Ministry of Home Security
Encyclopedia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government department established in 1939 to direct national civil defence (primarily air-raid defences) during the Second World War.
Background
Surprisingly little had been done to defend against attacks on the civilian population during the First World War, and a need for such measures was seen in the years before 1939, so that plans for the new Ministry were in place when war broke out.Structure and responsibilities
Twelve commissioners, acting for the government, were appointed to manage twelve regions of the UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Their responsibilities included providing air raid shelters and air-raid wardens, gas officers, ambulances, and rescue operations. Millions of gas masks were distributed, and almost five million people were enrolled as fire-watchers and fire-fighters. The Ministry also had the task of making preparations for the possibility of an invasion, including plans for the British national communications infrastructure being destroyed by enemy action.
From 1939, there were twelve regional War Rooms and a national War Room. From 1941, the Ministry's central war room was in the North Rotunda, Great Peter Street, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Despite all defences, in the course of the War British civilians met heavy casualties, but organized civil defence undoubtedly saved thousands of lives.
Ministers of Home Security
- 1939-1940: Right Hon. Sir John AndersonJohn Anderson, 1st Viscount WaverleyJohn Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, PC, PC was a British civil servant then politician who served as a minister under Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill as Home Secretary, Lord President of the Council and Chancellor of the Exchequer...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,... - 1940-1945: Right Hon. Herbert Stanley MorrisonHerbert MorrisonHerbert Stanley Morrison, Baron Morrison of Lambeth, CH, PC was a British Labour politician; he held a various number of senior positions in the Cabinet, including Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.-Early life:Morrison was the son of a police constable and was born in...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Notable personnel
- John Baker, Baron BakerJohn Baker, Baron BakerJohn Fleetwood Baker, Baron Baker OBE was a British scientist and structural engineer.-Early life:Baker was born in Liscard, Cheshire, a son of J.W. Baker and Emily Fleetwood...
- scientific adviser to the Ministry's Design and Development Section, 1939 to 1943 - Moses BlackmanMoses BlackmanMoses Blackman was a South African-born British crystallographer.His father was a minister of religion, Rev. Joseph Blackman.-Education:...
- scientific adviser, 1942 to 1945 - Peter FloudPeter FloudPeter Castle Floud was a British civil servant and official of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, administering missions in Egypt, Iran, and Albania. He was also an authority on William Morris....
- principal of the London Regional Headquarters, 1939 to 1944