Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso

Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso KT, CMG, PC (22 October 1890 – 15 June 1970), known as Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt between 1912 and 1952, and often as Archie Sinclair, was a Scottish politician and leader of the British Liberal Party.

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Documents about Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso

Sunday 16th June 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Belgian PM and 50 staff flown into London from Nantes. 1000 Canadian troops arriving for defence of Iceland today
extract Eden: Report from Information Minister on UK public opinion "not very encouraging". PM to broadcast speech on 18th
extract South African PM calls for UK occupation of Irish ports ahead of Germany. Chamberlain: UK should "insist" on IRA roundup
extract PM Reynaud offers meeting in France this afternoon. Churchill declines, UK sending assent for France to ask for terms
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Winston Churchill
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Neville Chamberlain
person Paul Reynaud
place South Africa
place Halifax Peninsula
place Iceland
place London, Ontario
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Thursday 4th July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax informs Cabinet President Roosevelt has agreed to joint Anglo-American "technical naval discussions" in London
extract Minister of Labour admits that over 75,000 women registered for war work in London alone have no jobs available for them
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Samuel Hoare
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Portugal
place Halifax Peninsula
place North America
place Tokyo
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Royal Navy
 

Monday 19th August 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM: President Roosevelt hopes to begin supplying destroyers this week (up to 50) with additional rifles, aircraft, ships
extract Information Minister to address false press reports RAF has bombed 5 divisions of troops in France massing for invasion
extract Cabinet approves violating Swiss airspace in raids on N. Italy. Air Secretary: Necessary "to attack certain targets"
extract General Haining: Evacuation of our forces in British Somaliland complete with little loss. HMAS Hobart remaining in area
extract Cabinet express concern at ground losses of RAF aircraft, 40 destroyed at one aerodrome. Air Secretary to order inquiry
extract RAF report casualties today 22 machines lost (12 pilots saved). Enemy 126 confirmed, 26 probable and 13 downed by AA fire
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 Walter Hines Page
person Kingsley Wood
person Bob Kerslake
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place Somaliland
place Moscow
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Friday 13th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told dive-bombing attack carried out on Buckingham Palace. PM: "Too dangerous for Parliament to sit after dark"
extract Cabinet agree Tube should not be used as shelter. Police opposed and "more important" to keep it available for transport
extract Home Secretary: This tendency due in part to a number of street shelters having suffered direct hits
extract Health Minister: Silvertown evacuated due to failure of water supply. A reluctance to use public shelters in some areas
extract Health Minister: AA fire has transformed London morale. People who "clamoured to be taken away" now reluctant to leave
extract Air Chief: Enemy activity on "reduced scale" in past 24 hours, not more than 100 aircraft. No UK air casualties
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clive Anderson
person Andrew Duncan
place Egypt
place South America
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary: 850 POWs in UK being added to at rate of 100 a week. Cabinet approves plan to send 1,000 to Newfoundland
extract Halifax: Japanese in Indo-China have "established themselves". Seems Japan has agreement with Vichy over this land force
extract Home Secretary: Overnight bombing "rather more intense than on recent nights". Direct hits sustained by several shelters
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 11 machines (8 pilots safe). Enemy 12 (+6 probable). 120 bombers despatched to Berlin
extract War Cabinet directs Information Minister to deny reports "emanating from Vichy regarding attempted British landings"
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place City of London
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
organisation United States Navy
 

