Abstract

This thesis examines the role of ideas of interservice co-operation in the operations of Plymouth Naval Command during the Second World War. The importance of naval shore commands has been a significant omission from studies of the war at sea. Located at strategic points around Britain, they were vital in controlling the flow of convoy shipping, while also co-ordinating attacks against enemy surface forces and submarines. This was achieved using a marriage of air and sea power between the Royal Navy and Coastal Command, a relationship that was developed during the 1920s and 1930s. Using Plymouth Command as an entry point, this study will engage with recent historiography which has sought to examine the development of ideas of British grand strategy at the start of the Twentieth Century. While acknowledging the significant foundations established by thinkers, such as Sir Julian Corbett and Sir Herbert Richmond, it will highlight the influence of largely overlooked interwar thinkers such as, Sir Reginald Drax, and Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté in shaping the education and infrastructure used by naval officers who served in the naval command network. This will focus on the creation of the Imperial Defence College, the publications of the private naval journal, the Naval Review, and the formation of joint services headquarters.Moving from the interwar period to the Second World War, this thesis examines how the ideas of interservice co-operation facilitated during the 1920s and 1930s, shaped the operations of Plymouth Command during the war at sea. This will range from, the overlooked story of the West Coast Coastal Convoys, to the battle against the U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay, and the D-Day landings. Underpinning this, will be an investigation of the work force of Plymouth Command, specifically the role played by women. Conducting oral history interviews with three surviving veterans of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, it will highlight how women were the life blood of Plymouth Command, vital in enabling the flow of information between the Royal Navy and Coastal Command, facilitating interservice co-operation. Overall, this thesis seeks to broaden our understanding of vital war events by showing the connection between ships and aircraft at sea and the guiding role of headquarters on shore.

Awarding Institution(s)

University of Plymouth

Supervisor

Murphy, Harry Bennett, Louis Halewood

Keywords

Second World War, Interservice co-operation, Communication, Female agency, Strategy, D-Day, Oral History, Royal Navy, Coastal Command, War at Sea

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2026

Embargo Period

2026-09-27

Deposit Date

September 2026

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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