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o
TQVB1
UliaER
LOCK
A N D KEY.
It is requested that special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy ol this document.
W A R ' CABINET.. 8
CONCLUSIONS
of a Meeting of the War Cabinet held at 19 Downing
Street, S. W. 1, on Friday, September 8, 1939*, a t 11 - 30 A . M .
Present:
The Right Hon. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,. Prime Minister (in the Chair),
The Right Hon. Sir JOHN SIMON, K.C.,
M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Admiral of the Fleet the Right Hon.
LORD CHATFIELD, Minister for Co-
ordination of Defence. .
The
Right
Hon.
L.
HORE-BELISHA,
M.P., Secretary of State for War.
The Right Hon. Sir SAMUEL HOARE,
B t , M P . , Lord Privy Seal.
[ifi
The Right Hon. VISCOUNT HALIFAX,
Secretary
Affairs!
The
of
Right
State
Hon.
for
Foreign
WINSTON
CHURCHILL, M.P., First
the Admiralty.
Lord
S.
of
The Right Hon. Sir KJNGSLEY WOOB,
M.P;, Secretary of State for Air.
The
Right
Hon.
LORB
Minister without Portfolio.
HANKEY,
J
The following were alsp present
The fRight Hon. Sir JOHN ANDERSON,
MjP., Secretary of State' for the
Home Department and Minister for
Home Security.
The Right Hon. ANTHONY EDEN, M.P.,
Secretary of
Affairs.
State for Dominion
The Right Hon. WALTER ELLIOT, M.P.,
The
Sir
M.P., First Commissioner of Works
(Item 5).
A i r Chief Marshal Sir CYRIL L. N .
NEWALL, Chief of the A i r Staff
(Items 1-4).
Minister of Health (Item 5).
HORACE J .
WILSON,
Permanent
Secretary to the Treasury.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir DUDLEY
POUND, First Sea Lord and Chief of
Naval"Stalpg^s;i^.".
Right.' Hon.
General
Sir
W.
H.
RAMSBOTHAM,
EDMUND IRONSIDE,
Chief of the Imperial General Staff
(Items 1-4)1
W. S. DOUGLAS, Under-Secretary,
Treasury (Item 5). -
Secretariats
. Sir/ErawARD-BRIBJGES.:
,
:
1
Air'Operations... '
. . . . . . . . . . . .
... V.
2
The Naval Situation ...
...
...
3
The Army Situation .....
...
...
4
Assistance from India...
...
...
5
Evacuation of Government Departments
6
Turkey
. ...
...
...
v
7
Italy: Internal Political Situation ...
...
...
...
8
Naval Operations.
:
,
a
9-
:
­
...
*. ...
...
f
.... .
...
h
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
. . . . . .
Question of despatch to Gibraltar of certain units from the, H o m e
Fleet.
'
Italy:
Commercial Contacts
10
The Balkans
12
United States Naval Patrol in the Western Atlantic
13
The Far Eastern Situation
14
Poland: the Military Situation
15
ObscuratiM of Lightihg
16
Acti ? taken by the Dominions
17
Eire: Representation of the UnitedKihgdomin...
18
Meetings of the WarGabmetoh Sundaysi ...
0
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
. . . . . . . . .
...
...
...
'..
. ..
..
. . . . . . . . . . .
...
...
;,.
.
El
' SSmimte'lilt.,;, .-!.,
. A
to i m t h m
-m on H
diseusjkia L o o t ,]L'C. n
'
sd:
,
LJ
-
-
iho di'KMkw'
m
- .-
c o D k a t o f c t
V^ffis good rease^
k\ OD
..xn"!i
^ ou. i k u j p ^
r-fe
&k I
c 2
3
^
'.louiS-fie
ojiwa J a m ­
:
. ities fe - I &hs
eneet ot our propaganda, £in. J - Ias'j that o u r ; T xsraffi were able
.to fly with, impunity .^1 over & e North-West of Germany would"
have a depressing effect oh"'the;-morale Of; the German peopkv. :
, - " I t "was;generally; agreed that -the Material which should be
incorporated in theieaiets was a matter, which could best be left
to the discretion of the. Ministry; of; Information, but: that the
suggestion that the- Prime. Ministers Broadcast. to the^ German
people would form a suitable leaflet should be brought to the notice
;
%
f
Of V m - M i t i M ^ y p ' ' - '
(V'.I
1
-
T
.
