Defunct British government body
The Munitions Inventions Department (MID) of the British
Air Board once it became become fully operational in the summer of 1917.
[1]Predecessors
The readiness of the British military to tap the inventiveness of the public can be dated back to the eighteenth century. Two War Office committees, the Colonels' Committee and the Field Officers' Committee had been convened in the 1760s to consider proposals submitted by inventors. However it was during the
Crimea War that the
Ordnance Select Committee was established under the
Duke of Newcastle, in his capacity as
Secretary of State for War. It superseded the
Board of Ordnance, established in the 15th century but deemed inadequate for the circumstances of the time. Originally this committee had had some civilians amongst its fifteen strong membership. However this was dropped when the committee was given a permanent remit. The establishment of the
Ordnance Committee in 1881 re-introduced civilian participation, however retaining strong involvement of
artillery officers.
[1]
The foundation of the
Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in 1909 by
Richard Haldane (later Lord Haldane) helped provide a model for the MID to follow: the committee supervised the aeronautical research of the National Physical Laboratory and provided more general advice pertaining to the scientific problems involved with aerial construction and navigation. The
short war illusion that the war would be "over by Christmas" meant that little consideration was given to the development of new means of destruction. The unfolding of the
Shell Crisis of 1915 indicated a new approach to innovation in the tools of warfare was needed if the war aims were to be achieved.
David Lloyd George, the newly appointed
Minister of Munitions pointedly remarked that the
War Office exhibited "mental obtuseness in their neglect to keep abreast of modern development in pattern of munitions and machinery for munition production".
[1]
Foundation
On 28 July 1915 Lloyd George announced to parliament that
Ordnance Board came into post on 19 February 1916.
[1]Controls and Reports
Inventions, ideas and suggestions had to be approved before resources could be allocated to their further assessment or development. The MID’s work was summarised in a series of comprehensive and detailed reports. As the date of the Armistice was approaching the 37th monthly report of the MID dated 1st November 1918 was issued by Sir Henry Norman. Its introduction stated that from its formation in August 1915, the MID had received 47,112 inventions, ideas and suggestions of which 46,104 had been examined, 45,985 considered and just 4,026 reported as worthy of further consideration. The MID was formally dissolved on 1 July 1919.[1]: 556 The MID classified reports were specifically intended for and addressed to the Minister of Munitions of War on a monthly basis. The recipient of this 37th report was Winston Churchill who held the post from 17 July 1917.[3]
References
