Their Finest Hour Part 34

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

21.VIII.40.

I am not convinced by these arguments about flame-throwers. The question is one to be settled relatively to other forms of war effort. The prospects of invasion are rapidly receding. The likelihood in an invasion of a column of troops marching up the very defile in which these installations have been laid on appears remote. The idea of setting up a Petroleum Warfare Executive is a needless multiplication of our apparatus. I have no doubt whatever that the method would be very effective it ever the occasion arose, but will it arise, and in this case would it be at the point expected? Troops do not march along roads without having first cleared their way by small parties and guarded their flanks on each side of defiles.

Prime Minister to First Lord.

22.VIII.40.

I await your proposals about the resumption of the capital ship programme, which was approved by the late Cabinet on my initiative. This cannot be settled apart from the general demand upon steel and labour, but in principle I favour its resumption.I hope opportunity will now be taken to repair the disastrous neglect to convert the Royal Sovereign Royal Sovereign cla.s.s into properly armoured and bulged bombarding vessels with heavy deck armour. These will be needed next year for the attack on Italy. It is lamentable that we have not got them now. They should certainly take precedence over the resumption of battleship construction. cla.s.s into properly armoured and bulged bombarding vessels with heavy deck armour. These will be needed next year for the attack on Italy. It is lamentable that we have not got them now. They should certainly take precedence over the resumption of battleship construction.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

24.VIII.40.

Report to me on the position of Major Jefferis. By whom is he employed? Who is he under? I regard this officer as a singularly capable and forceful man, who should be brought forward to a higher position. He-ought certainly to be promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, as it will give him more authority.

Prime Minister to C.A.S. and V.C.A.S.

24.VIII.40.

It is of high importance to increase both the number of squadrons and the number of aircraft and crews immediately available. After a year of war we have only operationally fit about 1750, of which again only three-quarters are immediately available. You cannot rest satisfied with this, which is less than the number we were supposed to have available before the war.

Prime Minister to Minister of Transport.

25.VIII.40.

I have read with interest your memorandum on port clearance.I note that the Minister of Shipping doubts whether the country could be supplied through the west coast ports on the scale you envisage. I should be glad to have your views on this.Does not the widespread dislocation caused by the cold spell last winter raise some doubts as to the ready adaptability of the railway system in case of sudden emergency?No doubt arrangements have been made for the importation of oil, which is not included in the food or supply programme. It appears that over two-fifths of our oil imports come through London and Southampton in peace-time. Our stocks are high, but if road transport had to be used more fully to relieve the railways, our consumption would, of course, increase.I presume that you have discussed their import programmes with the Ministers of Food and of Supply, so that alternative schemes will be ready in case of great diversions.

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War.

25.VIII.40.

I have been following with much interest the growth and development of the new guerrilla formations of the Home Guard known as "Auxiliary Units."From what I hear these units are being organised with thoroughness and imagination, and should, in the event of invasion, prove a useful addition to the Regular forces.Perhaps you will keep me informed of progress.

Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord.

25.VIII.40.

The enclosed returns show losses of over forty thousand tons reported in a single day. I regard this matter as so serious as to require special consideration by the War Cabinet. Will you, therefore, have prepared a statement showing the recent losses, their cause, the measures which have been taken by the Admiralty to cope with the danger, any further measures which you feel it necessary to propose, and whether there is any way in which the War Cabinet can a.s.sist the Admiralty.I should be glad if you would make this report to the War Cabinet on Thursday next.

(Action this day.) Prime Minister to General Ismay.

25.VIII.40.

Address the War Office forthwith upon the situation disclosed at Slough. Point out the danger of this large concentration of vehicles; the desirability of dispersing and concealing the vehicles. Ask that a plan should be examined for decentralising this depot as far as possible. We should also make sure that no sediment or surplus acc.u.mulates in the depot. It would be a great pity if a thousand valuable vehicles were ruined by an air attack.

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for Air.

25.VIII.40.

I visted Kenley [Air Station] on Thursday, saw the gunner in question and had a rocket fired off. Moreover, it was the Admiralty Committee over which I presided early in the year which produced the idea of using these distress rockets. I am, therefore, well acquainted with the subject. The Air Ministry, not for the first time, spread itself into very large demands, and, using its priority, barged in heavily into other forms of not less important production. I agree that P.A.C.8 rockets may be a good interim defence against low-flying attack, but they have to take their place in the general scheme. I thought myself about five thousand a month would be sufficient, but I am willing to agree to fifteen hundred a week, or six thousand a month. This figure could be somewhat extended if the wire-recovery projects you mention were further developed and proved an effective economy. rockets may be a good interim defence against low-flying attack, but they have to take their place in the general scheme. I thought myself about five thousand a month would be sufficient, but I am willing to agree to fifteen hundred a week, or six thousand a month. This figure could be somewhat extended if the wire-recovery projects you mention were further developed and proved an effective economy.