,
The W a r Cabinet agreed :—
That the distribution of propaganda leaflets by the Boyal
Air Porce was a-"valuable operation which shbulttbe
repeated from time to time as and when - oppbr^unfty
2. The First Lord of the Admiralty reported that, in the
previous
twenty^four hburs, four British merchant ships had been
Sitnationu
8n^;.'oat'of/a- fplal,.(if. eight attacked; There had been no loss of
. (Previous
life, as the ships had been sunkby; gunfire after the crewshad been
would enable
W . M . ( 3 9 ) , 7th removed. .He(proppsed t o prepare;a
a comparison to be made between the present losses and those
Conclusions,
sustained at the height of the German submarine campaign in 1917
Minute 2.)
W rektipn to the total tonnage involved in each case. This, he
thought, would show that the present campaign, "though- intense,
was not- comparable in its results to the previ'Qus';bhe.
possible';'steps were being taken-'fo introduce the convoy
system, and' the Admiralty were proposing' to' restrict the sailings
of valuable fast ships until they had been'armed. There were
numerous n srorts of attacks on enemy suhia; nes by our Destroyers'
though
n : , c i a could,not Be assessed wife cjftainty.
'
It, wag proposed, subject-to THE-concurrence of the A i r Ministrv
Jhat iwo'-.'-'8qiuadrons- "of ' iohg^ange'- lyiW-b0tsnow -in
M^-'-- - ' 2 c t /
3 ;t e '
i)
z they could ;asilst
:
;
;
:
Z
J
:
!
: :
TLa GIzwl of, ike Ait &Cc J ozgrnSed his ^neuifence
T 5e
T
T
/ /
:
2
i v
Cabinet;
n^ie
"TIIH
of iiuc ' zjrs State-ncnt.
this
CONTENTS.
No.
-Subject.
I
A i r Operations...
2
The Naval Situation ...
3
The Army Situation ...
4
Assistance from India...
5
Evacuation of Government Departments ...
...
,...
6
Turkey ...
:..
...
...
7
Italy: Internal Political Situation ...
...
...
...
8
Naval Operations
....
....
...
* ...
...
...
...
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
....
...
;
...
. . . . . .
...
...
...
...
\..
. . . . . .
Question of despatch to Gibraltar of certain units from the E o m e
u-;.;..
Fleet;
:. /
;
'.'.
9
10
Italy: Commercial Contacts
The Balkans
...
...
. . . . . .
II
Egypt
12
United States Naval Patrol in the Western Atlantic
13
The Far Eastern Situation
14
Poland: the Military Situation
...
...
15
Obscuration of Lighting
...
...
...
16
Aption taken by the Dominions
...
17
Eire: Representation of the United Kingdom in '..\ ;
18
Meetings of the W a r Cabinet on Sundays
...
...
...
...
...
...
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .
..
...
'..
. ...
. . . . .
...
. . . .
..
j O T ^ W D
iSHOALS
D
-
.
'
IIG
\ o:
^ S C A - O -
HA S O M E
: --i-- -
EONFKDA
(QIMAATARS
,
T
F
j
-
r
:
ME E O A I D I U A O D .
FESLKJG
7
D'
j
L
.1
JC B I S
-
-
IHC,u it,
,
uL -
;
; S A O T RIGIAE
I
i ^ :
.
; A
:'A.
0a
uL
.A
i OWN, TIJMII
i,
j.i
J&J
i
i ".,LS
3
WAC
D " A A , -\ADDA
" * H A D ;
i.
a^ionf
Pad^AA
:
(AX -AD I
N A N D
"S
to flv v^th ihiounrtv a
l^ORFCH-^^est-. - O F -Gei^MMv W O I X L D D '
have a depressing effect' oh -thedmpiMe of the"-German-pspple..
