Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Government

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO, is the British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office. The head of the FCO is the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly abbreviated to "Foreign Secretary". ...

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Documents about Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Monday 8th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Cabinet discusses Scandinavian neutrality and the personal motives of US Ambassador Kennedy
person Adolf Hitler
place Greece
place Narvik
place Stockholm
place Tokyo
place Denmark
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM meets with junior ministers. Warns Britons “must take the war more seriously” and response to Scandinavian situation
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
person Joseph Stalin
person Andrew Duncan
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Finland
place Russian Empire
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Friday 1st March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told shipping situation “greatest bottleneck" in whole war effort. Losses cause 10% cut in projected food supply
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Harold Wilson
person Andrew Duncan
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Isle of Portland
place Narvik
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Assistance to Finland.

extract Finnish Minister requests public statement of UK support within roughly 24 hours to aid peace negotiations with Russia
place Finland
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain arranges question to be asked in House of Commons to publicly confirm UK commitment to Finland
person Alexander Cadogan
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
place Finland
place Moscow
place Narvik
place Stockholm
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Labour Party (UK)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract “Berlin better blacked out than London” says US envoy. Ambassador to Vatican reports Hitler and Mussolini to meet shortly
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Sumner Welles
person Samuel Hoare
person Adolf Hitler
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Finland
place Vatican City
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill reports on defences after Scarpa attack. Warns of general feeling “Germans used bombs…we only dropped leaflets”
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Finland
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Hong Kong
place Turkey
place Gibraltar
place South America
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Scapa
organisation Home Fleet
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told leaflet drops now secondary to air reconnaissance. Danish Attaché: “Extensive damage” done by Sylt attack
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Neville Chamberlain
place Hong Kong
place Paris
place Gibraltar
place Denmark
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation French Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Chiefs of Staff: “very little we could do to prevent Holland being overrun”. Effect of air action would be “very limited”
extract PM Chamberlain keen on mining operation on Rhine and Norwegian waters. Cabinet agrees to urge this in Allied War Council
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Harold Wilson
place Ankara
place Russian Empire
place Narvik
place Turkey
place Europe
place Rome
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Action against German Shipping.

extract Lord Halifax circulates draft messages for BBC broadcast which will make mining operations against German shipping public
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Europe
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation BBC
 

Tuesday 2nd April 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet complains to BBC that news reports are repeating German accounts of naval and air engagements as well as British
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Harold Wilson
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Russian Empire
place Narvik
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Saturday 18th May 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet meets for a second time. Chamberlain proposes near "totalitarian" powers for government in event of France's fall
person Neville Chamberlain
place Paris
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract National Government moves to ensure Independent Labour Leader James Maxton MP will not be formal Leader of the Opposition
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract King Leopold informs British government he is “determined to stay with his army” in Belgium
extract PM: Operation may be a great failure. Or our troops may "fight magnificently" and save considerable portion of the Force
extract PM anxious “orders for march to the coast should be issued as soon as possible”. Order from Reynaud to Weygand drafted
extract Halifax urges talks with Mussolini. Italy may be able to “persuade Herr Hitler to take a more reasonable attitude”
extract Reynaud: No peace terms yet but France “could get an offer if they wanted one”. Taking Paris “the dream of all Germans”
extract PM Reynaud tells War Cabinet France has 50 divisions to Germany’s 150. “Clear that the war could not be won on land”
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
person Maxime Weygand
person James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon
person Adolf Hitler
person Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
place Great Britain
place Somaliland
place Russian Empire
place Paris
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Washington
place Northern Ireland
place Rome
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Suggested approach to Signor Mussolini.

extract Halifax meeting with Italian ambassador. Says UK would consider "any proposal" that promised "secure and peaceful Europe"
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Paris
place Europe
place Rome
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation ING Group
 

