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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT Printed
for the War Cabinet.
July
1942.
Copy No.
SECRET.
W.M. (42)
91st Conclusions.
TO
BE
KEPT
UNDER
LOCK
AND
KEY.
It is requested that special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
W A R CABINET 91 (42).
CONCLUSIONS
of a Meeting of the War Cabinet held at 1 0 Downing
S.W. 1 , on Monday, July 1 3 , 1 9 4 2 , at 5 - 3 0 P . M .
Street,
Present:
The R i g h t Hon. W I N S T O N S. C H U R C H I L L , M.P., P r i m e Minister (in the Chair).
The Right Hon. C. R. A T T L E E , M.P., The R i g h t Hon. Sir S T A F F O R D C R I P P S ,
Secretary of State for Dominion , K . C . , M.P., Lord Privy Seal.
Affairs.
The R i g h t Hon. Sir J O H N A N D E R S O N , The Right Hon. A N T H O N Y E D E N , M . P . ,
Secretary of State for Foreign
M.P., Lord President of the Council.
Affairs.
The Right Hon. O L I V E R L Y T T E L T O N , T h e R i g h t Hon. E R N E S T B E V I N , M . P . ,
Minister of Labour and National
M.P., Minister of Production.
Service.
The following were also present:
The R i g h t Hon. S. M. B R U C E ,
Accredited Representative of the
Government of the Commonwealth
of Australia.
The R i g h t Hon. Sir K I N G S L E Y W O O D , The Right Hon. V I S C O U N T S I M O N , .
M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Lord Chancellor (Items 7 - 1 0 ) .
The Right Hon. H E R B E R T M O R R I S O N ,
M.P., Secretary of State for the
Home Department and Minister of
Home Security.
The Right Hon. V I S C O U N T C R A N B O R N E ,
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
The R i g h t Hon. Sir J A M E S G R I G G ,
M.P., Secretary of State for W a r .
The Right Hon. Sir A N D R E W D U N C A N ,
M.P., Minister of Supply
(Items
4-5).
Colonel
the
Right
Hon. J .
J.
M.P., Minister of Aircraft Production (Items 4 - 5 ) .
LLEWELLIN,
[24105]
The Right Hon. L. S. A M E R Y , M.P.,
Secretary of State for I n d i a and
Secretary of State for Burma.
The R i g h t Hon. A. V . A L E X A N D E R ,
M.P., First Lord of the Admiralty.
The Right Hon. Sir A R C H I B A L D
S I N C L A I R , Bt., M.P., Secretary of
State for Air.
The R i g h t Hon. H U G H D A L T O N , M.P.,
President of the Board of T r a d e
(Item 4 ) ,
The Right Hon. L O R D L E A T H E R S ,
Minister of W a r Transport (Items
4-7).
. .
. .
B
The E i g h t Hon. L O R D W O O L T O N , The R i g h t Hon. B R E N D A N B R A C K E N ,
Minister of Food (Items 4 - 1 0 ) .
M.P., Minister of Information.
The Right Hon. J A M E S S T U A R T , M.P., The Hon. Sir A L E X A N D E R CADOGAN,
Joint
Parliamentary
Secretary,
Permanent Under-Secretary of State
Treasury (Items 5 - 1 0 ) .
for Foreign Affairs.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir D U D L E Y Air Chief Marshal Sir C H A R L E S F . A.
P O U N D , F i r s t Sea Lord and Chief of
P O R T A L , Chief o f the A i r Staff.
Naval Staff.
General Sir A L A N BROOKE, Chief of the
Imperial General Staff.
Secretariat.
Sir
EDWARD
BRIDGES.
HASTINGS
W . D . WILKINSON.
L. F. B U R G I S .
.
Major-General Sir
Mr.
Mr.
WAR
ISMAY.
CABINET 91 (42).
CONTENTS.
Minute
No.
1
Subject.
Naval, Military and Air Operations
....
Air Operations:
H o m e Theatre.
Malta.
EgyptNaval Operations: Russian convoy. Military Operations: Egypt. Russia. Middle E a s t
Page
135
;
....
....
....
135
Condition of Tanks arriving.
Middle E a s t
136
Levant Caspian Front: Co-operation with the Russians. USA
....
136
British Supply Organisation in Washington.
Government Contracts
....
....
....
....
....
137
Report by Comptroller and Auditor-General on Civil Appropriation
Accounts (Unclassified Votes) 1940.
6
Parliament
....
....
....
137
The Shipping situation.
Shipping Losses
137
False enemy reports.
8
India
....
9
India
....
....
'
Communist Party.
Parliament
....
....
138
138
1
....
Prolongation of the life of the United Kingdom Parliament and
of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland.
139
135 W.M. 91 ( 4 2 ) . Naval, Military
and Air
Operations.
1. The Chiefs of Staff reported the principal events of the
past week.
Weather h a d limited the operations of Bomber Command, but
(Previous
a successful attack had been made oh the submarine dockyards at
Bef erence:
Wilhelmshaven, where 570 tons of bombs had been dropped; and
W.M. (42) 86th the submarine dockyards at Danzig had been bombed in daytime.
Conclusions,
Total enemy losses for the week amounted to 12 machines for
Minute 1.)
certain, 1 probable and 10 damaged. W e had lost 1 fighter,
15 bombers and 8 Coastal Command aircraft.
Air Operations.
Home Theatre.
Malta.
Egypt.
Naval
Operations.
Eussian
Convoy.
Malta had been attacked on an increasing scale during the
previous week. The enemy losses amounted to 72 machines for
certain, 16 probable and 55 damaged. Our losses amounted to
26 machines destroyed (5 on the ground) and 27 damaged.