: ^ ' It- wasgenerally - agreed that the material which should he
^incorporated' in the -leaflets -was a-matter which---could bestfoeleft
to the discretion o f the -Ministry 'o£. Information,-* but; that tha
suggestion that the Prime Ministers Broadcast to the German
people would form a suitable leaflet should be brought to the notice
of the Ministry.
,
.
The W a r Cabinet agreed :—That the distribution of propaganda leaflets by the-Royal
A i r Force was a valuable operation which should ,foe
repeated from time to time as and When opportunely
-. $ * $ - '
" " ' ' ';' .''- ; -'
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2. The First Lord of the Admiralty riepprted that, in the
previous twenty^four hours, four British merchant ships had been
sunk out of a tot,al of eight attacked; There had been no loss o f
life, as the ships had been sunk, by gun-fire after the crews had been
removed. H e proposed to prepare a calculation which would enable
a comparison to be made between the present losses and those
sustained at the height of the German submarine campaign in-1917,
in relation to the total tonnage involved in each case. This, he
thohght, would show that -the present-campaign, though intense,
was not comparable in its results, to the previous..bne.
. A l l possible steps were Being taken to introduce the convoy
- system, "and -the "Admiralty were proposing-to restrict the sailings­
of valuable F A S T ships until they had-"been armed. There were
n U M E R O U S reports of &ttacks.-pn e^^y subm^rin^''bj our Destroyers,
-monin I h e "resu^^
It, was proposed, subject.t0'the concurrence of the Air Ministry,
. that two Squadrons o f ' long-range flying-boats, now in the
"MedyisrraiQieand S H O E I D - b e moved -to stations wb
"they could- assist.
- 1 4 ' L H A pirflii&GDDA/OF laa-ds O H the Boatk-Wssdidaapproaekes and O N
(
5
1
v
;
liz
c^ssl
The.
OL C
Cfcief
:aia
of
ike
-.- suggestion;;--- a-.-
Ah\
cignilietahis ccncarrencs with this
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Armies had
fiiw^acesBtjW^
.
o/f Inreplytb ap-:ehqMry -hyi^-Erime- l ^ a j ^ ^ ^ t h e - ChiCTr?if-,^s
-Iihperial-i j&ener^ Staffi saM^tiMt Y T H S Y ^ ^ N ^ i ^ E T E , fully /f^R^r$&
agaiast a possible turning movement tlirougb-HdHand and-B^gjuj^n.
e
r j n
:
The
W
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W
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iifo^lifcatemeiii
f
4. The Chief of; the Imperial General Staff read to the War
Cabinet a telegram which had been received by,,the Secretary of
State for India: from the Indian Government, a copy of which is
annexed to these Minutes (Annex).,
India. -
The W a r Cabinet agreed : That an expression of their appreciation of this generous
offer of assistance should be conveyed to the Government
of India.
;
5. The W a r Cabinet had under consideration a Note by the
Minister of Home Security on the Evacuation of Government
Departments (W.P. (39) 10).
Emanation of
Departments.
(Previous
Reference:
W . M . (39), 6th
Conclusions,
Minute 2.)
The Minister of Home Security said that the Inter-Depart­
mental Committee, which had.been set up by the desire of the W a r
Cabinet to consider the moves of certain special staffs in advance
Their recommendations
of the general move, had now reported.
were given in his Note, and he drew particular attention to their
..
views :— .
'
. (a) that first priority should be given to the m o v e s of the Supply
organisations of the A i r Ministry and Admiralty to
HarrOgate and Bath respectively,
- (6) that none of the moves should be ordered before the Office Of
Works reported that arrangements were ^reasonably
"
....
ready.' '
The First Commissioner of Works reported that instructions
had been issued on Wednesday night to carry pht the requisitioning
of the premises required for the whole move.- A s regards the move
of the A i r Ministry. tP Harrpgate, accommodatipn would be available
on Monday, the ilth September, but under conditions which might
be somewhat chaotic, and he Would prefer that the move should be
postponed, at least until Wednesday, the J.3ih September.