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill: "Our success must depend first on our unity, then on our courage and endurance."
extract Churchill: “If we both stand out we may yet save ourselves from the fate of Denmark or Poland”
extract Churchill informs French PM Reynaud that the War Cabinet has decided it is not “the right moment” to approach Mussolini
extract Churchill: "Nations which went down fighting rose again but those which surrendered tamely were finished"
extract Chamberlain: Better for both UK and France “to play their part in the struggle” than to open negotiations with Mussolini
extract Halifax: UK may get better terms now, before France went out of the war and UK aircraft factories bombed than in 3 months
extract PM: “Clear” French wish Mussolini to act as intermediary with Herr Hitler. “Determined” not to get into this position
extract French again urge talks with Mussolini. Halifax says Italians want UK to request their mediation in European conflict
person Alexander Cadogan
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Maxime Weygand
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Bob Kerslake
person Neville Chamberlain
person Edward Spears
place Great Britain
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Denmark
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation United States Navy
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation United Nations
organisation French Army
 

Friday 14th June 1940

Security of Whitehall Area.

extract Cabinet Secretary announces closure to the public of Downing Street and Horse Guards Parade to improve Whitehall security
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Saturday 6th July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told French cruiser accidentally sunk without warning yesterday. UK to apologise and restate warning policy
extract Cabinet agrees to pause overseas evacuation of UK children. Vessels cannot be escorted and so are at too great a risk
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Richard Kiel
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Hamburg
place Halifax Peninsula
place North America
place Gibraltar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Portsmouth
organisation Home Office
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Government of Canada
 

Meeting minutes

extract Minister of Food requests Cabinet approve tea rationing with immediate effect. Margarine to be rationed within two weeks
extract Members of French overseas missions in UK to be temporarily "segregated" at Worcester College, Oxford
extract Chief of Air Staff reports 27 casualties overnight in bomb attacks on south coast ports and shipping in Straits of Dover
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Charles de Gaulle
person Stafford Cripps
person Richard Kiel
person Robert Vansittart, 1st Baron Vansittart
place Kassala
place Egypt
place Isle of Portland
place Sudan
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Draft of Proposed Agreement with General de Gaulle.

extract Cabinet Secretary circulates proposal from General de Gaulle for UK to recognise and support his new French force
person Charles de Gaulle
person Winston Churchill
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Meeting minutes

extract Attlee warns of "disquiet" in House of Commons over conditions in UK internment camps. Cabinet asks him investigate
extract Cabinet concerned at likely fall of Japanese government. May be replaced by anti-British regime "who might declare war"
extract Halifax: Signs France will not "close down" relations with UK entirely. Proposes UK Consul at Vichy. Cabinet accepts
extract Admiralty to tell France UK will "take no further action" against French ships in French Colonial or North African ports
extract General Dill: "No doubt" Germans assembling force in Norway. "Might" be for raid on Scotland, Shetland, Orkney or Faroes
extract Air Chief: “Harassing raids” on south and west coast ports yesterday. (Docks, shipping). Casualties “greater than usual”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Jean Bart
person Robert Vansittart, 1st Baron Vansittart
place Halifax Peninsula
place Eyre Peninsula
place Turkey
place Malta
place Gibraltar
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Foreign Office inform Cabinet Roumania has left League of Nations. Sign of "complete subservience of Roumania to Germany"
extract Chamberlain rules out guarantee by UK to restore "the independence and territorial integrity of France" and French Empire
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Charles de Gaulle
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Neville Chamberlain
place Portugal
place Madrid
place Europe
place Algeria
place Morocco
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place West Germany
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Japan situation does "not look very favourable". Rejects call for deal to be made before new government in place
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Clement Attlee
person Neville Chamberlain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: “We delude ourselves” if we think Russia will “by proper treatment be made a warm friend of this country”
extract Halifax: Resuming relations with France unlikely in view of UK bombing, blockade, leaflet drops. Not of great importance
extract Lord Halifax speaking to junior ministers. Tells meeting “We might now be at the turning point of the war”
person Charles de Gaulle
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Adolf Hitler
person Farouk of Egypt
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Singapore
place Europe
place Burma
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Friday 2nd August 1940

Agreement with the Polish Government.

extract UK signs agreement with Polish government in exile to bring Polish armed forces (land, sea and air) under British command
place Great Britain
place Northern Ireland
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation British Army
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
 

Operation "Scipio".

