Their Finest Hour (77 page)

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

13.VII.40.

Draw Admiralty attention to the importance of all these ships, especially
Western Prince.
What is her speed? It would be a disaster if we lost these fifty thousand rifles. Draw attention also to the immense consequence of the convoy which is leaving New York between July 8 and 12. When will these various convoys be in the danger zone? When will they arrive? Let me have a report on the measures to be taken.

Prime Minister to Sir Edward Bridges.

13.VII.40.

I am receiving from various sources suggestions that there should be another day of prayer and humiliation.

Will you find out privately what is thought about this by the Archbishop?

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

14.VII.40.

It seems to me very important that everybody should be made to look to their gas-masks now. I expect a great many of them require overhauling, and it may well be Hitler has some gas designs upon us. Will you consider how the necessary overhauls can be set on foot? Action should be taken at once.

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for V.C.A.S.

15.VII.40.

I am in full agreement with your proposal for bombing during the present moon-phase. I do not understand, however, why we have not been able to obtain results in the Kiel Canal. Nothing could be more important than this, as it prevents any movement of prepared shipping and barges from the Baltic for invasion purposes. I heard that you had dropped a number of bombs into this area, but that they did no good. Let me know what you have done about it in the past. How many raids, how many bombs, what kind of bombs, and what is the explanation that the canal still works? Can you make any plans for bettering results in the 1 inure? This is surely a matter of the very highest importance, and now is the time when it counts most.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

15.VII.40.

Make sure that overhead cover against bombing attack is provided for the fourteen-inch gun. A structure of steel girders should be put up to carry sandbag cover similar to that over the six-inch guns which are mounted along the coast. All should be camouflaged. You will be told that it will be necessary to change the guns after one hundred and twenty rounds. In that case the structure will have to be taken to pieces and put up again after the gun is changed. There should be no difficulty in this.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

17.VI1.40.

Press the War Office continually to develop the Foreign Legion, either by pioneer battalions or otherwise. Let me have weekly reports.

Prime Minister to Home Secretary.

18.VII.40.

I certainly do not propose to send a message by the senior child to Mr. Mackenzie King, or by the junior child either. If I sent any message by anyone, it would be that I entirely deprecate any stampede from this country at the present time.
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(Action this day.) Prime Minister to Home Secretary.

19.VII.40.

I have noticed lately very many sentences imposed for indiscretion by magistrates’ and other courts throughout the country in their execution of recent legislation and regulation. All these cases should be reviewed by the Home Office, and His Majesty moved to remit the sentence where there was no malice or serious injury to the State. By selecting some of those cases which have recently figured in the public eye, and announcing remission publicly, you would give the necessary guidance without which it is difficult for local courts to assess the lead and purpose of Parliament.

Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord.

20.VII.40.

I have drawn attention to this danger before. I do not think
Hood
should be left lying in Gibraltar Harbour at the mercy of a surprise bombardment by heavy howitzers. Both she and
Ark Royal
should go to sea for a cruise, with or without
Valiant
and
Resolution,
as may be thought fit. They could return to fuel or to carry out any operations, provided the Spanish situation has not further deteriorated. Pray let me have your proposals.

Prime Minister to Foreign Secretary.

20.VII.40.

Don’t you think we might go very slow on all this general and equitable, fair and honourable peace business between China and Japan? Chiang does not want it; none of the pro-Chinese want it; and so far from helping us round the Burma Road difficulty, it will only make it worse. I am sure that it is not in our interest that the Japanese should be relieved of their preoccupation. Would it not be a good thing to give it a miss for a month or so, and see what happens?

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War.

20.VII.40.

You may care to see this [letter from Colonel Wedgwood on “London Defence”]. The only scale of attack which it seems to me need be contemplated for the centre of Government is, say, five hundred parachutists or Fifth Columnists. What is the present plan, and what is the scale against which it is being provided?

You might do something for Jos. He is a grand-hearted man.

Prime Minister to Minister without Portfolio.

20.VII.40.

I am rather doubtful, from information which has reached me, whether our home timber resources are being adequately developed.

This, of course, is primarily a matter for the Minister of Supply, who I know has made certain departmental adjustments recently with this particular end in view.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

21.VII.40.

Let me have a statement showing the scheme of defence for the Central Government, Whitehall, etc. What was the scale of attack prescribed, and who was responsible for taking the measures? What was the reason for attempting to put an anti-tank obstacle across St. James’s Park? Who-ordered this? When was it counter-ordered?

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

23.VII.40.

I am told that the refuelling of fighter aeroplanes could be much more rapidly achieved if there were more tankers on the aerodromes, and considering that an attack by air would make every minute gained in returning the fighters to the air most precious, I should be glad if measures were taken at once to double it or greatly increase the fuelling facilities.

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War.

23.VII.40.

I do not seem to have had any answer from you to my query about whether the 2d Canadian Division and all it stands for is being frittered away in Iceland.

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War.

23.VII.40.

1. It is, of course, urgent and indispensable that every effort should be made to obtain secretly the best possible information about the German forces in the various countries overrun, and to establish intimate contacts with local people, and to plant agents. This, I hope, is being done on the largest scale, as opportunity serves, by the new organisation under M.E.W. None of this partakes of the nature of military operations.

