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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'8 GOVERNMENT
Printed
for the War Cabinet.
May
1942.
SECRET.
W.M.
Copy No.
(42)
61st Conclusions.
TO
B E
K E P T
U N D E R
L O C K
A N D
KEY.
I t is r e q u e s t e d t h a t special c a r e m a y be t a k e n to
e n s u r e t h e secrecy of t h i s d o c u m e n t .
W A R C A B I N E T 61 (42).
CONCLUSIONS
of a Meeting
of the War Cabinet held at 10 Downing
S.W. 1, on Monday, May 1 1 , 1942, at 5 - 3 0 P . M .
Street,
Present:
T h e R i g h t H o n . W I N S T O N S. C H U R C H I L L , M . P . , P r i m e M i n i s t e r (in the
Chair).
T h e R i g h t H o n . C. R . A T T L E E , M . P . , T h e R i g h t H o n . S i r S T A F F O R D C R I P P S ,
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for D o m i n i o n
K . C . , M . P . , L o r d P r i v y Seal.
Affairs.
The R i g h t Hon. Sir J O H N ANDERSON, The R i g h t Hon. ANTHONY EDEN, M.P.,
for
Foreign
S e c r e t a r y - of S t a t e
M . P . , L o r d P r e s i d e n t of t h e C o u n c i l .
Affairs.
The R i g h t Hon. OLIVER LYTTELTON, The R i g h t Hon. E R N E S T BEVIN, M.P.,
M . P . , M i n i s t e r of P r o d u c t i o n .
M i n i s t e r of L a b o u r a n d N a t i o n a l
Service.
T h e f o l l o w i n g w e r e also p r e s e n t :
Dr. H . V. EVATT, K.C., Special Envoy
from t h e G o v e r n m e n t of t h e Com­
m o n w e a l t h of A u s t r a l i a .
The R i g h t Hon. Sir KINGSLEY W O O D , The R i g h t H o n . H E R B E R T MORRISON,
M . P . , C h a n c e l l o r of t h e E x c h e q u e r .
M . P . , S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for t h e
H o m e D e p a r t m e n t a n d M i n i s t e r of
Home Security.
T h e R i g h t H o n . L . S. A M E R Y , M . P . , T h e R i g h t H o n . V I S C O U N T C R A N B O R N E ,
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for t h e Colonies.
"Secretary of S t a t e for I n d i a a n d
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for B u r m a .
The R i g h t Hon. A. V . ALEXANDER, The R i g h t Hon. Sir J A M E S GRIGG,
M . P . , F i r s t L o r d of t h e A d m i r a l t y .
M . P . , S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for W a r .
The
Right
Hon.
Sir
ARCHIBALD
T h e R i g h t H o n . BRENDAN BRACKEN,
SINCLAIR, Bt., M . P . , S e c r e t a r y of
M . P . , M i n i s t e r of I n f o r m a t i o n .
S t a t e for A i r .
A d m i r a l of t h e F l e e t S i r D U D L E Y A i r C h i e f M a r s h a l S i r C H A R L E S F . A .
P O U N D , F i r s t S e a L o r d a n d C h i e f of
P O R T A L , C h i e f of t h e A i r Staff.
N a v a l Staff.
G e n e r a l S i r A L A N B R O O K E , C h i e f of
the
I m p e r i a l G e n e r a l Staff.
Secretariat:
Sir
EDWARD BRIDGES.
Major-General Sir HASTINGS ISMAY.
Mr.
[23809]
N O R M A N BROOK.
W A R C A B I N E T 61 (42).
CONTENTS.
Minute
Subject.
No.
Page.
1.
Naval, Military a n d Air Operations
Air Operations:
Home Theatre.
Malta.
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses.
Supplies to Russia.
Pacific.
Military Operations:
Russia.
2.
Malta
3.
Madagascar
24
4.
F o r e i g n Affairs
Peace Rumours.
Vichy France.
24
23
.\
23
W.M. 61 (92). Naval, Military
and Air
Operations.
(Previous
Eef erence:
W.M. (42) 56th Conclusions, Minute 2.) Air Operations. Home Theatre. Malta.
Naval
Operations.
Shipping Losses.
1. T h e C h i e f s of Staff r e p o r t e d t h e p r i n c i p a l events of t h e
p a s t week.
