Winston Churchill's Toyshop

by Stuart Macrae

The inside story of one of the most famous of all the ‘back rooms’ of the Second World War – and of the men and women who worked for it. Conceived by Winston Churchill to circumvent the delays, frustrations and inefficiencies of the service ministries, Department M.D.1. earned from its detractors the soubriquet ‘Winston Churchill’s Toyshop’, yet from a tiny underground workshop housed in the cellars of the London offices of Radio Normandie in Portland Place, and subsequently from the ‘stockbroker Tudor’ of a millionaire’s country mansion in Buckinghamshire, came an astonishing array of secret weapons ranging from the ‘sticky bomb’ and ‘limpet mine’ to giant bridge-carrying assault tanks, as well as the PIAT, a tank-destroying, hand-held mortar.

Written by Colonel Stuart Macrae, who helped found M.D.1. and was its second-in-command throughout its life, the story is told of this relatively unknown establishment and the weapons it developed which helped destroy innumerable enemy tanks, aircraft and ships.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2010

Reviews

[Nick Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Densely packed for such a short book, I’m glad I read this reissue of a 1971 publication by one of the head men in a British experimental weapons division operating during WW2 - though there was plenty which didn’t quite work for me. As admirable and compelling a tale as it was, as complete a history of the project, as accurate and close to the action as it was by virtue of having been written by a key player... there were times when all the politics and layers of bureaucracy failed to hold my interest (part of the reality as they were) and not being an engineer myself I found some of the technical details difficult to envisage completely as well. Some of the mild sexism was of its time but read a little patronisingly, but this didn’t really trouble me too much and overall I would give it an objective four out of five for bringing an interesting part of the wartime story to life.

[Matthew Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its quite a good book! There is a documentary (Discovery Channel I think) about MD1 that I recommend one watch after reading this book. Although the documentary's content and storyline is significantly summarized from the book, you do catch glimpses of what the actual MD1 products were. The only issue I have with this book is the relative lack of illustrations and pictures in the pictures section. Only a few of MD1's products are shown compared to what Macrae describes, but as one who is interested in the designs I find this relative lack of images frustrating! If this book were ever republished, it should have more pictures in it. Until then, one will have to suffice on the few images given in the book and the documentary.

[Ian Pidgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untold History

The author manages to keep the story entertaining and informative without over elaborate technical explanations.
The obvious fondness for his fellow members of MD1 helps to paint a picture of the camaraderie established at the Firs.

[Ted Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining, even if it is more about the author's efforts to maintain the independence of this skunk works in the midst of WWII officialdom than it is about the specific weapons developed.

[Jim Woolwine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuart Macrae took meticulous notes during the short-lived life of Department M.D.1., an incubator for ingenious weapons to assist the Allies defeat the Nazis. Clever devices designed and built by exceptionally clever and motivated geeks, engineers, and university professors. The office was under siege itself during its existence from the traditional bureaucracies that attempted to stifle its free-wheeling ways with procedures, paperwork, and approvals. Its demise was guaranteed once Winston Churchill lost the election following the conclusion of WWII.

The book is steeped in day-by-day detail overwhelming the narrative. I ended up skimming. Best read by someone who knows of the people involved.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gem of a book should be better known. Quite how brilliant eccentrics, some with no engineering background, came to invent major weapons that were manufactured in their millions, is one of the great untold tales, at least until Macrae wrote it up. The unit he, in effect, built, not only designed these things, they also manufactured many of them. As with the story of the mobilisation of the US war factories, one marvels that things could then be done, from scratch, in a short time. But unlike the US factories, MD1 started with a couple of blokes and no assets to speak of. The story is told with considerable wit and there are some good stories. Should be a cult favourite for second world war buffs.

[Gemma Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot

The inside story of one of the most famous of all the 'back rooms' of the Second World War - and of the men and women who worked for it.

Review

This is a quick witted, light hearted look at the infamous M.D.1 from one of its founders. It’s informative and easy to read despite some military language.

On today of all days of the year, it’s a poignant yet humorous reminder of what went on behind the scenes of Winston Churchill’s War Office and those who put their lives on the line so that we may live ours.

Lest we forgot.

Rating

4 stars

Recommend

Absolutely

[david chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

exelent reading

Exelent story somethings should be remembered as this book should it’s full of information and a privilege to read and should told more often

[Aaron Mattupurath · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very interesting to see the many secrets Winston Churchill's Projects and the MIB intelligence and how far Britain was toward their nuclear research and weapons development and how they were tweaking American designs and Japanese designs like the Midget Sub and the American sticky bomb and how they were bombed and had to move locations to a mansion in Buckinghamshire

[Scifimoth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite WW2 history book. I was loaned a copy and enjoyed it so much I bought a copy and requested the library get one too. Its coverage of the problems of technology transition, even in times of war, is a compelling one.