2. It would be most unwise to disturb the coasts of any of these countries by the kind of silly fiascos which were perpetrated at Boulogne and Guernsey. The idea of working all these coasts up against us by pin-prick raids and fulsome communiques is one to be strictly avoided.

3. Sir Roger Keyes is now studying the whole subject of medium raids – i.e., not less than five nor more than ten thousand men. Two or three of these might be brought off on the French coast during the winter. As soon as the invasion danger recedes or is resolved, and Sir R. K.’s paper-work is done, we will consult together and set the Staffs to work upon detailed preparations. After these medium raids have had their chance, there will be no objection to stirring up the French coast by minor forays.

4. During the spring and summer of 1941 large armoured irruptions must be contemplated. The material for these is, however, so far ahead of us that only very general study of their possibilities is now necessary, and no directions need be given to the Staff upon them until the end of August.

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for Chiefs of Staff.

24.VII.40.

Apart from the anti-Nazi Germans, who can begin by being pioneers, rifles and ammunition should be issued to all foreign corps. Whether this should be from British Service rifles now in the possession of the Home Guard, but in process of being replaced by American rifles, or whether the foreign corps
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should be armed with American rifles direct, has no doubt been considered. On the whole, I am inclined to the former solution. It is most urgent to rearm the Poles and the French, as we may need them for foreign service in the near future. The armament of these foreign corps ranks
after
the armament of British troops so far as rifles are concerned, but they have priority over the Home Guard. They ought to have a small proportion of Bren guns, etc., even at the expense of our own men. What is being done to furnish them with artillery? Surely some of the 75’s can be made to serve the purpose. The Polish unit should be ripened as much as possible. Pray let me have a weekly report of numbers and weapons.

(Action this day.) Prime Minister to First Lord, First Sea Lord and V.C.N.S.

25.VII.40.

I cannot help feeling that there is more in the plan of laying mines behind an invader’s landing than the Naval Staff felt when I mentioned the matter three weeks ago. In the interval I sent a reminder asking that it should be further considered.

If an invader lands during the night or morning, the flotillas will attack him in rear during the day, and these flotillas will be heavily bombarded from the air, as part of the air battles which will be going on. If, however, when night falls a curtain or fender of mines can be laid close inshore, so as to cut off the landing-place from reinforcements of any kind, these mines, once laid, will not have to be guarded from air attack, and consequently will relieve the flotilla from the need of coming back on the second day, thus avoiding losses from the air and air protection. At any rate, I think it improvident not to provide for the option whether to seal off the hostile landing by attack of flotillas or mines. There may be several landings, and you may want to leave one sealed off with mines in order to attack another. Of course, all the above would apply still more if the landing had got hold of a port instead of merely a beach.

Pray let this matter have further attention, and also say what craft are available for the purpose, or how soon they can be provided or adapted.

Prime Minister to V.C.N.S.

25.VII.40.

Let me have a report of how far the German, Dutch, and Belgian harbours have been sealed up by mines or obstructions.

Prime Minister to Foreign Secretary.

26.VII.40.

I saw Mr. Quo yesterday at his request, and explained to him frankly the position about the Burma Road. I told him verbally of the message I sent through the Foreign Office to Chiang Kai-shek. He was naturally anxious to extort some promise from me about what would happen when the three months had expired. I said it all depended upon what the situation was then, and that I could make no forecast. I assured him we should put no pressure on General Chiang to consent to terms or negotiations against his will and policy. Mr. Quo seemed fairly satisfied, though rueful.

Prime Minister to Chancellor of the Exchequer.

28.VII.40.

Now that the Rumanian Government are helping themselves to the property of British subjects, ought we not to show the Rumanians that we shall use their frozen fund to compensate our people? I understand that about six weeks ago you blocked Rumanian assets in London. We have been treated odiously by these people.

(Action this day.) Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord.

1.VIII.40.

In view of the threatening attitude of Japan, it is vitally important to know about
Bismarck
and
Tirpitz. Pray
let me have your latest information. It seems to me that a great effort will have to be made by the Air Force to disable these ships, as their apparition in the next few months would be most dangerous.

2. Assuming Japan goes to war with us, or forces us into war, I suppose you would send
Hood,
three eight-inch-gun cruisers, two
Ramillies,
and twelve long-radius destroyers to Singapore.

Let me have the legends [i.e., construction details] of the completed Japanese battle-cruisers.

(Action this day.) Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord.

2.VIII.40.

I pray that we may never have to make this widespread distribution, but I am in full accord with the principles on which the Admiralty would propose to meet the strain. I should have thought that
Hood
would be a greater deterrent than
Renown.
Please let me have a report of the possibility of air attack on
Bismarck
and
Tirpitz.
This seems to me to be one of the most vital steps to take. Apart from this, there is no need to make any new dispositions at the present time on account of Japanese war-risk.

I was much concerned to hear of the sinking of the three tankers off Tory Island. I should like to see you move some destroyers from the East Coast thither. We had better wait, however, until the August moon-phase is over. During this time also the American guns and rifles will be distributed to the troops.