BACKGROUND
 
The Small Marine Craft Sub-Committee was initially established as a sub-committee of the Defence Committee (CA 289) on 7 May 1943, in a climate of big demand for small craft and the necessity to coordinate and standardise plans for their construction (Defence Committee minute no 79/1943).  A consolidated working programme was drawn up in June that year.  The function of the sub-committee was to consider the small craft requirements of the services, including those of Allied Forces in Australia, and the progress of the Central Cargo Control Committee.  It was to report on possible reduction of different types of crafts for all services, design standardisation of such types, production rate and allocation between the services, and establish priorities to be accorded the various types of craft.  Members of the sub-committee were the Third Naval Member (Chairman) and
representatives from the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, RAAF, USA SOS, Australian Shipbuilding Board, Central Cargo Control Committee, and (later) also the Department of Munitions, Allied Works Council and Royal Navy.  Specific interest subjects were dealt with by three panels - a Design Panel, Technical (later Engine) Panel, and a Production Panel.  Secretary to the sub-committee was H Lingwood-Smith of the Department of the Navy.  With the setting up of a Higher Defence Organisation and creation of the Principal Administrative Officers Committee (Maintenance and Materials) in June 1945, the Small Marine Craft Sub-Committee no longer reported directly to the Defence Committee but through the PAOC (M&M).  It ceased to function at the end of 1945, when responsibility for completion and disposal of small craft passed back to the services.
 
Reformed on 30 October 1947, the sub-committee was reconstituted the following year as an Inter-Service and Departmental Committee (Defence Committee minute no 44/1948).  Now referred to as the Small Marine Craft Committee, and prompted by pressure from the United Kingdom, its function was to standardise the design and production of small marine craft for the three services and the departments of Civil Aviation, and Supply and Development.  The Department of the Navy was given the responsibility of co-ordinating inter-service requirements of small craft and initiating communications to the services and departments represented on the committee.  The reporting mechanism to the PAOC (M&M) and the Production Panel were discontinued, but the Engine and Design Panels remained.  Members of the committee were the Third Naval Member (Chairman) and representatives from the Departments of Navy, Army, Air, Supply and Development, and Civil Aviation.  H
Lingwood-Smith continued as Secretary to the committee.
 
 
THE SERIES
 
AWM234 comprises the working papers of H Lingwood-Smith as Secretary to the Small Marine Craft Committee, rather than the formal records of the committee itself.  Although including many papers relating to the 1939-45 War period, the series was apparently assembled during the second period of committee activity, ie from October 1947.  Minutes and extracts of minutes of Small Marine Craft Committee meetings, copies of Defence Committee agenda and minutes, extracts of War Cabinet minutes, reports, copies of articles, correspondence and memoranda occur on file.  There is some duplication of documents both within and between items.  Most file covers carry the note "Please return to H Lingwood-Smith. Room 39. `C' Block" on the bottom left hand corner.  The date of transfer of the series to the Australian War Memorial has not been established.
Quantity in agency custody
17.5cm held by CA 616, Australian War Memorial