B o m b e r C o m m a n d h a d flown 760 sorties, t h e i r p r i n c i p a l t a r g e t s
by n i g h t b e i n g H a m b u r g , S t u t t g a r t a n d W a r n e m u n d e . R e s u l t s h a d
been less good t h a n i n r e c e n t weeks, m a i n l y o w i n g t o poor v i s i b i l i t y ;
a n d i n t h e a t t a c k on W a r n e m u n d e o u r losses h a d been s u b s t a n t i a l
because of a n u n e x p e c t e d l y heavy c o n c e n t r a t i o n of defences.
We
m u s t n o w be p r e p a r e d for a h e a v i e r scale of defence a t a i r c r a f t
factories.
E x p e r i e n c e of F i g h t e r C o m m a n d suggested t h a t the e n e m y w a s
less i n c l i n e d t o p u t u p a s t r o n g defence a g a i n s t d a y l i g h t a t t a c k s by
l i g h t bombers.
O f 117 enemy r a i d e r s w h i c h h a d crossed t h e coast d u r i n g t h e
week, w e h a d d e s t r o y e d 12, n i g h t fighters a c c o u n t i n g for 7.
Of 64 Spitfires flown off c a r r i e r s , 59 h a d l a n d e d safely i n M a l t a .
E n e m y "losses over M a l t a d u r i n g t h e week h a d been 30 a i r c r a f t
destroyed, 2 5 p r o b a b l y d e s t r o y e d a n d 40 d a m a g e d , for t h e loss of
10 d e s t r o y e d a n d 14 d a m a g e d .
A l l i e d s h i p p i n g losses for t h e week w e r e 40 s h i p s t o t a l l i n g
210,000 tons, of w h i c h a b o u t a q u a r t e r w e r e u n d e r B r i t i s h control.
T w e n t y - t h r e e s h i p s h a d been lost off t h e A m e r i c a n coast.
The Prime Minister
undertook to make representations to
M r . H o p k i n s r e g a r d i n g t h e heavy losses of A m e r i c a n s h i p p i n g i n
this area.
Supplies to
Eussia.
(Previous
Eef erence:
W.M. (42) 58th
Conclusions,
Minute 3.)
T h e W a r Cabinet were informed t h a t there were indications
t h a t o u r difficulties in p r o t e c t i n g convoys to R u s s i a w e r e "likely to
increase. The Prime Minister'
s a i d t h a t h e h a d t e l e g r a p h e d to
P r e m i e r S t a l i n e m p h a s i s i n g t h e h e a v y r i s k s involved i n m a i n t a i n i n g
these s u p p l i e s .
Pacific.
T h e W a r C a b i n e t w e r e given t h e l a t e s t i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g
t h e a c t i o n i n t h e C o r a l Sea. A J a p a n e s e e x p e d i t i o n , c o m p r i s i n g
n a v a l forces a n d t r a n s p o r t s believed to be c a r r y i n g a b o u t one.
division, h a d been i n t e r c e p t e d by A m e r i c a n a n d A u s t r a l i a n forces—
the a t t a c k o n both sides b e i n g c a r r i e d o u t by a i r c r a f t .
Of t h e
J a p a n e s e force, one ( l i g h t ) a i r c r a f t - c a r r i e r a n d one h e a v y c r u i s e r
h a d been s u n k a n d one (heavy) a i r c r a f t - c a r r i e r a n d one c r u i s e r
d a m a g e d . A p a r t from those s u n k w i t h t h e c a r r i e r s , 37 J a p a n e s e
a i r c r a f t h a a been destroyed, 8 p r o b a b l y destroyed a n d 18 d a m a g e d ,
for t h e loss of 13 d e s t r o y e d a n d 4 d a m a g e d . T h e e x p e d i t i o n w a s
believed to h a v e t u r n e d n o r t h w a r d s .
F u l l p a r t i c u l a r s of A l l i e d n a v a l losses w e r e n o t yet a v a i l a b l e ,
b u t i t seemed clear t h a t t h e r e s u l t s of t h e a c t i o n h a d been g r e a t l y
in our favour.
T h e r e h a d been n o m a j o r d e v e l o p m e n t s on t h e R u s s i a n front,
b u t a G e r m a n a t t a c k l a u n c h e d i n t h e C r i m e a on t h e 8 t h M a y m i g h t
be t h e p r e l u d e to a n offensive i n t h e south. I t h a d been t h o u g h t
t h a t t h e m a i n d r i v e w o u l d be i n t h a t sector, a n d t h e r e w e r e some
i n d i c a t i o n s of t r o o p m o v e m e n t s to t h e south.
