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T H I S D O C U M E N T IS T H E P R O P E R T Y OF H I S B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T Y ' S G O V E R N M E N T
Printed
for the War Cabinet.
March 1941.
Copy No.
SECRET.
W.M. (41)
27th Conclusions.
TO BE K E P T
UNDER
LOCK
A N D KEY.
It is requested that special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
W A R C A B I N E T 27 (41).
CONCLUSIONS
of a Meeting of the War Cabinet held at Paddock, on Monday, March 10, 1941, at 12 NOON. Present:
The Right Hon. C. R. A T T L E E , M.P., Lord Privy Seal (in the Chair).
The Right Hon. Sir J O H N ANDERSON, The Right Hon. A . GREENWOOD, M.P.,
M.P., Lord President of the Council.
Minister without Portfolio.
The Right Hon. Sir K I N G S L E Y WOOD,
M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The following were also present:
The Right Hon. R. G. M E N Z I E S ,
K.C., M.P., Prime Minister of the
Commonwealth of Australia.
The Right Hon. H E R B E R T MORRISON, The
Right
Hon. L O R D
MOYNE,
M.P., Secretary of State for the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Home Department and Minister of
. Home Security.
The Right Hon. A . V . A L E X A N D E R , The Right Hon. H . D . MARGESSON,
M.P., First Lord of the Admiralty.
M . P . , Secretary of State for W a r .
The
Right
Hon. Sir A R C H I B A L D The Right Hon. A . D U F F COOPER, M.P.,
SINCLAIR, Bt., M . P . , Secretary of
Minister of Information.
State for A i r .
The Right Hon. R. A . BUTLER, M . P . ,
The
Hon.
Sir
ALEXANDER
CADOGAN,
Parliamentary
Under-Secretary,
Permanent Under-Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Office.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir D U D L E Y A i r Chief Marshal Sir CHARLES F. A .
POUND, First Sea Lord and Chief of
PORTAL, Chief of the A i r Staff.
Naval Staff.
Lieut.-General Sir ROBERT H A I N I N G ,
Vice-Chief of the Imperial General
Staff.
Secretariat.
Sir E D W A R D BRIDGES.
Major-General Sir H A S T I N G S I S M A Y .
Mr. W . D. W I L K I N S O N .
Mr. L. F. B U R G I S .
[22306]
W A R C A B I N E T 27 (41).
CONTENTS.
Minute
No.
1
Subject...
Naval, Military and Air Operations..
Air operations.
Naval operations:
Shipping losses.
2
The Balkans and the Middle East ..
Future military policy.
3
Air Raids
Casualties and damage.
4
Civil Defence
Fire-watching.
Arrangements at Liverpool Docks.
5
Australia
The Australian war effort.
Statement by Mr. Menzies.
6
Yugoslavia
—
... ..
Naval, Military
and Air
Operations.
(Previous
Reference:
W . M . (41) 25th
Conclusions,
Minute 8.)
Air Operations.
1. The Chiefs of Staff made the following Eeports in
amplification of Cabinet War Room Records 549-554:—
One hundred and sixty enemy aircraft had been over this
country on the night of the 8th March. Three interceptions had
been made without result. On the night of the 9th March about the
same number of enemy aircraft had been over, but our fighters had
been unable to operate owing to weather conditions. There were
indications, however, that other methods of interception had met
with some success.
The Chief of the Air Staff said that the Commander-in-Chief,
Fighter Command, was satisfied that definite, although slow,
progress was being made with night interception aircraft. Improve­
ment was also being shown in A . A . defence.
Naval
Operations.
Shipping Losses.
A Sunderland flying boat had made a promising attack on a
U-boat in the north-west approaches.
A s a result of two heavy attacks, one on a convoy in the north­
west approaches and another on a convoy from Freetown, the
shipping losses for the last four days had been heavy. 67,000 tons
had been sunk by mines, enemy aircraft, E-boats, and submarines,
and 14,000 tons damaged.
The Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau had been sighted by air­
craft from the Malaya on the 8th March when she was escorting
the Freetown convoy, some 150 miles north of Cape Verde Islands,
but the enemy ships had sheered off to westward.
The W a r Cabinet were informed of the consequential disposi­
tions that were being taken.
Arbutus had sunk a U-boat north-west of the Butt of Lewis
on the 7th March, and taken 24 prisoners.
The W a r Cabinet took note of these statements.
The Balkans and the Middle East. Future Military
Policy. (Previous Reference: W . M . (41) 26th
Conclusions,
Minute 1.)
Air Balds.
Casualties and
Damage.
, (Previous
Reference:
W . M . (41) 18th
Conclusions,
Minute 3.)
2. The W a r Cabinet had before them further telegrams on
this matter. A record of the discussion is contained in the
Secretary's Standard File of War Cabinet Conclusions.
