that an advance party should begin an investigation of the bombing of French factories. Another party was formed to investigate the attacks on the oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania. The provisional establishment of the BBRM was approved on 5 October 1944, but manpower shortages meant the final establishment was never agreed. The formation was still being discussed at ministerial level in June 1945. Whilst waiting for a decision the Air Ministry formed the British Bombing Survey Unit (BBSU) which eventually absorbed the BBRM (papers relating to the successor unit are in Series SZ/BBSU ). It appears that although investigations were taking place from September 1944 under the BBRM's aegis, officially no such body ever existed.

• SZ/BBRM/1 Correspondence and memoranda, 1944
• SZ/BBRM/2 Allied Central Interpretation Unit - J. incendiary stick reports, 1944-45
• SZ/BBRM/3 BBRM Reports F.1 - F.12, 1945
• SZ/BBRM/4 BBRM Reports F.13 - F.25, 1944-46
• SZ/BBRM/5 National Fire Service report on visit to Krefeld and Cologne, 1945

Please refer to the fonds-level description for GB 1187 SZ.

BG; DNS

Please refer to the fonds-level description for GB 1187 SZ.