This first volume deals with the period from when Viscount Cunningham became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, to when he became head of the British Admiralty Delegation in Washington.
The documents selected are drawn from Lord Cunningham’s papers deposited at the British Library, the Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College, Cambridge and the National Maritime Museum and by others of his papers found in the collections of his contemporaries while extensive use has also been made of Admiralty records at the National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office).
As well as chronicling the story of the Mediterranean Fleet, they elucidate Cunningham’s strategic and tactical thinking, his relations with Churchill, the Chiefs of Staff and the Admiralty, his approach to high command and his attitude to cooperation with Britain’s allies and with the Army and the RAF. Cunningham’s career prior to his appointment to the Mediterranean Station is summarized in a brief essay, highlighting his early specialization not in any specific branch of the service but in the command of destroyers, particularly during the First World War, his close association with the Mediterranean and the relatively short time he spent in shore appointments.
Thereafter, his term in command of the Mediterranean Station is divided into four parts, each supported and put in context by an introductory essay. The first deals with the ’Phoney War’ period between June 1939 and Italy’s entry into the war in June 1940; the second covers the six months of the Anglo-Italian War between June and December 1940 and includes the Taranto action; the third reflects the effects of German Intervention between January and May 1941 which included both the triumph of Matapan and the bitter fighting entailed in the evacuations from Greece and Crete during which the fleet lost over 2, 000 men and many valuable ships; finally, the fourth section covers the nine months of desperate defence, not least of the strategically vital island of Malta, from June 1941 to Cunningham’s departure on 3 April 1942.
As well as turning the spotlight on the better known fleet engagements, the documents emphasise the role of detached forces and units including, for example, submarines and minesweepers, thus illustrating the geographical and functional range of the forces under Cunningham’s command and the extent and complexity of the problems he faced. They also bear witness to his constant concern for the well-being of those with whom he served and his willingness to share their burdens and suffering.
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