Cabinet papers from January 1941

Thursday 2nd January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves Chancellor's plan of economic action against Eire. Irish food imports and shipping to be disrupted
extract American Naval Attaché in London to be informed of defects in US supplied Destroyers. President not to be told directly
extract President expects financial aid bill for UK to be passed around February 15th. Possible to meet our payments until then
extract President Roosevelt proposes sending Red Cross food aid to France and Spain. PM: Not politically possible to oppose this
extract General Heywood reports "very rigorous conditions" on Greek Front causing frostbite but Greek forces "in very good heart"
extract Air Chief: Last night's attack on Bremen appears "from preliminary reports to have been highly successful"
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 Herbert Morrison
person Ernest Bevin
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place South Africa
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Washington
organisation Home Office
organisation International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
 

Saturday 4th January 1941

The question of bombing the Roumanian Oilfields.

extract Eden: Any attack on Roumania's oilfields would "certainly" put the lives of British embassy staff in Bucharest at risk
person Anthony Eden
place Greece
place Turkey
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Monday 6th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: News from Bulgaria "disquieting". A number of indications government coming "under strong pressure from Germany"
extract PM: Attack "brilliantly executed", casualties "extraordinarily small". No need to emphasise there was not "much fighting"
extract General Dill: 25,000 prisoners taken at capture of Bardia "including 2 Corps Commanders and 4 Senior Generals"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Gibraltar
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Tuesday 7th January 1941

War Aims. Draft Statement prepared by Lord Halifax.

extract Lord Halifax: "...since life to us is worthless if the principles on which it is built are to be destroyed"
extract PM circulates Lord Halifax's draft statement on UK war aims: "We believe that we are truly fighting for our lives..."
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: We must consider whether we can "now afford some further assistance to Greece" by reinforcing our air detachment
extract Chiefs of Staff: We have "greatly relieved the pressure on our forces in the Middle East"
extract Chiefs of Staff: Operations in the last month have accounted for a third of the total Italian strength in Libya
extract Cabinet informed total number of prisoners captured at Bardia now over 32,000. Rapid advance being made towards Tobruk
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Kingsley Wood
place Greece
place Libya
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

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
 

Wednesday 8th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract "Fighter command stronger than ever before", Air Secretary tells Ministers. Main effort now on night interception
place Greece
place Egypt
place Berlin, New York
place Malta
place Oslo
place Libya
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Luftwaffe
 

Thursday 9th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves seizure of 4 French ships. Vessels to be held until Vichy releases Allied vessels held in French ports
extract Admiralty: Attacks on UK shipping now "on a greatly reduced scale" due to wintry weather and "our protective measures"
extract Unconfirmed reports Gazala (30 miles west of Tobruk) abandoned by the enemy. 35 enemy aircraft "burnt out and abandoned"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Leo Amery
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Tobruk
place Burma
organisation Home Office
 

Friday 10th January 1941

Replacement of Losses of Merchant Ships.

extract Shipping Ministry projects 4m tons of UK shipping will be sunk this year. UK shipbuilding will only produce 1.2m tons
place Hong Kong
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
 

Enemy Ships sheltering in Neutral Ports.

extract Shipping Minister: USA "studying methods" of seizing enemy ships sheltering in their ports "to provide us with tonnage"
place South America
place Thailand
place Republic of China
place Iran
 

Saturday 11th January 1941

The "Daily Worker".

extract Morrison: Any action against Daily Worker newspaper should not be first step of "suppression of the Communist Party"
person Herbert Morrison
organisation Home Office
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
 