extract Cabinet to discuss plan for Operation Scipio. General de Gaulle and Free French to attempt occupation of Dakar, Senegal
person Charles de Gaulle
person Edward Spears
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Nigeria
place Africa
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract King George VI: My peoples "would rather all perish in the common ruin than fall or falter in their duty"
extract Halifax circulates draft rejection by King George of offer of mediation between UK and Germany by King Gustav of Sweden
extract PM Churchill: "We could never stand by and see a British Dominion overwhelmed by a yellow race"
extract PM: Invasion of Australia "could be retrieved" by USA. "In the last resort" UK would "abandon" Mediterranean and Mid-East
extract PM: We hope "to avoid war" but it could occur "at any moment". "Opening moves" likely to be against Hong Kong, Singapore
extract Churchill outlines policy in the event of Japanese aggression: UK Fleet needed in Mediterranean "to beat the Italians"
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Great Britain
place Egypt
place Fiji
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Republic of China
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: UK forces in Somaliland withdrawing after Italian attack "with hopelessly superior forces and fire power"
extract Home Secretary believes find of dropped German parachutes "plan to undermine morale". No evidence of paratroops landing
extract Air Secretary: Despite "intense air fighting" British figures carefully tested and "almost certainly under the mark"
extract UK Embassy Washington warns UK/German claims of downed aircraft "so contradictory" US may think both sides "telling lies"
extract Air Chief: Figures for fighting over UK yesterday: 8 RAF machines lost (3 pilots saved), 30 Enemy destroyed, 8 probable
extract Air Chief: RAF attacked targets overnight in France, Belgium and Holland. "Good results" against oil target near Bordeaux
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Clive Anderson
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Somaliland
place Northern Ireland
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Mussolini "heating up the atmosphere" but Italy "unlikely to declare war against Greece at the present time"
extract PM: Attitude of UK and US should be friends "each prepared to do what was possible to help the other" not quid pro quo
extract Cabinet calls US offer to formally exchange lease of UK base facilities for destroyers and weapons "out of the question"
person Anthony Eden
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
place South Africa
place Greece
place Bermuda
place Jamaica
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation United States Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax to assure Greek government UK will provide "immediate military and financial help" in event of attack by Italy
extract PM concerned at "heavy" merchant shipping losses, "serious" if they continue at this rate. Admiralty planning new tactics
extract Air raid casualty figures "fairly heavy". Cabinet agrees release: total "not high" compared to peace-time road casualties
extract Air Chief: Germans unload bombs whether or not targets located. RAF ordered to return bombs if targets cannot be located
extract Air Chief: Weather prevented some aircraft locating their target last night in mission to bomb military targets in Berlin
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place Athens
place Greece
place Gibraltar
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Tuesday 17th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Foreign Office: Swiss do not believe story UK overflights due to navigational errors. Flights to be suspended temporarily
extract General Dill: Two Italian columns have occupied Sidi Barrani. It now seem three divisions have crossed Egyptian frontier
extract Air Secretary: Bad weather cancelled all UK bomber missions last night. Two German machines downed, 1 by barrage balloon
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Freetown
place Egypt
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses report on the Black-out. PM hopes streets can be "cheerfully illuminated" by November 1941
extract War Secretary: "Bad" press photos "giving an exaggerated idea" of London damage. Information Minister "to take steps"
extract Home Secretary: Waterloo, Victoria, London Bridge stations restored to partial working. "Little damage" to Foreign Office
extract Air Secretary: Air casualties yesterday nil. Enemy 5. One Junker 88 captured complete and undamaged with crew and bombs
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Malcolm MacDonald
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: US has now agreed to release 250,000 further rifles to us. Negotiations proceeding over aircraft and flying boats
extract First Sea Lord: Severe loss by enemy attack on convoys approaching UK in last 3 days. 7 ships in one convoy, 4 in another
extract Air Chief: Number of enemy fighters crossed SE coast this morning. Casualties so far 9 aircraft. Enemy 10 (+5 probable)
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Kingsley Wood
person Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
person Clement Attlee
person Andrew Duncan
place Egypt
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 17th October 1940

Relations with Vichy.

