Cabinet papers from March 1941

Saturday 1st March 1941

Ministerial Broadcasts.

extract Information Minister criticises colleagues for holding back announcements until they can deliver them over the wireless
person Duff Cooper
 

Possible revision of Italo-Yugoslav frontier in Istria.

extract Stafford Cripps suggests offering Yugoslavia Italian territory after the war to "intervene forcibly on behalf of Greece"
place Greece
place Belgrade
place Moscow
place Turkey
place Rome
 

Sunday 2nd March 1941

Food Supplies in Unoccupied France. Telegrams from Lord Halifax (Washington).

extract Halifax: Strong US pressure to relax blockade on Vichy France. "Something very like starvation" said to be imminent
place Washington
 

Monday 3rd March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Menzies requests further briefing on Balkans situation. Chiefs of Staff calculating probable timing for German advance
place Greece
place Turkey
 

Food Supplies for Unoccupied France. Telegram to Lord Halifax (Washington).

extract Foreign Office to Halifax: "We must rely on you to reason patiently with US against giving any food to unoccupied France"
place Europe
place Washington
place Morocco
 

Research and development of Aircraft and Aero-engines.

extract Lord Beaverbrook circulates details of latest aircraft research. "The development of new types is our absorbing passion"
 

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
 

Tuesday 4th March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Movement of Allied troops due to start today but no troops to arrive in Greece "for another four days"
extract PM: Prospects in the Balkans "not promising". Bulgaria now under German control. Greece will "have to fight for her life"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Greece
place Egypt
place Albania
place Bulgaria
 

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
 

Wednesday 5th March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet again discusses deployment to Greece. Agree position has changed for the worse. Might be necessary to reconsider
place Republic of Macedonia
place Athens
place Greece
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Thursday 6th March 1941

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 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
 

Proposed Extension of Rationing.

extract Minister of Food proposes to extend rationing to "jam, marmalade, syrup and treacle". Warns of queues and "evasion"
 

Constitutional Changes in Jamaica.

extract Colonial Secretary endorses Jamaican universal suffrage. "At the last election about 5.5% of the population had a vote"
place Jamaica
 

Friday 7th March 1941

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
 

Saturday 8th March 1941

Note by the Secretary, War Cabinet, covering Telegram from the Admiral Commanding the Battle Cruisers to the Admiralty.

extract UK commanders again press for action on Irish bases. "Nothing should be allowed to stand in the way of our acquiring one"
 

Evacuation of Yugoslav Naval Forces from Adriatic.

extract First Lord of the Admiralty calls for plan to evacuate Yugoslav Navy from Adriatic in light of German advance
person Robert German
place Bulgaria
organisation United States Navy
 

Monday 10th March 1941

The Australian War Effort. Record of a statement made by Mr. Menzies to the War Cabinet on March 10, 1941.

extract PM Menzies outlines Australian war effort. Seeks partnership with UK firm to produce cars and heavy bombers
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
organisation United States Navy
 

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
 

Tuesday 11th March 1941

Expansion of the Royal Air Force.

extract Beaverbrook denies RAF has surplus fighter aircraft but shortage of bombers, training aircraft. Criticises Air Secretary
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Civil Precautions against Invasion. Guidance to the Public.

extract Anderson circulates new anti-invasion leaflet "Beating the Invader". Also "Stay where you are" and "If the Invader comes"
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Thursday 13th March 1941

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
 

Friday 14th March 1941

Committees.

extract PM complains of "inordinate and unchecked growth of Committees", 800 in Central Government alone. Demands 25% reduction
person Winston Churchill
 

Sunday 16th March 1941

Presentation of the Lincoln copy of the Magna Charta to the American Nation.

extract Foreign Office proposes Lincoln Cathedral copy of Magna Carta be given to US to celebrate signing of Lease-Lend Act
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Monday 17th March 1941

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
 

Tuesday 18th March 1941

The Coal Position. Monthly Report by the Secretary for Mines covering February, 1941.

extract Mines Secretary: "No further serious difficulty" in meeting current coal consumption will be experienced this winter
place South Wales
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Wednesday 19th March 1941

Necessity for base facilities in Eire.

extract Dominions Secretary reports effects of UK economic action against Eire. "To-day Southern Ireland is very uncomfortable"
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
place Great Britain
place Cranborne
place Dublin
place Northern Ireland
organisation British Army
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
 

Turn Round of Shipping.

extract Prime Minister Churchill calls for immediate action on 10 points slowing the turn round of merchant shipping
person Winston Churchill
place Liverpool
 

Thursday 20th March 1941

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
 

Friday 21st March 1941

Suggested presentation of the Lincoln copy of Magna Charta to the American Nation.

extract Sir John Anderson suggests one of the British Museum's copies of Magna Carta be given to the USA rather than Lincoln's
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
 

Monday 24th March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Menzies to try and arrange meeting with Mr De Valera in Ireland
extract Report received from Belgrade that Yugoslav PM and Foreign Minister leaving tonight for Vienna to sign pact with Germany
extract PM: Royal Navy "stretched to their fullest extent", Home Fleet dispersed. "Undoubtedly serious" but "no cause for alarm"
extract General Haining: Our forces have captured Jarabub in eastern Libya. 800 prisoners taken
person Alexander Cadogan
person Herbert Morrison
person Richard Kiel
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Belgrade
place Malta
place Eritrea
place Vienna
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Madrid, New York
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Navy
 

Oil Position. Monthly Report for February, 1941, submitted by the Secretary for Petroleum.

extract Petroleum Minister will end "Help your Neighbour" scheme of extra petrol for organised free lifts at the end of the month
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
place South Africa
place Hong Kong
place Malta
place Kenya
place Africa
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Tuesday 25th March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Australian Prime Minister Mr Robert Menzies now meeting with junior ministers at the Cabinet Office
person Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
place Burma
 

Wednesday 26th March 1941

Policy towards Vichy Shipping.

extract Shipping Minister demands Vichy reciprocate food aid shipments by returning two UK vessels "with cargo that we require"
place New York, Lincolnshire
place Gibraltar
place Morocco
 

The blockade of Unoccupied France and French North Africa.

extract Economic Warfare Minister admits blockade of France "less and less effective" but strongly urges pressure be maintained
person Hugh Dalton
 

Thursday 27th March 1941

Weekly Resume (No. 82) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation from 12 noon March 20th, to 12 noon March 27th, 1941.

extract Chiefs of Staff: Reports that Germany intends to attack USSR this summer continue to be received but are not convincing
person Richard Kiel
place Plymouth
place Aruba
place Greece
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Manchester
place Berlin, New York
place Liverpool
place Malta
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Addis Ababa
place Bulgaria
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
 

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
 

Friday 28th March 1941

Illegal immigration into Palestine.

extract Colonial Secretary informs Cabinet of his intention to divert 793 illegal immigrants destined for Palestine to Mauritius
 

Saturday 29th March 1941

Status and Future Employment of the A.T.S.

extract War Secretary proposes expanding size and role of Auxiliary Territorial Service for women and tackle recruitment shortage
person David Margesson, 1st Viscount Margesson
place Great Britain
 

Monday 31st March 1941

Food Situation in the United Kingdom. Monthly Report for February 1941.

extract Food Minister: Imports running 13.5% below plan. Outlook for animal protein foods, already in very short supply, is poor
 

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