Monday 13th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves compulsory civil defence service of up to 48 hours a month for "men and women (subject to age limits)"
extract PM has met with personal envoy of President Roosevelt (Mr Harry Hopkins). "Very favourably impressed with his attitude"
extract General Wavell reports preparations for attack on Tobruk "proceeding satisfactorily". Garrison estimated at 15-20,000
extract Air Chief: Italian aircraft losses in Egypt last month 207 (ours 17). Losses in Greece 47 (ours 23), Malta 50 (ours 4)
extract Air Chief: Raid on Venice last night "very successful". Oil refinery received a direct hit from a 1,000 lb. bomb
person Alexander Cadogan
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Greece
place Somaliland
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Malta
place Ethiopia
place Eritrea
place Africa
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation United States Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves action against Daily Worker newspaper. Ministers to consider further action against Communist Party
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
 

Italian Prisoners of War for Land Reclamation Work.

extract Agriculture Minister requests 3000 Italian POWs be shipped to UK for work on "urgent drainage ditching and reclamation"
 

Tuesday 14th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM: For the Greeks "to be the judges of the German reactions". All evidence points to "German move south"
extract Eden: Prince Paul of Yugoslavia alarmed at UK military assistance to Greece. Fears may provoke German attack on Salonika
place Athens
place Greece
place Belgrade
place Bulgaria
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Wednesday 15th January 1941

Air Raid Shelter Policy.

extract Morrison: Two new indoor shelters designed. Give slightly less production than outdoor Anderson. Can be used as furniture
extract Morrison proposes changes to shelter policy. People "distrustful" of public shelters but impossible "to do without these"
person Herbert Morrison
 

Thursday 16th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Renewed warning of German plans for gas attack. "Very few people" now carry gas masks. Home Secretary to consider steps
extract Morrison: "Sporadic, but widespread" air attack yesterday. "As many as 100 people might be trapped" by bomb in Lambeth
extract Air Chief: Overnight raid on Wilhelmshaven "very successful". Two enemy machines brought down near London last night
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Herbert Morrison
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
 

Saturday 18th January 1941

Labour Policy.

extract Minister of Labour unveils new powers over any jobs deemed "national work". Termination of employment forbidden
person Ernest Bevin
 

Sunday 19th January 1941

Atlantic Ferry Organisation.

extract Beaverbrook: Available pilots "utterly inadequate" to secure delivery of needed US aircraft. "The problem is immediate"
place Great Britain
 

Monday 20th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM: "Clear" Yugoslavs have told Greeks they would allow Germans passage to attack Greece if UK forces allowed to enter
extract Attlee: Greeks refuse to allow deployment of UK land forces in Greece. PM Churchill: Greece "must decide its own fate"
place Greece
place Turkey
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: Preparations for attack on Tobruk delayed owing to sand storms. Italians falling back on the Kassala front
extract Admiralty: Damage to HMS Illustrious not serious but 10 ships lost in last 4 days, 3 by U-boat action, 3 by raider action
extract PM: Important to maintain strong air defence at Malta. Fighter reinforcements must be sent, AA ammunition reserve checked
extract "Cheerful telegram" from Air Officer Commanding Malta: about 37 enemy aircraft downed in the recent heavy air attacks
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Clement Attlee
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Tuesday 21st January 1941

Coal Position. Twenty-sixth Report submitted by the Secretary for Mines covering the month of December, 1940.

extract Mines Secretary: Christmas holiday had "adverse effect" on coal stocks. Shortages in London and South England accentuated
 

Wednesday 22nd January 1941

Weekly Resume (No. 73) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation from 12 noon January 16th, to 12 noon January 23rd 1941.

extract Chiefs of Staff: Over 14,000 prisoners taken so far at Tobruk and about 200 guns. "Our casualties were under 500"
person Richard Kiel
place Great Britain
place Freetown
place Somaliland
place Alexandria Troas
place Narvik
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Tobruk
place Albania
place Africa
place Libya
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Scapa
organisation RAF Fighter Command
 

Thursday 23rd January 1941

Chemical Warfare.

