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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT Printed
for the War Cabinet.
May 1 9 4 2 .
Copy No.
SECRET.
W.M. (42)
5 6 t h Conclusions.
TO B E 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 56 ( 4 2 ) .
CONCLUSIONS
of a Meeting of the War Cabinet held at 1 0 Downing
S.W. 1 , on Monday, May 4 , 1 9 4 2 , at 5 - 3 0 P . M .
Street,
Present:
Chair).
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
The 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 . Sir STAFFORD C R I P P S ,
K . C . , M . P . , L o r d P r i v y Seal.
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for D o m i n i o n
Affairs.
The R i g h t H o n Sir J O H N ANDERSON, The R i g h t Hon. ANTHONY EDEN, M.P.,
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for
Foreign
M . P . , L o r d P r e s i d e n t of t h e Council.
Affairs.
The R i g h t H o n . O L I V E R LYTTELTON, T h e R i g h t H o n . 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 following were 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 (Items 1 - 6 ) .
The R i g h t Hon. Sir KINGSLEY WOOD, The Right Hon. HERBERT 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
H o m e 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 I n d i a a n d
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for t h e Colonies.
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 H o n . 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 The Right Hon. LORD LEATHERS,
S I N C L A I R , Bt., M . P . , S e c r e t a r y of
M i n i s t e r of W a r T r a n s p o r t (Item 4 ) .
S t a t e for A i r .
T h e R i g h t H o n . BRENDAN BRACKEN, Mr. GEOFFREY LLOYD, M.P., Secretary
M . P . , M i n i s t e r of I n f o r m a t i o n .
for P e t r o l e u m (Item 4 ) . ,
The Hon.
S i r A L E X A N D E R CADOGAN, A d m i r a l of t h e F l e e t
Sir DUDLEY
P e r m a n e n t U n d e r - S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e
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
N a v a l Staff (Items 1 - 6 ) .
for F o r e i g n Affairs.
A i r Chief M a r s h a l S i r C H A R L E S F . A . 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 t h e
P O R T A L , Chief of t h e A i r Staff
I m p e r i a l G e n e r a l Staff (Items 1 - 6 ) .
(Items 1 - 6 ) .
Secretariat:
Sir EDWARD BRIDGES.
Major-General Sir HASTINGS ISMAY.
Mr. NORMAN BROOK.
[23785]
W A R C A B I N E T 56
(42).
CONTENTS.
Minute
No.
1
Subject.
Page
7
Dr. H . V. E v a t t
Defence of Australia.
2
Naval, Military a n d A i r O p e r a t i o n s
Air Operations:
Home Theatre.
Malta.
Naval Operations:
Shipping losses.
Supplies to Russia.
Military Operations:
Burma.
3
Parliament
4
Shipping Losses
Tankers.
5
Air Raids
....
7
....
....
8
8
....
....
....
8
Damage and casualties.
6
Malta
8
7
9
8
Parliament
...
....
Candidature of members of the Services.
....
....
....
Government Contracts
....
....
Report by Comptroller and Auditor-General on Civil Appropria­
tion Accounts (Unclassified Votes), 1940.
9
U.S.S.R
9
....
9
/ 7
Dr. H. Y. Evatt.
Defence of
Australia,
W.M. 56 (12). l . The Prime Minister
welcomed D r . H . V . E v a t t , w h o h a d
j u s t a r r i v e d in t h i s c o u n t r y as t h e a c c r e d i t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e
G o v e r n m e n t of t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h of A u s t r a l i a .
Dr. Evatt s a i d t h a t he b r o u g h t w i t h h i m t h e good w i s h e s of h i s
G o v e r n m e n t a n d P r i m e M i n i s t e r , whose one object w a s t o w o r k
together, i n c o - o p e r a t i o n w i t h H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t i n t h i s
c o u n t r y a n d w i t h t h e . G o v e r n m e n t s of all t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , t o
p r o s e c u t e t h e w a r t o a successful conclusion. I n t h e course of * a
g e n e r a l a p p r e c i a t i o n of t h e views of t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h G o v e r n ­
m e n t , he s a i d t h a t , w h i l e t h e p o s i t i o n h a d i m p r o v e d , h i s G o v e r n m e n t
w a s not y e t satisfied w i t h t h e s t a t e of A u s t r a l i a ' s p r e p a r e d n e s s .