The accommodation for the Adhliraliy ai Bmh could also be
got ready by Monday, but here again he would p r e f e r to postpone it
until later : n e x t week. In that event, however,-owing to railway
difficulties,, the. move could not, take,place.before Thursday, and
would then h a v e to be carried butIff^o^ejcEwpn^' extending over-.
Friday. The 1,500 Ministry of Supply staff f r o n t Woolwich, which
was second' on the list of priority, was an entirely new demand,
which had not been included in the original scheme, and he asked to
foe given a;.few, days grace,;to',find. t h e , necessary a c c o i E E i i o d a t i o n . :
s
J
The Minister of Health reported that biUeting,noticss were now ­
being served, and that he was satisfied that the necessary room was
everywhere available, though in certain cases it might at first be
cramped and involve clcphg on ifora.
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-. ':' l: 'tMs" : M f i i s i i ^
(a) that it was imdadisble Shaft pmbMeity ahorfd be given to
thio m^tte-by questions m Parliament,, &ad feat fcSp
acyasct of the isa&Csr. shonld fee careMly watched. (The
Prime Minister undertook to bear this point in mind.)
h
r
;;
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Q. F 3 Secretary of SiaAe fzv Foreign A fairs said "that, ia
accordance with the d oi e^c of the Wk
Z jinet noted M iim
ms gin, he L
sle
-d ' o Hie I I ? i " b 7 c Aiatessadc iLdkara,,
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(Previous
Preferences:
W . M . (89), 5th
r
o
1
5
Stifr-Conclusion^
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reposied (Tebr
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Question' of des­
patahlto;
febreltM'' of - certain units'­
from the Home
tPeei"^^ ' f '
/Ssli-Q
:
-
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The W a r Cabinet a g r e e d ­
l
-* **** *
- - - - ­
1
^T^^g&SS
1
W-Mi "(39), 7th
Conclusions,
Minute 2.)
:
Si T h e C U n c e l l m ' : o f t h e E w f a q v e r informed the -WOE OfflbraeJ
that the
diWJtoJ^;
f
F^tacatoMto/.,^
establishing c m m i m ^ - m ^ ^
lt,aly shpwed:v
I t a l y : GommraB­
t o
(previous
. Reference
M . W ­
(39), .5th
-Conohjisipns,
e
r
(1) That as refolds possible p u t a ,
- to A t - i M i t f f t f t BJe3y and
*to.Mm*add
be jflfpsw.^, it TO dihicult Awr £hem to e?y whoi ttey-"of3
' -
lipnute 5-)
:
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r ;
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f . , - -i . ; - v j ,
:
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-ipaMsies;:: ;^l^f;
;
- ^ired'to'nmke v ' m ^ a e l u ^ ^- -1
;
the Befenee
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-
2
1
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IKIB
; :
^T&*v*
- % s m & m f . : - d he
^KHT
T
ddressed a telegram TO
u
r % ^ n r s i i u i z t i t z e ito eadb ml fcfine Balkan countries
s d d i a g f o r d l i B T u d a s- da J:gaiM'!to-fee pi^etieabiMty of establish-­
$PGDSIDJN^
ddV-
dv
/ ^ad
'-V '.'d
d
ThedWarCabinet took note of this statement.
11; The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs informed the
W a r Cabinet that he had received a telegram from His Majesty's
Ambassador, Cairo,reporting that he bad received an intimation
W.M. (39), 7th from the Egyptian Government that, if he was to inform them in
Conclusions,
writing that the measures so far taken, including the declaration
Minute 4.)
f martial law, were not sufficient, they would declare a state of
war between Egypt and Germany. Action was accordingly being
taken on these lines.
(Previous
Reference:
0
The War. Cabinet took note of the above statement.
