Cabinet papers from September 1940

Monday 2nd September 1940

Scilly Islands.

extract Chiefs of Staff order doubling of garrison force on Scilly Isles. Warn Cabinet the aerodrome has been "rendered useless"
 

Meeting minutes

extract First Sea Lord: Indications pointing to invasion "have never been more positive" than at present. War Secretary concurs
extract Cabinet discusses likelihood of invasion. Churchill: Fog more likely in the autumn, "a great ally to an invader"
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Agreement has been reached with the Americans over bases for destroyers. Meeting in London will follow
extract Cabinet notes air raid warnings are now "almost continuous" across SE England. Civilian casualties for August were 700
extract Churchill: Our own Air Force "stronger than ever", "every reason to be optimistic about the 1940 Air Battle of Britain"
extract PM reviews results of recent air fighting before Cabinet: "every right to be satisfied". Enemy may be at "maximum effort"
extract PM Churchill visiting Fighter Command during German air attack today. PM: "Very instructive" to watch deployment
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Fiji
place Tokyo
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Department of State
organisation RAF Fighter Command
 

Food Situation of the United Kingdom. Eleventh Report submitted by the Minister of Food for the month of July, 1940.

extract Food Ministry predicts food stocks (except tea and sugar) will be "appreciably greater" at end of 1940 than August 1939
place Egypt
 

Tuesday 3rd September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discuss compensation for households damaged by air raids. 8000 houses hit to August. "Very few" totally destroyed
extract PM hopes Cabinet can "continue their business without interruption" if air raids begin during meetings at Downing Street
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Royal Air Force
 

The Munitions Situation.

extract PM: By devising new weapons and above all by scientific leadership we shall best cope with enemy's superior strength
extract PM circulates his views on UK's munitions position: "The Navy can lose us the war but only the Air Force can win it"
person Winston Churchill
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Europe
place Syria
place Iran
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation United States Navy
 

Wednesday 4th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves the use of troops on harvest work. "Arrangements to be made for them to get free beer"
extract Aircraft Production Minister reports unauthorised work stoppages in Solihull due to air raid warnings. Cabinet to discuss
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Kingsley Wood
place Singapore
place Europe
place Republic of China
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Creation of new Aircraft capacity in U.S.A.

extract Chancellor: Cost of plan to buy aircraft from USA "vast". "There is no prospect of our having dollars to pay these sums"
person Kingsley Wood
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet meets to discuss incessant air raid warnings which are affecting production. "Red" warning to be abolished
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
 

Future Strategy.

extract Chiefs of Staff outline detailed strategy for German defeat. Stress importance of economic warfare and air attack
 

Thursday 5th September 1940

Home Opinion as shewn in the mails to U.S.A. and Eire.

extract Cabinet Secretary circulates digest of intercepted mail to US, Eire. Mail shows "complete confidence in ultimate victory"
place Europe
organisation United States Navy
 

Friday 6th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM to contact Canadian government to try and gain access to French gold held by Bank of Canada to help UK dollar position
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Government of Canada
 

Monday 9th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet authorise Home Security Ministry to evacuate non-essential population of s.coast towns and Canterbury, Ipswitch
extract PM emphasises importance of attacking Calais and Boulogne to affect morale of Germans "assembled ready to invade" Britain
extract Home Security Minister: Hospitals hit "will be quickly repaired". All fires now under control despite renewed attack
extract Air Chief: "Considerable damage" done but "comparatively little effect" on factories engaged on war production
extract Air Chief: Enemy air activity yesterday "on a considerably reduced scale". Our losses 4, Enemy losses 7 (+3 probable)
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
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Sudan
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation KEF
 

Tuesday 10th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill tells Air Secretary Sinclair that his decision to reject indiscriminate bombing "may stand for the present"
extract Air Secretary tells PM that he will not issue new orders to RAF because UK policy is to attack "only military objectives"
extract Homeless in East End of London to be transferred to districts further west. Cabinet approves relief fund by Lord Mayor
extract First Sea Lord: Destroyers sweeping French coast to find small craft bound for UK. Report of force off Ostend "incorrect"
extract Air Chief: London attacks "quite indiscriminate". Cabinet agree RAF to unload bombs whether or not their target located
extract Air Chief: UK air casualties in last 24 hours 20 (15 pilots safe). Enemy: 52 destroyed, 11 more probable, 13 damaged
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 Ernest Brown
person Neville Chamberlain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Berlin
place Kenya
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Telegrams Exchanged with His Majesty's Minister in Stockholm.