The W a r C a b i n e t Invited the Minister of Information to arrange for a
conference in the course of the afternoon with representa­
tives of the Foreign Office, Dominions Office and the three
Service Departments, to frame a draft Communique for
issue to the Press as soon as it became known that British
reinforcements were arriving in Greece, and to determine
what guidance should be given to the Press.
The draft Communique should be submitted to the
Prime Minister before issue.
3. The Home Secretary and Minister of Rome Security said
that on the night 8th/9th March some 60-100 machines had made a
concentrated attack on London. Incidents had been reported from
50 boroughs. Considerable damage had been done to property in
Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark and the Docks. Bombs had also
been -dropped at Portsmouth.
The casualties in London had
amounted to 184 killed and 438 injured—elsewhere, 4£ injured.
On the night of the 9th/10th March most of the enemy bombs
had fallen in north-east London, but the casualties and damage
appeared to have been less than on the previous night. Casualties
had been in London, 3 killed, 90 injured—elsewhere, 16 killed,
30 injured. Later estimates, however, would probably be higher.
The W a r Cabinet took note of this statement.
-m.M: mam,
Civil Defence.
Firewatehing.
Arrangements
at' Liverpool
Docks.
(Previous
Reference:
W . M . (41) 5th
Conclusions,
Minute 7.)
Australia.
The Australian
War Effort.
Statement by
Mr. Menzies.
(Previous
Reference: .
W . M . (41) 20th
Conclusions,
Minute 1.)
4. The Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security said
that the North-western Regional Commissioner was anxious about
the fire watching arrangements for the warehouses adjoining
Liverpool Docks. I f part-time voluntary or conscripted labour Was
to be used for this purpose, 15,000 persons would be required.
Proper fire watching for this area was an urgent and vital need.
The Regional Commissioner had asked whether some 2,000 military
could, as an exceptional case, be provided for the purpose.
The W a r Cabinet invited the Lord President of the Council—
(a) To hold a Meeting that afternoon with representatives
of the W a r Office and other Departments concerned,
to determine what immediate steps could be taken
to provide adequate fire watching arrangements for
the Liverpool warehouses.
(6) Later, to submit proposals for long-term arrangements
for dealing with this matter.
5. Mr. Menzies made an oral statement on the Australian war
effort. A record of this statement is being circulated as W . P (41)
55.
In reply to a question by the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Menzies
said that he would be very glad to make a similar statement at a
meeting of Ministers not members of the W a r Cabinet.
The W a r C a b i n e t ­
(i) Thanked Mr. Menzies warmly for his statement.
(ii) Expressed their high appreciation of the war effort now
being put forth by the Commonwealth of Australia.
6. The W a r Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by the
First Lord of the Admiralty ( W . P . (41) 54).
A record of the discussion and of the conclusions reached is
W.M. (41) 23rd contained in the Secretary's Standard File of W a r Cabinet
Yugoslavia.
(Previous
Reference:
Conclusions,
Conclusions.
-Minute: 3.)
, V,
-""
Great George Street, S.W. 1, March 10, 1941. 4. The Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security said
that the North-western Regional Commissioner was anxious about
the fire watching arrangements for the warehouses adjoining
Liverpool Docks. I f part-time voluntary or conscripted labour was
to be used for this purpose, 15,000 persons would be required.
Proper fire watching for this area was an urgent and vital heed.
The Regional Commissioner had asked whether some 2,000 military
could, as an exceptional case, be provided for the purpose.
Civil Defence.
Fire watching.
Arrangements
at' Liverpool
Docks.
(Previous
Reference:
W . M . (41) 5th
Conclusions,
Minute 7.)
The W a r Cabinet invited the Lord President of the C o u n c i l (a) To hold a Meeting that afternoon with representatives
of the W a r Office and other Departments concerned,
to determine what immediate steps could be taken
to provide adequate fire watching arrangements for
the Liverpool warehouses.
(b) Later, to submit proposals for long-term arrangements
for dealing with this matter.
Australia.
The Australian
War Effort.
Statement by
Mr. Menzies.
(Previous
Reference: .
W . M . (41) 20th
Conclusions,
Minute 1.)
5. Mr. Menzies made an oral statement on the Australian war
effort. A record of this statement is being circulated as W . P . (41)
55.
In reply to a question by the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Menzies
said that he would be very glad to make a similar statement at a
meeting of Ministers not members of the W a r Cabinet.
The W a r C a b i n e t (i) Thanked Mr. Menzies warmly for his statement.
(ii) Expressed their high appreciation of the war effort now
being put forth by the Commonwealth of Australia.
6. The W a r Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by the
First Lord of the Admiralty ( W . P . (41) 54).
A record of the discussion and of the conclusions reached is
W.M. (41) 23rd contained in the Secretary s Standard File of W a r Cabinet
Yugoslavia.
(Previous
Reference:
J
Conclusions,
Conclusions.
Minute' 3.)
,'
r
G
r
e
a
t
George Street, S.W. 1, March 10, 1941.