STEAL PATEOL to
THE WESTERN
MANMO. '
12. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs informed the
W a r Cabinet that a. telegram had been received from His Majesty's
Ambassador, Washington, giving particulars regarding the naval
atrol in the Western Atlantic which the United States Government
ad decided to establish. The Admiralty had been asked to consider
the information supplied, and to inform the Foreign Office whether
they were satisfied with the action proposed to be taken by the
United States in this matter.
E
Tine W a r Cabinet took mote of the above statement.
THE FAS EASTERN
13. The Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsmioiMeA the
US&NGSISOH.'
W a r Cabinet that two or three days previously the Japanese
Government had addressed a note to theBritjs^iEjcench and United
States Governments, suggesting that to "preventincidents in China
during the present conflict in Europe each of those Governments
should withdraw their military forces and their warships, and
offering, if this suggestion were adopted, to look after the interests
in China of the Governments concerned. Previous to the outbreak
of war, consideration had been given to the practicability of
withdrawing, these- forces, but with the exception of the General
Officer Commanding, Hong Kong, the local authorities had all been
opposed to such a course. The garrisons in Tientsin and Peking had
been in existence since -1901, and that hithe International Settlement
in Shanghai since 1927.' In each case the size of the garrison had
been progressively reduced, and in his (the Secretary of State's)
opinion these garrisons, would have to be withdrawn whenever the
time eanmito secure a general se^emept of the posi^on.,. in,Cl&i&.
" ' pjfe^ffhe ^prjjii^
tkeaSepretary \of .S^e*.
rdjepatelr^
"
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77 ,
;A"D-AFE:V
dWf
C,
after
'BfelfeEDl fatoaaMaTJai'
nurify toot
A Koto to £ £ 3 Efcs
and stating ffiaft s a l e s O e j ( a a d ( £ 3 Illfcntoa States
(m)
1
i p q p n n s f l to t i d t o a ^ g o r :
be no akanaMfics
to
sslztjII
(BaBCTSgi—-v^g)
woold
safe
all
on
ttofl
H
li ifto coo erf t&3 Wsar
fiT-nft;, sjsa 511
^ ^ E P B to­
Sa t£to IFar 1£B&\ -me should
1
d e d . d e om w i t h d r a s H o d l r f s n ^ o f a n r
mot c o n c e d e o u r leg^liE^^fiffiiffio^nc^pssiA
(a) That the Swistaury off States far ffferaajsn A U n s s should
j a o s Sa t f t o JFEJT ffitok to ( £ t o J q p c c s s a t o l
tSto 15=33 a£ Ibis sflrfisrszl
,o
to
I&Sffidh
War
w i s e of ft&e MriiftiBi&i w w " n ^ j - imillBM^iify farces i n t h e
Far Easfi A w M Dsn tanaa anttaaat f s n r i t e r B t f e r e n e e to
the W a r C G S 3 E t o L
14. 7*ftff tffrmmry erf ^rdrfmr Wrr iwfia - i i j t h r W a r TVMnH
that an emissary had jg&it ffapn faadk fiai Inland! uralfcfa at message
from General CaBtan die Waasd, m^pa&zg osa t£be TViSisEb sniSItaiy
E L t o a t i o B , which
n r r ' - ^ w i t l y aggssBSBs,
a i d aa^gggesdaiig that
(Previous
Great Britain aadTXfcaaee atanlil lane to find, atrto Jnnagivlftf
Reference:
conveying mil£tarj aa^pDfss tarJMandb; tian a n s e t a s t n a l o B ^ l w B r e
W . M . (39), 7th
a a r o p l a n s s , mae&iiEs gaas a n d anaaahntiaau HlriBasaaoe mas alsoConclusions,
MSIDLS to prifaKs a^tofza Sa ffi^ktl ozjsr tSto cCitoj ^aafia Ito.il tofea
Minute 3.)
place HtstaESiiL Gito ( E t o a a a a itototoa to? tStoto ( E r a c t o j azi. feto­
:
pTn^jCTtatiofi o£ the ^fctSiiiafe MBBniMaBiiiiiii
.