Military
Operations.
Eussia.
T h e W a r C a b i n e t took n o t e of these s t a t e m e n t s .
Malta.
(Previous
Eef erence:
W.M. (42) 58th
Conclusions,
Minute 4.)
2. R e f e r e n c e w a s m a d e to t e l e g r a m No. 184 f r o m t h e
G o v e r n o r , d a t e d t h e 10th M a y , a s t o h i s p o w e r s vis-a-vis t h e Service
Commanders in Malta.
I n discussion, t h e view w a s e x p r e s s e d t h a t i t m i g h t be necessary
t h a t t h e G o v e r n o r . should h a v e s o m e w h a t w i d e r p o w e r s i n r e g a r d
to t h e Service C o m m a n d e r s t h a n those set o u t in t h e t e l e g r a m s e n t
t o h i m on t h e 7 t h M a y (No. 230) from t h e Colonial Office. T h e W a r
C a b i n e t a g r e e d , however, t h a t f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h i s m a t t e r
should be d e f e r r e d p e n d i n g t h e r e p l y t o a t e l e g r a m w h i c h h a d been
sent to L o r d G o r t by t h e C h i e f s of Staff.
Madagascar.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 57th
Conclusions,
Minute 3.)
3. T h e W a r C a b i n e t w e r e g i v e n a n account of t h e o p e r a t i o n s
for t h e c a p t u r e of D i e g o S u a r e z . T h e i m p o r t a n c e of p r o p a g a n d a ,
in o r d e r t o w i n over t h e i n h a b i t a n t s of t h e island, w a s e m p h a s i s e d .
The Foreign Secretary s a i d t h a t h e h a d h a d a discussion w i t h
Free French representatives t h a t morning. H e had not held out
a n y hopes t h a t i t would be possible t o g i v e t h e m a n y s h a r e i n t h e
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , b u t h e a d h e r e d t o t h e v i e w (which h a d a l r e a d y been
accepted by t h e W a r C a b i n e t ) t h a t t h i s w o u l d be necessary a t some
a p p r o p r i a t e stage, subject t o t h e u s u a l s a f e g u a r d s .
I t was
i m p o r t a n t t o d o w h a t w e could to b u i l d u p t h e F r e e F r e n c h
movement. T h e F r e e F r e n c h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s i n L o n d o n w e r e m u c h
distressed at the attitude which the U n i t e d States authorities were
a d o p t i n g in r e g a r d t o M a r t i n i q u e , w h e r e they w e r e n e g o t i a t i n g w i t h
the Vichy authorities.
T h e W a r C a b i n e t took note of t h i s s t a t e m e n t . ­
Foreign Affairs.
4.
The
Foreign
Secretary
referred to rumours, which were
starting
peace n e g o t i a t i o n s . So f a r a s A n k a r a w a s concerned, i t w a s f a i r l y
clear t h a t these r u m o u r s i n d i c a t e d fear of R u s s i a . H e h a d r e p e a t e d
t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s a l r e a d y given to o u r M i s s i o n s a b r o a d t h a t all these
r u m o u r s should be completely i g n o r e d . O t h e r w i s e t h e r e w a s a r i s k
t h a t suspicion m i g h t be sown in t h e m i n d s of o u r R u s s i a n Allies.
Peace Rumours. c u r r e n t i n t w o or t h r e e c a p i t a l s , a b o u t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of
The W a r Cabinet approved this attitude.
Vichy France.
The Foreign Secretary
said t h a t t h e G e r m a n s w e r e n o t b e i n g
h e l p f u l t o L a v a l , w h o w a s h a v i n g a difficult t i m e . T h e I t a l i a n
G o v e r n m e n t w e r e a g a i n pressing t h e i r claims a g a i n s t F r a n c e .
L a v a l ' s difficulties m i g h t be responsible, i n p a r t , for t h e r e l a t i v e l y
slight r e a c t i o n in V i c h y F r a n c e a g a i n s t our a c t i o n i n M a d a g a s c a r
1
T h e W a r C a b i n e t took note of t h i s s t a t e m e n t .
Great
George Street, S. W. 1, May 1 1 , 1942.