extract Vichy government assures UK it will "never be an aggressor". Halifax: "Glad to extract what we can from that"
place Morocco
place Africa
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: "No confirmation" of this morning's Press report UK inflicted 400 losses on Italian forces in the Sudan
extract Air Chief: Enemy activity yesterday "on a reduced scale". Attacks mostly from Norway where weather conditions were better
extract Cabinet directs War Secretary to decline invitation to Iraq on security grounds. Foreign Office will blame lack of time
extract PM proposes new Supreme War Council including Dominions, Free France, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Poland and Czechoslovakia
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Stafford Cripps
person Maxime Weygand
person Kingsley Wood
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Iraq
place Madrid
place Sudan
place Khartoum
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Czechoslovakia
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Government of Canada
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: "Pessimistic" over Greek resistance. "Not particularly sanguine" about USSR. Spain "another source of anxiety"
extract Halifax meets junior ministers. M. Petain wants "to be friendly with us" but UK has made "many mistakes of psychology"
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Francisco Franco
person Maxime Weygand
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Washington
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Republic of China
place Rome
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Tuesday 5th November 1940

Overseas Air Communications.

extract Air Minister asks for resources to improve Empire communications links. "Reasonably quick air-mail" will boost morale
place Athens
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Hong Kong
place Cairo
place North America
place Europe
place South America
place Khartoum
place Africa
place Lisbon, New York
place Burma
place Rome
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Morrison: Bombing more severe last 2 nights. "Good many casualties" at Southwark, Wandsworth, Richmond. Penzance attacked
extract Halifax: "Sharp and unhelpful" reply from M. Petain to the King's message. Nothing yet settled between Hitler and Vichy
extract PM: UK cannot tolerate shipping losses on present scale. Will ask Roosevelt to pressure Ireland to abandon neutrality
extract PM: "For the present" Crete appears in no great danger of Italian attack. Possible Australian units could replace Greeks
extract General Dill: Greeks advancing in Pindus sector (Italian morale "bad") but under "heavy pressure" in Epirus sector
extract General Dill: UK forces have captured Gallabat on Sudan/Ethiopia border and resisted Italian counterattack
extract Admiralty: Work on new German acoustic mines now allows certain counter measures. Method still in the experimental stage
extract Admiralty: "No further information" of convoy attacked by the Admiral Scheer. Surviving ships due in home waters tomorrow
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Hugh Dalton
person Adolf Hitler
person Kingsley Wood
person John Dill
person Chiang Kai-shek
person Jean Bart
place Greece
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madrid
place Sudan
place Libreville
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discuss death of Mr Chamberlain. PM: Loss will "be felt most deeply by all those who had worked with him"
extract Halifax "a little anxious" at Molotov visit to Berlin. May be "a face-saving device" or to discuss an anti-Turkish policy
extract Admiralty: General De Gaulle has taken Gabon capital Libreville. Vichy claims UK bombed the city and sunk vessels untrue
extract General Dill: Greeks could hold up Italians for a considerable time. "A different matter" if Germans attack on this front
extract Air Chief: 12 Italian aircraft shot down over UK today. Total enemy losses for the weekend now 47 confirmed, 31 probable
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Jean Bart
person Neville Chamberlain
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Sudan
place Libreville
place Malta
place Berlin
place Africa
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Breach in the blockade of Metropolitan France and French Colonies.

extract Foreign Office officials complain UK allowing French blockade running and so "blunting the spearhead of our own attack"
place Europe
place Morocco
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: UK will supply 5 squadrons of aircraft for Greeks. Difficulty of moving aircraft abroad "not realised in Greece"
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 19th December 1940

Contacts with the Vichy Government.

extract Halifax: To go beyond this may be difficult for Vichy. They must be careful "to avoid rousing German suspicions"
extract Halifax: We have received written assurances from Vichy that France will retain her fleet and Empire and not attack UK
person Charles de Gaulle
person Samuel Hoare
person Maxime Weygand
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Greece
place Egypt
place Tangier
place Libreville
place Gibraltar
place London, Ontario
place Morocco
place Africa
place Madrid, New York
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Royal Navy
 