In
t h e l i g h t of a reassessment of t h e g e n e r a l s t r a t e g i c s i t u a t i o n , t h e r e
m i g h t be good g r o u n d s for s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e forces a v a i l a b l e for t h e
defence of A u s t r a l i a .
I f e a r l y r e i n f o r c e m e n t s could be sent
( p a r t i c u l a r l y a i r c r a f t ) , t h e J a p a n e s e m i g h t be d e t e r r e d from m a k i n g
a n a t t a c k w h i c h , if i t came, w o u l d compel u s to d i v e r t m u c h l a r g e r
forces from o t h e r t h e a t r e s .
D r . E v a t t a d d e d t h a t h i s G o v e r n m e n t w i s h e d i t t o be clear t h a t
t h e ' a r r a n g e m e n t s by w h i c h t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a u t h o r i t i e s h a d u n d e r ­
t a k e n o p e r a t i o n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for t h e defence of A u s t r a l i a d i d
n o t affect i n a n y w a y t h e p o s i t i o n of A u s t r a l i a n s as m e m b e r s of t h e
B r i t i s h C o m m o n w e a l t h of N a t i o n s w i t h a common a l l e g i a n c e t o
H i s Majesty The King.
The Prime Minister expressed t h e W a r C a b i n e f s a p p r e c i a t i o n
of t h e message of goodwill w h i c h D r . E v a t t h a d b r o u g h t f r o m t h e
Commonwealth Government.
W e d i d not, of course, r e g a r d
ourselves a s i n a n y w a y relieved of o u r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o do all i n
o u r p o w e r to d e f e n d o u r k i t h a d k i n in Australia,.
A s r e g a r d s t h e a r r a n g e m e n t s for t h e s u p p l y of m e n a n d e q u i p ­
m e n t for t h e defence of A u s t r a l i a , he w a s m o s t a n x i o u s t h a t
D r . E v a t t should e n q u i r e i n t o these m a t t e r s i n d e t a i l i n c o n s u l t a t i o n
w i t h t h e c o m p e t e n t a u t h o r i t i e s h e r e . H e w o u l d be a c c o r d e d t h e
fullest f a c i l i t i e s for t h i s p u r p o s e ; a n d if, a f t e r these discussions,
t h e r e w e r e m a t t e r s w h i c h h e t h o u g h t r e q u i r e d f u r t h e r review, h e
(the P r i m e M i n i s t e r ) w o u l d g i v e t h e m h i s p e r s o n a l a t t e n t i o n .
n
Naval, Military
and Air
Operations.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 53rd
Conclusions,
Minute 1.)
Air Operations,
Home theatre.
Malta.
N a v a l
Operations.
2. The Chiefs 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.
T h e o p e r a t i o n s of B o m b e r C o m m a n d h a d been c u r t a i l e d by less
favourable weather conditions.
821 t o n s of bombs h a d been
d r o p p e d , m a i n l y on Cologne, K i e l a n d H a m b u r g .
N i g h t fighters h a d done well. Of 166 enemy r a i d e r s w h i c h h a d
crossed t h e coast, 48 h a d been b r o u g h t to combat, a n d , of these,
21 h a d been destroyed, 4 p r o b a b l y d e s t r o y e d a n d 11 d a m a g e d .
I n t h e first four m o n t h s of 1942 F i g h t e r C o m m a n d h a d
d e s t r o y e d 2 1 2 e n e m y a i r c r a f t for t h e loss of 190.
D u r i n g t h e l a s t four d a y s of t h e week t h e r e h a d been a m a r k e d
r e d u c t i o n i n t h e scale of e n e m y a t t a c k on M a l t a .
A l l i e d s h i p p i n g losses for t h e w e e k t o t a l l e d 81,700 t o n s . T o t a l
A p r i l w e r e 600,000 t o n s .
l o s s e s
f o r
Shipping Losses.
Supplies to
Russia.
(Previous
Reference :
W.M.' (42) 53rd
Conclusions,
Minute 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 a t t a c k s o n b o t h t h e
o u t g o i n g a n d t h e r e t u r n i n g R u s s i a n convoys.