Members of iflte W a r CSaaJaet
least
TOJuimiwgi^r
cM&atL
easily sees oay. £d y ^ S s q
csszllfl
a n ^ f c t o i 3a. t h e
n^-ttsnae w a s ­
'"" TheCMgf&ef Staff
tos- Y T n r r (Danfant "4
CartaedeWfefc;
i
iat
Jmyif'
a^d Minister
\Jtlrvto; . .mmsider' the
in crafiSffllftatsGsa-i withj$ie., Ijlome; Secrefeary
;Home Security a l ^ w JS6p!HPk^&B' War
?
IS.
The War Cabinet took notei of a Memorandum by the
(WJ?. (Gi)"$l9):5) covering
:a statement showing the,nf^cip^-ac^
taken by
the Dominions, Newfoaaiiidlahd" and. SmAfegm iMnbdesia, in regard
to defence measures immediately preceding and since the outbreak
of war up to the 4th September, 1939.
tlsa-BemMosss. Secretorj.o£StatefmlA^m^JkM^^
(Previous '
Reference: \
"W.M. ( 3 9 ) , 2nd
-exclusions,
Minute 4.)
:
17. The Secretary of State for Dm&immAffairsr reported that
sakafion of the Mr. de Valera had mow espm^^i Mssaself as willing to receive a
United Kingdom representative of the United Kingdom Government in Dublin. He
in.
had proposed that this representative should have the title of
(Previous
Ambassador, but it had been intimated that this was impossible
Reference:
from our point of view and the title " Representative " had been
W . M . (89), 3rd agreed.
Conclusions,
The Secretary of State thought that, until our representative
had been appointed to JMfeMm, it would be undesirable that the
Minute 6.)
Defence Departments should raise with the Eire Government, the
grant of any major defence facilities (e.g., the use of Berehaven).
The War (DaMffi^s thnrlk wmfkB casf fiM$ statement.
Eire:. ;,Renie­
Meetings of the
"Mas Cabinet on
Sundays.
(Previous
Reference:
WM.
( 3 9 ) , 7th
-Conclusions,
Minute 16.)
18. Some further disEanssoini teziz place on this matter. It was
pointed out that although only three Ministers would normally be on
dhmty each Sunday under the arrangement proposed, the remaining
Ministers would not be far away and would be available at short
notice. There was every adtemteflgg in an areangememt which would
enable members of the War Cabinet, while available at short notice,
to spend two Sundays in three out of JLendon.
The Prime Minister said that the three groups of Ministers
which he proposed were as follows:—
: Group!.
T h e IPteiiiime EBiaiDfcai?.
T h e SsBV^a^-ofiEttpte'
g a i s - g ^ ^ w a f c t r
of
the
;
The:'
on
:
amusser -:
iaMtoaaf
"(S3­
Group III.
T h e Lord P r i v y SeaL
T h e . Secretary of
The £fret,.%aaA of the
Irks
Onafcib-ai.'
Portfolio.
it Group'iH- should be on duty on Sunday,
ANNE5L
Decipher of Telegram dated September-6^193% from Gqpernment of India,
, .
Defence Department, to Secretary
^Immediate. Wo. 2$!^/6/9.)
' '
V'
N O W that we are at war, we are anxious to take timely steps to render
further aid to His Majesty's Government to meet certain eventualities which, in
bur judgment, may well have to be met by India from time to time during the
course of the war. As a first-step in this direction, we have already arranged to
increase output of our munitions factories to maximum extent possible dniorder
not only to meet our own probable needs but, if possible/ all outside "demands?
which, judging from our recent experiences, are likely to be considered %sie]si\
considerable.
We now propose to take immediate action, with such material
resources as we have at our disposal, to carry out the fbllbwihg :--- ;
:
(a) to form two additional Srigade groups for external defence purposes.
The first suitable for reinforcing Burma, and second for employment
for protection of Anglo-Iran oilfields or elsewhere where conditions of
role are similar.
(6) to simultaneously replace such troops, as arerequired for (a) aboye^by form­
ing equivalent number of new units for our own needs.
. ..