Tuesday 7th January 1941

Attitude of His Majesty's Government towards the Emperor Haile Selassie and the position of Italian East Africa in the event of an Enemy Defeat.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden reaffirms UK's commitment "to an independent Ethiopia" and the recapture of British Somaliland
person Anthony Eden
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Great Britain
place Somaliland
place Sudan
place Ethiopia
place Kismayo
place Eritrea
place Rome
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: Japan has sent an "unpleasant memorandum" over Dutch East Indies. Netherlands government will "play for time"
extract Eden: Balkans situation "disquieting", German divisions in Roumania rising to 20. Greece "frightened" to provoke Germany
extract Eden: Resistance in Eritrea less than expected. Possible we will be able to advance as far as Agordat and threaten Asmara
extract Eden meeting junior ministers. Says German morale remains good but "deteriorating" among troops in occupied territory
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Greece
place Russian Empire
place Turkey
place Malta
place Ethiopia
place Eritrea
place Tripoli, Greece
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Monday 24th February 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: Japanese Ambassador denies "aggressive intentions" against Australia, Singapore or Dutch East Indies
extract President Roosevelt has "advised against interception" of Japanese vessel Asaku Maru. Vessel allowed to leave Lisbon
extract General Haining: Allied forces in Italian Somaliland have captured Jumbo and are advancing on Brava. 3000 prisoners taken
extract PM Churchill welcomes PM Menzies to all War Cabinet meetings while in UK. Commonwealth relationship "unique in history"
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Somaliland
place Cranborne
place Madagascar
place Singapore
place Eritrea
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
 