The Prime Minister
i n f o r m e d t h e W a r C a b i n e t of t e l e g r a m s
w h i c h h e h a d e x c h a n g e d w i t h P r e s i d e n t Roosevelt a b o u t t h e
a g g r e g a t i o n of U n i t e d S t a t e s s h i p s w h i c h h a d been l o a d e d for
R u s s i a b u t could n o t all be i n c l u d e d i n convoys s a i l i n g f r o m t h i s
c o u n t r y . O u r p o s i t i o n h a d been fully e x p l a i n e d , a n d t h e P r e s i d e n t
had now agreed to.our proposals.
B 2
[23785]
Military
Operations.
I n B u r m a , t h e fall of L a s h i o h a d involved t h e w i t h d r a w a l of
o u r forces i n t h e M a n d a l a y sector.
Burma.
j
Minister
i n f o r m e d t h e W a r C a b i n e t t h a t , by h i s
i n s t r u c t i o n s , the Governor of B u r m a h a d left by a i r for I n d i a .
G e n e r a l W a v e l l h a d also been g i v e n d i s c r e t i o n t o recall G e n e r a l
A l e x a n d e r to I n d i a as soon a s t h e force a t h i s d i s p o s a l fell below
the equivalent of one division.
I n L i b y a a n d on t h e R u s s i a n f r o n t t h e r e h a d been n o c h a n g e .
T
h
e
P
r
m
e
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 .
Parliament.
3. I n connection w i t h M i n u t e 2, a t t e n t i o n w a s d r a w n to a
speech in w h i c h M r . M c G o v e r n , M . P . , w a s r e p o r t e d t o have s a i d
t h a t i t h a d been a n n o u n c e d t h a t o u r s h i p p i n g losses h a d recently
exceeded 800,000 tons a m o n t h .
T h i s s t a t e m e n t m i g h t be a
reference t o t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r s speech in a recent Secret Session,
in w h i c h event a b r e a c h of p r i v i l e g e m i g h t be involved.
T h e W a r C a b i n e t i n v i t e d t h e L o r d P r i v y Seal to consider
this matter
in c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h t h e
appropriate
authorities.
Shipping Losses.
4. I n connection w i t h t h e discussion recorded in M i n u t e 2,
Tankers.
the Prime Minister
d r e w a t t e n t i o n to t h e loss of t w o t a n k e r s off
T r i n i d a d , a n d asked to w h a t extent t h e s a i l i n g of t a n k e r s from
A m e r i c a h a d been r e s u m e d since the recent decision to s u s p e n d t h i s
traffic.
The Minister
of War Transport
e x p l a i n e d t h a t the s u s p e n s i o n
of t h i s traffic h a d n o t been complete. Some t a n k e r s m u s t c o n t i n u e
to be p u t i n to c e r t a i n p o i n t s w h e r e stocks w e r e insufficient to m e e t
essential needs, a n d , w h i l e these vessels w e r e r o u t e d in such a w a y
a s t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e of a n y available convoy p r o t e c t i o n , t h e y h a d
to m a k e some p a r t of t h e i r j o u r n e y w i t h o u t protection. T h e s e w e r e
r i s k s w h i c h m u s t be accepted if o u r i m m e d i a t e essential needs w e r e
t o be met.
T h e p o s i t i o n w o u l d be eased considerably if a small s h u t t l e
convoy could be p r o v i d e d between T r i n i d a d a n d A r u b a . T h i s w a s
now u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n by t h e A d m i r a l t y .
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 .
Air Raids.
Damage and
Casualties.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 53rd
Conclusions,
Minute 2.)
5. T h e W a r C a b i n e t w e r e given a d e t a i l e d r e p o r t on t h e
p r e v i o u s n i g h t ' s r a i d on E x e t e r .
S i x t y a i r c r a f t h a d delivered a heavy a n d c o n c e n t r a t e d a t t a c k
l a s t i n g seventy m i n u t e s . Seven of the r a i d e r s h a d been destroyed
by n i g h t
fighters.
T h e c e n t r e of t h e c i t y h a d suffered serious
d a m a g e , m a i n l y from fire. T h e r e w a s s u b s t a n t i a l i n t e r f e r e n c e w i t h
t h e r a i l w a y s a n d w i t h c o m m u n i c a t i o n s generally.
I t w a s a s yet too e a r l y to give a n y reliable e s t i m a t e of
casualties.
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 .
Malta.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 52nd
Conclusions,
Minute 3.)
6. The Prime Minister
read to the W a r Cabinet a telegram
from the M i n i s t e r of S t a t e , d a t e d t h e 3rd M a y , r e p o r t i n g t h a t , i n
his view, L o r d G o r t should be a p p o i n t e d to succeed G e n e r a l D o b b i e
as soon a s possible.