extract Halifax: UK Embassy Stockholm has received apparent German peace offer ("World to be divided"). Draft rejection attached
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Finland
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Europe
place Republic of China
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Wednesday 11th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet rejects advance by "secret emissary of Hitler" in Sweden. US to be told of UK's refusal of this "offer of peace"
extract PM warns "powerful armada" being deployed along French coast. Coast from N. Foreland to Dungeness to be further fortified
person Samuel Hoare
person Adolf Hitler
place Egypt
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Northern Ireland
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Secretary to consider reprisals against one of 20 named German towns if indiscriminate attacks on London continue
extract Air Chief: Overnight raids on Germany "on the whole successful". Potsdam Station (Berlin) attacked, 6 direct hits claimed
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Maxime Weygand
person Clement Attlee
place Halifax Peninsula
place Sudan
place Berlin
place Kenya
place Morocco
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Thursday 12th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Minister of Labour warns of danger of demonstrations against London's "want of evident defence" if AA barrage not kept up
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Ernest Bevin
person Ernest Brown
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Swiss to issue further "stiff protest" over RAF violations of their airspace. Foreign Office and Air Ministry to discuss
extract Home Secretary "most grateful" for the increased support. City of London has escaped serious damage two nights running
extract Air Secretary: London anti-aircraft defence "being more than doubled". Third of raiders turned back by barrage last night
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Clement Attlee
place Turin
place Gibraltar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

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
 

Effect of Air Raids on Railways in the London area.

extract Unexploded bombs seriously affecting railways in south of England. Warning congested railway yards "a first class target"
place London, Ontario
organisation Home Office
 

Saturday 14th September 1940

India and the War: Attitude of Congress.

extract India Secretary: Warning of action by Congress Party in next few days. Plans to arrest Congress leaders including Gandhi
organisation Home Office
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Air Raid damage in the London area.

extract Chamberlain: Everything turns on whether we get breathing space to repair damage already done or whether it intensifies
extract Mr Chamberlain returns to Cabinet, reports on effect of Blitz. No "impairment of essential services for any long period"
person Neville Chamberlain
organisation Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Netherlands)
 

Monday 16th September 1940

Estimate of Casualties in Air Raids.

extract Cabinet Secretary: Casualty estimates from air raids 7-14th September: 1286 in London, 133 rest of country. 6103 injured
 

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: "Some signs of organised demonstrations". Agree with PM, "necessary to take strong action"
extract PM: Report people seeking raid shelter entered Savoy Hotel. "Episodes of this kind could easily lead to serious trouble"
extract General Dill: In Egypt Sollum "now in the hands of the Italians". Signs of Italian advance in two columns towards Buq-buq
extract Air Chief: Fighting yesterday "most successful". Enemy "adopted bolder tactics...only to increase his losses"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Andrew Greenwood
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Clement Attlee
person Leo Amery
place Egypt
place Berlin
place Burma
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Action in Government Departments during Air Raids.

extract PM tells Civil Servants "work to be carried on" during raids. "Business as Usual not Safety First" governing principle
person Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
 

Supplies for Malta.

extract Colonial Secretary: Supplies for civil population of Malta "exhausted" by end October. Governor requests urgent resupply
place Egypt
place Malta
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agree De Gaulle force will instead disembark at Duala, Cameroon and march to Chad. British troops to return to UK
extract Chiefs of Staff: French warships appear to have fortified Dakar against General de Gaulle. PM: Situation "a fiasco"
person Charles de Gaulle
place Freetown
place British Cameroons
place Africa
place Chad
 

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
 

India and the War: Attitude of Congress.

extract India Secretary: Congress resolution "very different" from intercepted draft. No need for action. Gandhi to meet Viceroy
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet inclined to approve attack "if the Commanders on the spot" agree. Chamberlain: "Question of balancing the risks"
extract Cabinet meet to discuss telegram from De Gaulle arguing Operation Menace against Dakar go ahead "as originally planned"
person Alexander Cadogan
person Charles de Gaulle
person Neville Chamberlain
person Edward Spears
place Freetown
place Madrid
place Paris
place Dakar
place Africa
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agrees new honours for civilian bravery. George Cross suggested. PM: Civil population "now in the front line"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Malta
 

Wednesday 18th September 1940

Unexploded Bombs.

extract Cabinet Secretary circulates unexploded bomb figures. 3795 proved duds but 2330 have exploded, on average after 3.5 days
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet tells De Gaulle: "We cannot judge...from here". Gives Commanders full authority to go ahead with attack on Dakar
person Charles de Gaulle
place Libreville
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Magnetic mines dropped on this country overnight. Blast will destroy glass "over a wide area". Glass to be conserved
extract Air Chef: Enemy activity mainly directed against London and SE yesterday. "A few raids" on Wales and the Midlands
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 Clement Attlee
place Malta
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
 

Thursday 19th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM: US making "very large demands" over use of UK bases but "no further action" over supplying weapon. Diplomats to press
extract Foreign Office: Swiss took reply on airspace violations "fairly well". RAF now free to resume attacks on Northern Italy
extract Cabinet agrees UK will retaliate against German parachute mines "by dropping mines over Berlin"
extract Home Secretary: Considerable damage to London in last 24 hours. Continued dropping of parachute mines damaging wide area
extract First Sea Lord: Only 15 children reported safe from City of Benares. Cabinet consider ending overseas evacuation scheme
extract Air Chief: UK bombing to concentrate on "invasion ports". Attacks on Berlin to resume "as soon as the weather favourable"
extract Air Chief: Air casualties during past 24 hours twelve aircraft, but 9 pilots safe. Enemy 46 (+ 16 probable, 19 damaged)
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 Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Kassala
place Egypt
place Sudan
place Malta
place Nigeria
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Friday 20th September 1940