(Action this day.) Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War.

25.VIII.40.

War Office have accepted from the War Cabinet the responsibility of dealing with delayed-action bombs. This may become a feature of the enemy attack. A number were thrown last night into the City, causing obstruction. They may even try them on Whitehall! It seems to me that energetic effort should be made to provide sufficient squads to deal with this form of attack in the large centres. The squads must be highly mobile, so as not to waste men and material. They must move in motor lorries quickly from one point to another. I presume a careful system of reporting all unexploded bombs and the time at which they fell is in operation, and that this information will be sent immediately to the delayed-action section of Home Defence, which has no doubt already been established, and also the various local branches. The service, which is highly dangerous, must be considered particularly honourable, and rewards should follow its successful discharge.I should be very glad to see your plans for the new section, together with numbers, and it will also be interesting to have a short account of the work done up to date and the methods employed. I presume you are in touch with all the scientific authorities you need.On the other hand, I am asking the Air Ministry for information as to their reciprocating this process on the enemy.(General Ismay to see.)

(Action this day.) Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War.

25.VIII.40.

I cannot feel you are justified in maintaining the present scale of communication squadrons when we are fighting so heavily. The sole end should surely be to increase the reserve and operational strength of our fighting squadrons and to meet the problem of trainer aircraft. Surely your dominant idea should be "Strength for battle." Everything should be keyed onto this, and administrative convenience or local vested interests must be made to give way. In your place I should comb and recomb. I have been shocked to see the enormous numbers at Mention, and I would far rather give up flying on inspections altogether for members of the Government than that this should be made a reason for keeping these forces out of the fight.I should have thought that Hendon could provide at least two good squadrons of fighter or bomber aircraft of the reserve category, and that they should have the machines issued to them and practise on them as occasion serves. Then they could be thrown in when an emergency came.Ought you not every day to call in question in your own mind every non-military aspect of the Air Force? The tendency of every Station Commander is naturally to keep as much in his hands as possible. The Admirals do exactly the same. Even when you have had a thorough search, if you look around a few weeks later you will see more fat lias been gathered.I hope you will feel able to give some consideration to these views of your old friend.

Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord.

27.V1II.40.

Will you kindly send the following to Admiral Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean:Following from Prime Minister, Minister of Defence:'Main object of directive was to safeguard Alexandria. Only a limited number of troops can be maintained Mersa Matruh, as G.O.C. Middle East will inform you. Every effort is to be made to defend this position. If, however, it and intermediate positions are forced or turned, it will be necessary to hold the line from Alexandria southward along the cultivated area [of the Delta]. Air attack on the Fleet at Alexandria is not necessarily less effective from one hundred and twenty miles distance than from twenty miles, since aeroplanes often fly at three hundred miles per hour and have ample endurance. In practice it is usually thought better to hold aerodromes a little back of the actual fighting line. They do not move forward concurrently with the fronts of armies. Everyone here understands the grievous consequence of the fall of Alexandria, and that it would probably entail the Fleet leaving the Mediterranean. If, however, you have any helpful suggestion to make for the more effective defence of Mersa Matruh or of any positions in advance of it, I should be obliged if you would tell me.

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for Joint Planning Staff.

28.VIII.40.

Now that the long nights are approaching, the question of the blackout must be reviewed. I am in favour of a policy, not of black-out black-out but of but of blnckable-out. blnckable-out. For this purpose a considerable system of auxiliary electric street-lighting must be worked out. The whole of the centre of London, now lighted by incandescent gas, must be given priority. The best methods in the centres of other great cities must also be studied and local schemes must be examined. Thus the lights can be switched down and up and finally out on an air-raid warning being given. The lights themselves should not be of a too brilliant character. The subdued lighting of shop windows must also be studied with a view to extending the facilities given last Christmas on a permanent basis. Where factories are allowed to continue working at night in spite of the black-out, there can be no objection to extending blackable-out lighting to the surrounding districts, thus tending to make the target less defined. Consideration should also be given to decoy lighting and battle lighting in open s.p.a.ces at suitable distances from vulnerable points. For this purpose a considerable system of auxiliary electric street-lighting must be worked out. The whole of the centre of London, now lighted by incandescent gas, must be given priority. The best methods in the centres of other great cities must also be studied and local schemes must be examined. Thus the lights can be switched down and up and finally out on an air-raid warning being given. The lights themselves should not be of a too brilliant character. The subdued lighting of shop windows must also be studied with a view to extending the facilities given last Christmas on a permanent basis. Where factories are allowed to continue working at night in spite of the black-out, there can be no objection to extending blackable-out lighting to the surrounding districts, thus tending to make the target less defined. Consideration should also be given to decoy lighting and battle lighting in open s.p.a.ces at suitable distances from vulnerable points.