. T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r s a i d t h a t , in view of t h e u r g e n c y of t h e
s i t u a t i o n , a f t e r c o n s u l t i n g t h e M i n i s t e r s d i r e c t l y concerned, he h a d
9
W . M . 56 ( 4 2 ) .
d e s p a t c h e d t e l e g r a m s (which he r e a d to t h e W a r C a b i n e t )
i n s t r u c t i n g L o r d G o r t t o t a k e over from G e n e r a l Dobbie a t once, a n d
a c q u a i n t i n g t h e l a t t e r w i t h t h e decision reached. L o r d G o r t w o u l d
a s s u m e t h e p o s i t i o n of Governor, C o m m a n d e r - i n - C h i e f a n d S u p r e m e
Commander in the island.
The W a r C a b i n e t ­
(1) E n d o r s e d t h e a c t i o n t a k e n by the P r i m e M i n i s t e r .
(2) I n v i t e d the S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for. the Colonies, in c o n s u l t a ­
t i o n w i t h t h e Service M i n i s t e r s , to p r e p a r e a s t a t e m e n t
w h i c h w o u l d b r i n g o u t t h e exceptionally heavy scale of
a i r a t t a c k w h i c h h a d been directed a g a i n s t M a l t a , a n d
should also d e a l w i t h t h e a p p o i n t m e n t of L o r d G o r t to
succeed G e n e r a l Dobbie.
(3) T h e d a t e of release of t h i s s t a t e m e n t w a s not finally decided,
b u t i t should n o t be m a d e u n t i l L o r d G o r t h a d a r r i v e d
in Malta. I t w a s suggested t h a t it might take the form
of a s t a t e m e n t t o be m a d e i n P a r l i a m e n t on T h u r s d a y ,
the 7th May.
*
Parliament.
7. T h e W a r C a b i n e t w e r e i n f o r m e d t h a t a r u l i n g h a d been
Candidature of g i
e a r l i e r i n t h e w a r t h a t Officers of t h e Services w h o w e r e
members of the c a n d i d a t e s a t elections m u s t n o t w e a r u n i f o r m w h e n m a k i n g
p o l i t i c a l speeches. T h e q u e s t i o n h a d been r a i s e d w h e t h e r t h e b a n
Services
on w e a r i n g u n i f o r m a p p l i e d w h i l e c a n v a s s i n g .
y e n
The W a r C a b i n e t D e c i d e d t h a t t h e r u l e i n all t h r e e Services should be t h a t
members of t h e Services w h o stood a s c a n d i d a t e s a t
P a r l i a m e n t a r y E l e c t i o n s should be t e m p o r a r i l y released
from the Forces, a n d should n o t d r a w p a y or w e a r u n i f o r m
d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d i n question. A n a l o g o u s a r r a n g e m e n t s
should be m a d e a s r e g a r d s members of C i v i l Defence
Services.
8. The Chancellor
of the Exchequer
s a i d t h a t he h a d
a p p r o a c h e d t h e C h a i r m a n of t h e P u b l i c A c c o u n t s C o m m i t t e e on
t h e lines a g r e e d to by t h e W a r C a b i n e t a t t h e i r l a s t M e e t i n g . T h e
Eeport by
C o m m i t t e e w e r e m e e t i n g on t h e following d a y to consider t h e
Comptroller and G o v e r n m e n t s r e q u e s t . H e p r o p o s e d to a n s w e r a Q u e s t i o n i n t h e
Auditor-General H o u s e o n t h e following d a y by s a y i n g t h a t t h e P u b l i c A c c o u n t s
on Civil
C o m m i t t e e h a d been i n v i t e d t o meet i m m e d i a t e l y in o r d e r to
Appropriation
consider t h e specific cases r e f e r r e d to.
Government
Contracts.
Accounts
(Unclassified
Votes), 1940.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 55th
Conclusions,
Minute 3.)
U.S.S.R.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 52nd
Conclusions,
Minute 4.)
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 .
9. T h e W a r C a b i n e t h a d a discussion, w h i c h is r e c o r d e d i n
t h e S e c r e t a r y ' s S t a n d a r d F i l e of W a r C a b i n e t Conclusions.
Great
George Street, S. W. 1, May 4, 1942.