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 Operation Menace against Dakar to be delayed for 24 hours at request of General de Gaulle
person Charles de Gaulle
place Dakar
place Africa
 

Evacuation of Government Departments: "Grey" Move.

extract Clement Attlee details plans to move 60,000 civil servants out of London. Tells Cabinet half have already left
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Situation in Spain.

extract UK Embassy Madrid: Germany now "rather desperate about Spain". Spanish obstinate,"our wonderful fight is impressing them"
person Charles de Gaulle
person Francisco Franco
person Winston Churchill
place Portugal
place Gibraltar
place Morocco
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Monday 23rd September 1940

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
 

Tuesday 24th September 1940

Defence of Whitehall.

extract Chiefs of Staff approve five guns mounted on roof of Admiralty for defence of Whitehall "against low flying attack"
organisation United States Navy
 

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
 

Wednesday 25th September 1940

United States Base at Bermuda.

extract Colonial Office: Planned US base on Bermuda will cause "gravest dislocation" of island life. Suggest islanders object
place Great Britain
place Bermuda
place Washington
organisation United States Department of State
 

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: London attack last night "more severe than usual", mainly directed against West End, considerable damage
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 5 (3 pilots saved). Enemy 7 certain (+8 probable, 13 damaged)
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Clement Attlee
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Egypt
place Sudan
place Gibraltar
place Kenya
organisation Home Office
 

Thursday 26th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: Overnight attack on London mainly on north suburbs and just south of river. 13 parachute mines dropped
extract Cabinet debate Operation Menace. PM: "We should be careful of embarking upon new adventures with inadequate preparations"
extract War Secretary: Colonel Sandford Mission 101 has "penetrated some way into Abyssinia". Operations proceedingly sucessfully
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 4 aircraft (2 pilots safe). Enemy 26 certain, 8 probable. Weather "not good"
extract Air Chief: Enemy attack yesterday on Portland, Plymouth "unsuccessful". "Considerable damage" to aircraft works at Filton
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Richard Kiel
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Kassala
place Egypt
place Rome
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Future of the Children's Overseas Reception Scheme.

extract Home Secretary "gravely doubts" evacuation of children abroad can continue after torpedoing of City of Benares, Volendam
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
 

Friday 27th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: London and Liverpool enemy's chief objectives in past 24 hours. Air Secretary to boost Liverpool defences
extract PM: German wireless has announced "Three-Power Pact" with Japan and Italy. Pact seems to be directed against USA
extract Cabinet agrees to maintain blockade of French colonies. Halifax: Difficult to alter our "join de Gaulle or starve" policy
extract PM: RAF construction/repair "nearly 2.5 times" number of machines destroyed. Fine achievement by Air Production Minister
extract Admiralty: First 5 Destroyers obtained from USA have arrived Belfast. SS Stratford, Ashantian and Port Denison torpedoed
extract Air Chief: Vickers Works severely damaged. Crewe attacked damage "slight". RAF lost 10 machines (7 pilots safe), Enemy 32
extract Air Chief: Great deal of enemy activity off Dutch coast and Dover yesterday, heavy attack on Isle of Wight & Southampton
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Richard Kiel
person Kingsley Wood
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Kassala
place Guernsey
place Portugal
place Egypt
place Madagascar
place Bermuda
place Tangier
place Liverpool
place Sudan
place Malta
place Dakar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
 

Saturday 28th September 1940

Horse Racing.

extract Home Secretary Sir John Anderson directs War Cabinet to discuss whether horse racing should be banned
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
 

Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco.

extract Halifax warns of likely German "diversion" against Egypt or Iberian Peninsula. "Great pressure will be placed on Spain"
person Charles de Gaulle
person Francisco Franco
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Portugal
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madrid
place Turkey
place Paris
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Morocco
place Syria
place Africa
place Madrid, New York
organisation German Army
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Monday 30th September 1940

Policy towards the Vichy Government.

extract Admiralty urges an end to conflict with Vichy: "Our naval strength is already inadequate for fighting Germany and Italy"
place Gibraltar
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Navy
 

Adequacy of Protection of Merchant Ships in Convoy.

extract Shipping Minister expresses "profound disquiet" at losses. Demands substantial boost to convoy protection "without delay"
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet to temporarily suspend Government evacuation of children overseas. Parents still permitted to arrange privately
extract Cabinet cancel upcoming Newmarket race meeting but agrees "restricted number of race meetings should continue"
extract Sir Stafford Cripps in Moscow to "sound" M. Molotov on Soviet reaction to the new Pact between Germany, Italy and Japan
extract War Secretary Eden to consider request that military authorities make soldiers available to help clear London's streets
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 Stafford Cripps
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Egypt
place South Wales
place Moscow
place Liverpool
place Sudan
place East Anglia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation KEF