extract Chiefs of Staff oppose moves to warn public about the threat of gas attack "until our anti-invasion campaign is launched"
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden urges Yugoslavia and Turkey to make clear they would regard any German infiltration of Bulgaria as an open invasion
extract Weather on Continent makes invasion unlikely in next few weeks. War Secretary to consider extended leave for Home Forces
extract Information Minister to publicise an Italian cavalry charge on Sudan Front. Cavalry charged our gun position, losing 25
extract General Dill: Italian retreat continuing on Kassala front but Italians fighting better than in Libya
extract PM to send "private congratulatory telegram to General Wavell" on Tobruk capture. Number of prisoners taken not yet known
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Clement Attlee
place Kassala
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Ethiopia
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
 

Friday 24th January 1941

Anti-Gas Precautions.

extract Morrison: Absence of publicity for gas attack precautions raises "quite seriously" the risk of casualties. Suggest review
person Herbert Morrison
organisation Home Office
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
 

Monday 27th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agrees "some easement" of ban on Press and broadcast publicity of anti-gas measures
extract PM: President hopes "Lease-Lend" Bill will be passed into law "towards the end of February"
extract PM Churchill: President Roosevelt has requested a cable of "a list of our most immediate demands" for the next few months
extract Eden: Warning Belgian King "might make a deal" with Germany. Private messages should be sent "to stiffen his attitude"
extract PM: "White population in Abyssinia" might be "in great danger" if anti-Italian revolt spreads. Eden to watch situation
extract General Dill: In Eritrea our forces are closing in on positions round Agordat and Barentu. Over 1,100 prisoners captured
extract General Dill: In Libya, the enemy force at Mechili "stronger than anticipated" but plans are in hand for dealing with it
extract Air Chief: Evidence 20% of German air strength moved from aerodromes facing UK to other theatres or to German interior
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Cranborne
place Eyre Peninsula
place Eritrea
place Africa
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
 

Supply of Aircraft to China from the United States.

extract Eden "at a loss" over US demands that 100 aircraft ordered by UK be released to China. Their attitude "extraordinary"
person Anthony Eden
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Greece
place Republic of China
 

Tuesday 28th January 1941

Food Situation of the United Kingdom. Monthly Report for December 1940.

extract Food Minister: Imports short of projections by 13%. Wheat stocks "falling rapidly", eggs "down to half a week's supply"
place Great Britain
place City of London
place Greece
place South Wales
place Turkey
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
 

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
 

Wednesday 29th January 1941

Ministerial Broadcasts.

extract Prime Minister instructs that no minister outside the War Cabinet may broadcast on the wireless without his approval
 

The Imports Situation.

extract PM to President Roosevelt: If sinkings continue "at their present level", they will "gravely imperil our war effort"
person Winston Churchill
place Africa
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: Vichy's new economic proposals have "little relation to reality". UK will refuse to "make large concessions"
extract PM: Position "an anxious one and must be carefully watched". Defence Committee reviewing Eastern Mediterranean area
extract Cabinet discuss Balkans. Death of General Metaxas "a serious loss". Clear some German infiltration of Bulgaria occurring
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Cranborne
place Ethiopia
place Morocco
place Africa
place Bulgaria
 

Thursday 30th January 1941

The Burma-Yunnan Railway Project.

extract Eden requests finance for new railway linking Burma and China. Project "justified on political and strategic grounds"
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Burma
 

Weekly Resume (No. 74) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation from 12 noon January 23rd, to 12 noon January 30th, 1941.

extract General Dill: Our forces in the Sudan have captured Biscio and are "now pushing on towards Agordat"
extract Air Chief: "There has been less enemy activity this week than at any time since intensive raids began last autumn"
place Freetown
place Aruba
place Portugal
place Iceland
place Sudan
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Kenya
place Alexandria
place Libya
place Tripoli
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation ING Group
 

Friday 31st January 1941

United States Bases: System of Command in Leased Territories.

extract Chiefs of Staff discuss the transfer of command of UK overseas bases to the United States
person Telesforo Trinidad
place Bermuda
place Jamaica