Ministry of Supply

The Ministry of Supply also took over all army research establishments in 1939. The Ministry of Aircraft Production was abolished in 1946, and the MoS took over its responsibilities for aircraft, including the associated research establishments. In the same year, it also took on increased responsibilities for atomic weapons, including the H-bomb development programme.

The Ministry of Supply was abolished in late 1959 and its responsibilities passed to the Ministry of Aviation, the War Office, and the Air Ministry. The latter two ministries were subsequently merged with the Admiralty to form the Ministry of Defence.

The Ministry of Supply instigated the Rainbow Codes designation system. This assigned projects a two-word codename, the first word being a colour and the second a noun. As a result, secret weapon projects—including numerous nuclear weapons—were given lighthearted names such as Green Cheese, Blue Slug or Red Duster.

The minister was assisted by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply.

Second World War

Royal Ordnance Factories

The Ministry of Supply was responsible for building and running the Royal Ordnance Factories, which produced explosives and propellants, filled ammunition, and constructed guns and rifles. However, the Ministry of Works and/or private building contractors acted as agents during their construction.

The ministry was also responsible for the supply of tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. W. A. Robotham of Rolls-Royce was appointed chief engineer of tank design in the ministry in November 1941. He went on the 1942 tank mission to America. Most of the technicians in the Department of Tank Design in Ivy Bridge House had been recruited at the start of hostilities, and few had the experience to advise the industry design teams. They were spread over an "immense number" of projects, and lacked clear directives from the War Office general staff, so had no clear conception of their requirements. The answer in the ministry to reports of problems was to "shoot the messenger". Industry outsiders Robotham was dealing with had the attitude that he would be "gone tomorrow", so he resigned in August 1943. He thought (which turned out to be true) that any improvements would not reach the firing line before the end of the war.

Edward Brisch worked in the Department of Tank Design from 1942.

Tanks were designed and built by private arms, engineering, and manufacturing companies, e.g. the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, English Electric in their Stafford Works, Leyland Motors, Nuffield Mechanizations, Vauxhall Motors, and Vickers-Armstrongs.

Agency factories

The Ministry of Supply also arranged for the construction of a large number of "agency factories", which were run on its behalf by private companies, such as Nobel Industries. These were similar to the Royal Ordnance Factories, but were not part of that organisation.

Ministry of Supply factories

Labour supply

The Ministry of Supply was also responsible for the labour force of these factories, although the Ministry of Labour did the recruitment. From the middle of the war onwards, the Ministry of Supply was in direct competition with the Ministry of Aircraft Production for labour and the two organisations had to reach agreement. Towards the end of the war, the Ministry of Supply released labour so that they could transfer to the Ministry of Aircraft Production.

Research establishments

From the beginning of the Second World War, the army research establishments were put under the control of the Ministry of Supply. Through the MoS, the essential connections were made between military requirements and the scientists and engineers of the civil service, industry, and academia (many academics were recruited into the civil service on a temporary basis). Examples include:

• The Experimental Bridging Establishment, Christchurch (later to become part of MEXE)
• The Experimental Demolition Establishment, Christchurch from 1942 (later to become part of MEXE)
• The Experimental Tunnelling Establishment, Christchurch from 1942
• The Fighting Vehicles Proving Establishment (FVPE), Chertsey
• The Projectile Development Establishment at Fort Halstead (moved to Aberporth, Cardiganshire, in 1940 where it remained until 1945)
• The Telecommunications Research Establishment in Malvern, critical in the development of radar
• The Wheeled Vehicle Experimental Establishment (WVEE), Farnborough 1942, then Chertsey from 1943

Moreover, the Dutch Defence Chemical Laboratory escaped the German occupation of the Netherlands. On 14 May 1940 archives and key personnel were moved to London. The 'Centraal Laboratorium, afdeling Londen' (Central Laboratory, London department) was established and fell under the supervision of the Dutch authorities on the one hand, and on the other hand under the Ministry of Supply which provided housing and materials.