In return for a £1 daily courtesy fee, researchers at the Churchill Archives may take pictures of just about any documents of interest.

I captured over 700 images during my time at Cambridge. In addition to papers from Winston Churchill, General Sir Edward Louis Spears, Admiral James Somerville, and dozens of others, I also worked with the original handwritten diary of John Colville (Churchill’s private secretary), and stumbled upon a postcard to Sir Winston from George Bernard Shaw.

It was a sublime and enriching experience.

Arthur J. Marder was an American historian who focused on British naval history in the first half of the twentieth century. His books are extensively footnoted, and many of the footnotes reference “a personal letter to the author” from British and French naval officers. I knew I had to read those letters.

I flew to University of California, Irvine, where Dr. Marder’s papers fill 16 archive boxes, and was rewarded with the opportunity to study (and photograph) letters and other papers from notables such as: Randolph Churchill, Mountbatten of Burma, Anthony Eden, Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul, Prince Philip, John Colville, Sir Martin Gilbert, Rear Admiral John Godfrey, Lt. Cdr. John Somerville, Major-General Sir Edward Louis Spears, and Gross Admiral Karl Dönitz.

Some of the most instructive and valuable letters were from names you might not yet recognize, including: Commander George Kempthorne Collett, Rear Admiral Royer Dick, Admiral Sir William James, Admiral Sir Richard Onslow, Vice Admiral Brian B. Schofield, and Sir John Slessor.

Here are some of the books by and about Winston Churchill that I read during my research phase.

Here are some of the books about ships, navies, seamen, and naval clashes that I read during my research phase.