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for Air, C.A.S., and General Ismay.

29.VIII.40.

I was much concerned on visiting Mansion Aerodrome yesterday to find that, although more than four clear days have pa.s.sed since it was last raided, the greater part of the craters on the landing ground remained unfilled, and the aerodrome was barely serviceable. When you remember what the Germans did at the Stavanger aerodrome and the enormous rapidity with which craters were filled, I must protest emphatically against this feeble method of repairing damage. Altogether there were a hundred and fifty people available to work, including those that could be provided from the Air Force personnel. These were doing their best. No effective appliances were available, and the whole process appeared disproportionate to the value of maintaining this fighting vantage-ground.All craters should be filled in within twenty-four hours at most, and every case where a crater is unfilled for a longer period should be reported to higher authorities. In order to secure this better service, it will be necessary to form some crater-filling companies. You might begin with, say, two of two hundred and fifty each for the South of England, which is under this intensive attack. These companies should be equipped with all helpful appliances and be highly mobile, so that in a few hours they can be at work on any site which has been cratered. Meanwhile, at every aerodrome in the attack area, and later elsewhere, there must be acc.u.mulated by local contractors stocks of gravel, rubble, and other appropriate materials sufficient to fill without replenishment at least a hundred craters. Thus the mobile air-field repair companies would arrive to find all the material all ready on the spot.I saw some time ago that the Germans filled in the sh.e.l.l holes by some process of having the gravel in wooden frameworks. The V.C.N.S. drew my attention to it during the Norwegian operation, and he could perhaps put you on to the telegram referred to.In what Department of the Air Ministry does this process now fall?After the craters had been refilled, camouflage effort might be made to pretend they had not been, but this is a refinement.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

30.VIII.40.

{For all Departments concerned, including Service Department, Home Security, M.A.P., and Supply.)We must expect that many windows will be broken in the bombing raids, and during the winter gla.s.s may become scarce, with serious resultant damage to buildings if not replaced.The utmost economy is to be practised in the use of gla.s.s. Where windows are broken, they should, if possible, be boarded up, except for one or two panes. We cannot afford the full-sized windows in gla.s.s. All gla.s.s not needed for hothouses should be stored if the hothouses are empty. I saw at Mansion a large hothouse with a great quant.i.ty of gla.s.s; enough was broken to make it useless, and I directed that the rest should be carefully stored.What is the condition of gla.s.s supply? It would seem necessary to press the manufacturers.Government buildings should all be fitted with emergency windows, containing only one or two gla.s.s panes, which, when the existing framework is blown in, can be subst.i.tuted. Let me have a full report on the position.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

30.VIII.40.

If French India wish for trade they should be made to signify a.s.sociation with General de Gaulle. Otherwise no trade! This is not a matter upon which to be easy-going. Secretary of State for India to be informed.The accession of any French possessions now is of importance.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

31.VIII.40.

I have not approved of any further cruiser tanks being despatched to the Middle East beyond those which have already gone. Although in principle it is desirable to complete the despatch of a full armoured division, further movements from this country can only be decided in relation to situation of home forces. No decision of this importance must be taken without reference to me, and in this case I should have to consult the Cabinet.

Prime Minister to General Ismay.

31.VIII.40.

I am very glad to know that the [chemical warfare] stocks are piling up in this country. Let me know what the total now amounts to. The necessary containers should be brought level with supply. Do these stocks keep? Press on.

SEPTEMBER.

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for C.O.S. Committee.

1.IX.40.

Of course if the glider scheme is better than --parachutes, we should pursue it, but is it being seriously taken up? Are we not in danger of being fobbed off with one doubtful and experimental policy and losing the other which has already been proved? Let me have a full report of what has been done about the gliders.

Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord.

1.IX.40.