Tuesday 15th October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: We are "straining every nerve" to counter night bombing. "The people of this country must stick it out."
extract Cabinet concerned civilians in London beginning to wonder if UK "hitting back hard enough at Germany" in bombing attacks
extract PM blocks moving more ships to protect NW Approaches. Intelligence German plans for invasion "still moving forward"
extract Admiralty: Sweep by HMS Ajax has sunk 3 Italian destroyers. Italian claims to have damaged one of our cruisers untrue
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Herbert Morrison
person Stafford Cripps
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Andrew Duncan
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Moscow
place Turkey
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Northern Ireland
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Admiralty: UK cannot currently assemble strong fleet at Straits of Gibraltar. Again urge "tolerable agreement" with Vichy
extract Halifax opposes bombing Vichy if France attacks Gibraltar. Ambassador authorised to deliver this "threat" to deter attack
extract "Serious damage" to Treasury overnight in London bombing. "Minor scale of attack on Birmingham and Liverpool"
extract Air Chief: All overnight UK bomber missions cancelled due to adverse weather. Equipment for landings in fog being fitted
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Walter Hines Page
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Bob Kerslake
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Newcastle upon Tyne
place Cranborne
place Hong Kong
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Africa
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation ING Group
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK Ambassador Washington: "Almost miraculous change of opinion" in US now it is clear UK effectively resisting air attack
extract Halifax: Prospect of trade agreement with USSR "promising". Marshal Chiang Kai-shek also desires "closer co-operation"
extract Home Secretary: 370 casualties in London last night, damage to railways. Londoners "at the moment a little pessimistic"
extract Admiralty "certain" Germans using radio detection to locate convoys. "Taking all steps possible" to deal with situation
extract Admiralty: Shipping losses over weekend "the worst ever experienced". Germans using new tactics, attacking at night
extract Air Chief: Pilot detailed to attack Berlin overnight came down to 2,000ft and dropped four 500lb bombs on the Chancellery
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Herbert Morrison
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Francisco Franco
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person Chiang Kai-shek
person Andrew Duncan
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Turkey
place Gibraltar
place Africa
place Republic of China
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: If new measures not successful "necessary to raise again" question of the use of certain bases in Irish Free State
extract PM Churchill: Shipping losses of last few days "without precedent", 100,000 tons sunk. "Certain measures decided upon"
extract PM authorises strengthening Whitehall buildings to resist bombardment. Move to new steel framed buildings where possible
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet rejects New Zealand request for air support. UK will supply up-to-date aircraft as soon as it can manage to do so
extract PM: Neither UK "nor the Americans" have received any news on talks between Germany and Vichy. Position "extraordinary"
extract Halifax: General Metaxas asks for our "immediate help" to defend Corfu by sea and Athens by air and for financial aid
extract Cabinet told of unconfirmed reports Athens bombed, 10 Italian divisions ("perhaps 200,000 men") moving into Greece
extract Admiralty: Germans have adopted acoustic mines. Experts "working day and night" to discover secret of these new mines
extract Admiralty: Enemy minelaying taking place on considerable scale in Home Waters. Most ports temporarily closed most nights
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 Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
place Kassala
place Athens
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Gibraltar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation British Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Civilians around target areas "must be made to feel the weight of the war". Italians will "not stand up to bombing"
extract Air Chief: 450 enemy aircraft over UK yesterday, 200 more overnight. Attacks on London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool
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 Herbert Morrison
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Kingsley Wood
person Bob Kerslake
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place South Wales
place Birmingham
place Cairo
place Libreville
place Malta
place Khartoum
place Syria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Monday 4th November 1940

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: "Possibility" of Italian advance into Egypt. Greece situation "still obscure". RAF will report tomorrow
extract Air Chief: Enemy air attacks "on a low scale" over weekend. A number of attacks on East Coast convoys, no casualties
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 Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Jean Bart
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Halifax Peninsula
place Malta
place Toulon
organisation Home Office
organisation Government of Canada
organisation Daily Mirror
 

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
 

Monday 10th February 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Foreign Secretary Eden to consult President Roosevelt on whether to detain the Asaka Maru at "the risk of war" with Japan
extract PM Churchill: In what way should our forces in the Middle East now be employed?
extract Admiralty: 24,000 tons of merchant shipping lost since last report made to the War Cabinet
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Duff Cooper
person Francisco Franco
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Republic of China
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves non compulsory "thinning out" of coastal towns. PM: "Undesirable to exercise too great pressure"
extract Cabinet votes to approve double summer-time from around 1st May to 8th August. Home Secretary to take necessary steps
extract Admiralty: 19 convoy vessels sunk or damaged off Ireland. PM: Effort against this danger must "be our supreme exertion"
extract Air Chief: RAF bombed Cologne and invasion ports overnight. 1st use of Manchester bombers. 150 fires observed in Cologne
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
place Somaliland
place Manchester
place Cranborne
place Malta
place Eritrea
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office