Monday 3rd March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves public statement on gas weapons. Bevin calls for regular gas mask drill in workshops, offices, schools
extract UK Ambassador in Sofia authorised to break off diplomatic relations and leave Bulgaria as soon as position "impossible"
place Ankara
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Malta
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: "If resolutely tackled over the next four months, the position should show great improvement"
extract PM Churchill: "Above all, the offensive spirit must be retained in meeting the enemy's attacks on our merchant shipping"
extract PM Churchill: This is the Battle of the Atlantic which must be fought out in the shipyards and the docks, and on the seas
extract PM describes measures being taken to improve shipping situation, reduce the volume of merchant shipping awaiting repair
extract General Wavell predicts "difficulties" for German forces "if they tried to stage an early offensive against Cyrenaica"
extract Admiralty: Preliminary reports indicate raid against the Lofoten Islands "proceeding satisfactorily"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Gibraltar
place Tripoli, Greece
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Chief: Particulars just received of very heavy air attack on Malta yesterday by over 100 German and Italian aircraft
extract Cabinet refuses any Parliamentary debate of lease of British bases to the United States
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Charles de Gaulle
person Walter Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine
place Jamaica
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Menzies concerned over Greece operation. All new factors add to difficulties, no reason offered why it should succeed
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Republic of Macedonia
place Greece
place Egypt
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Shortage of jam "a serious matter" says PM Churchill. Rationing of other foods drives "people to consume more bread"
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: Nobody could represent us forcing hopeless resistance on Greeks. "We should go forward with a good heart"
extract Eden: Key Service Chiefs "unanimously agreed" that, despite "grave risks" involved, action in Greece the "right decision"
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
place Greece
place Ankara
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Bulgaria
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Morrison: Casualties and damage in last night's bombing appear "to have been less than on the previous night"
extract Admiralty: Shipping losses for the last 4 days heavy but HMS Arbutus sunk a U-boat on the 7th March. 24 prisoners taken
person Herbert Morrison
place Greece
place Liverpool
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Rome
place Portsmouth
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Chief: Bomber Command sent 255 aircraft overnight to attack targets in Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Boulogne and Calais
extract Air Chief: ...In January, 1 in every 110. In March (first 12 days) 1 in 63. Agreed these figures could not be published
extract Air Chief: Measures against night bombing "increasingly effective". In December we destroyed one bomber in every 326...
place Hamburg
place Somaliland
place Liverpool
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Haining: Our forces meeting "considerable resistance" in attacks against "strongly fortifified" Keren in Eritrea
extract Admiralty: 150,000 tons of shipping damaged in the last 4 days during air attacks on Merseyside and Manchester
extract Air Chief: In last 4 days 27 enemy aircraft destroyed over UK, 20 over Greece (23 damaged). UK losses 4 (3 pilots safe)
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Bob Kerslake
place Greece
place Somaliland
place Manchester
place Cranborne
place Manchester, New Hampshire
place Eritrea
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: US to send 2 food ships to Unoccupied France. These must be allowed to pass blockade, subsequent ships to be stopped
extract Cabinet Minister suggests attack on Clydebank indicates Germans targeting "centre of communism and disaffection"...
extract Morrison: Serious damage last night at Greenwich, Edmonton and Poplar gasworks. 11 local authorities without gas
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Herbert Morrison
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Washington
place Africa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: "A clear rebuff to our enemies". UK will recognise new government if it is "determined" to denounce Pact with Germany
extract Cabinet informed King Peter has seized authority in Yugoslavia, arrested Ministers, appointed new government
person Herbert Morrison
place Athens
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Belgrade
place South America
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden to warn Italy any attempt to scuttle ships at Massawa will result in UK ceasing food shipments to Eritrea, Abyssinia
extract President Roosevelt has sent details of first allotments under Lease and Lend Act. 180 'planes, 5,500 Oerlikon guns...
extract PM: Have telegraphed congratulations to Sir Andrew Cunningham and Sir Arthur Longmore on this fortunate and timely action
extract Admiralty: 3 enemy cruisers and 2 destroyers sunk and an Italian battleship torpedoed at Matapan. Our losses two aircraft
person Stafford Cripps
person Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
place Greece
place Russian Empire
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Africa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation United States Navy
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 10th April 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM opposes requesting US approach Eire government over bases. "Discreet soundings" if De Valera willing to visit London
extract General Haining: Greek troops still holding out NE of Salonika though cut off by German advance. Our forces holding line
extract PM: Issue communiqué naming Generals and state part of our rear-guard cut off but our main force now in the Tobruk area
extract War Secretary: Germans broadcasting 6 UK Generals, 2,000 troops prisoners in Libya. Should we admit 3 Generals missing?
place Cranborne
place Tobruk
place Berlin
place Eritrea
place Addis Ababa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: Position of Syria "serious", risk of German paratroop attack. UK to urge Vichy France to defend its territory
extract General Dill: Enemy advancing in Western Desert from Sollum. Have penetrated 5-6 miles across Egyptian frontier
extract General Dill: Evacuation of troops from Greece proceeding. 27,000 evacuated. 13,000 have landed in Crete of 59,000 total
extract Admiralty: British Ambassador to Yugoslavia taken prisoner. Submarine Regent found port of Kotor under enemy occupation
extract Air Chief: RAF bomber used cloud over Emden for 45 minutes this afternoon. 18 500lb bombs dropped, streets machine-gunned
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Greece
place Ankara
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Malta
place Dakar
place Washington
place Syria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation House of Commons of Canada
 

Monday 12th May 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands Government regarding mutual support in the event of Japanese aggression.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden recommends UK supports Netherlands in the event of Japanese aggression against Dutch East Indies
person Anthony Eden
place New Caledonia
place Singapore
place Europe
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary directed to announce Ethiopia under temporary "military guidance". PM: No need to concern ourselves unduly
extract Minister of Information to "give guidance" to Press on Hess's "bloody" record. Coverage has been "almost laudatory"
extract PM: Rudolf Hess will be held as a prisoner of war. He is also a prisoner of State and should be kept in isolation
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Iraq
place Caribbean
place Ethiopia
place Africa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Monday 2nd June 1941

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: 17,000 of our troops evacuated from Crete. Our losses 7-8,000, German losses considerably higher
extract Air Chief: Estimated 25% of German Air Force employed against Crete. Enemy might have lost 400 aircraft in the operations
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Walter Hines Page
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Rashid Ali al-Gaylani
place Greece
place Russian Empire
place Manchester
place Cranborne
place Iraq
place Cyprus
place Syria
place Dublin
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Iran
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office