Since the 10th J u l y we had carried out intensive air operations.
The enemy losses amounted to 51 machines for certain, 28 probable
and 81 damaged. We had lost 39 destroyed, 1 probable and
11 damaged.
Allied shipping losses in the previous seven days amounted to
254,000 tons. This figure did not include the losses sustained in the
outward- and homeward-bound Russian convoys.
Four ships of the recent Russian convoy had reached Archangel.
I t was hoped t h a t five other ships would reach port.
The Prime Minister said that it was proposed to settle the
question of the sailing of the next Russian convoy at a meeting of
the Defence Committee to be held that evening.
This was agreed to.
The Prime Minister informed the W a r Cabinet t h a t he had
asked that enquiries should be made by the Admiralty into the
following questions:—
(i) W h y the transport Orizaba -had been given orders to
proceed to a wrong destination,
(ii) Whether any responsibility attached to any of our Officers
in respect of the loss of certain American ships in a
returning convoy, in a minefield off Iceland.
Military
Operations.
Egypt.
Russia.
I n a successful attack on the 10th J u l y we had captured
2,000 prisoners (mainly Italians), destroyed 23 tanks and captured
a number of guns. The enemy had counter-attacked our new
positions, but all our gains had been held.
The Germans claimed t h a t in operations near Rezh they had
taken 30,000 prisoners. This claim seemed improbable. South of
Orel, where the enemy had made his main thrusts, the Germans had
succeeded in cutting the railway line from Moscow to Rostov over
a considerable distance'. They had advanced some 100 miles during
18 d a y s - a much slower r a t e than in the earlier attacks in 1941.
The Germans claimed 88,000 prisoners, which, considering the
w i d t h of the front and the depth of the advance, did not seem a very
large number.
The W a r Cabinet took note of the above statements.
2. The attention of the W a r Cabinet was drawn to a telegram
from
Cairo referring to the " reported bad condition of Valentine
Condition of
tanks
on disembarkation."
Tanks arriving.
The Secretary of State for War said that, while his Depart­
ment was responsible up to the time of shipment, the Ministry of
W a r Transport were responsible for stowage on board. Until the
facts had been ascertained, responsibility for any shortcomings
B 2
[24105]
Middle East.
could not be assigned. H e gave details of the inspection processes
the tanks in question.had undergone before shipment.
The Prime Minister said t h a t he h a d called for a detailed
report from Cairo. H e suggested that as soon as it was received an
investigation should be made by the Lord Privy Seal on behalf of the
W a r Cabinet in order that, if the despatching authorities were to
blame, severe measures might be taken.
The W a r Cabinet
suggestion.
Middle East..
Levant-Caspian
Front.
Co-operation
with the
Russians.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 74th
Conclusions,
Minute 4.)
agreed
to
the
Prime
Minister's
3. The Foreign Secretary said t h a t General Quinan had had
some talks with the Russians, but they had not led to any concrete
results. I t was for consideration whether he (the Foreign Secretary)
should take up with M. Maisky the question of staff talks about
common defence problems in the Caucasus and Middle East areas.
The Chief of the Imperial General Staff said that General
Auchinleck had several times pressed t h a t these talks should take
place.
I n discussion, it was suggested that a suitable procedure might
be for the matter to be mentioned to General Isayef, and then left
to be raised by our Military Mission in Moscow at a suitable
opportunity.
The general conclusion reached by the W a r Cabinet was,
however, that on balance I t would be better not to take this matter
up for the present, but to await further developments of the military
situation in the Middle East.
,4. The War Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by the
United States of
Minister of Production (W.P. (42) 291) dealing, in particular, w i t h ;
America.
British Supply
Organisation in
Washington.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (41) 132nd
Conclusions,
Minute 1.)
the position" and powers of Sir Robert Sinclair, recently appointed
Deputy to the Minister on the Combined Production and Resources
Board in Washington. The Minister proposed—
(1) T h a t the Heads of the Supply Missions (other than the
Food Mission), while remaining responsible in their
procurement work to their respective Ministries in
London, should follow any directions which Sir Robert
Sinclair, under his (the M i n i s t e r s ) authority, might find
it necessary to give them in the fulfilment of his
functions.
(2) That it should be recognised t h a t the appointment of the
Chairman of the British Supply Council was within his
(the Minister's) authority and that he was responsible
to him. I t was proposed that Sir Robert Sinclair should
be a member of the Supply Council and that he should
not replace Mr. R. H . Brand as Chairman, at any rate
for the time being.
I n discussion, it was suggested that it ought to be
t h a t the new arrangement proposed involved no
responsibility for handling food and shipping
Washington.
Subject to this caveat, the W a r Cabinet approved
in W . P . (42)291.
p u t on record
alteration in
questions at
the proposals
137 W.M. 91 (42). Government
Contracts.'
5. The W a r Cabinet had before them a Note by the Secretary
(W.P. (42) 290) covering a Memorandum received from the Public
Report by
Accounts Committee asking whether the Government saw any
Comptroller and objection, on Security or other grounds, to the publication of
Auditor-General particulars (including names) of the firms which had been
on Civil
mentioned adversely' in the Comptroller and Auditor-General's
Report.
Appropriation
Accounts
(Unclassified
Votes), 1940.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 56th Conclusions, Minute 8.) Parliament.
The Shipping
Situation.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 89th Conclusions.) The W a r Cabinet decided that there was no objection to
the names of the firms being published, provided that their
addresses and the stores they supplied were not disclosed.
The Secretary was instructed to arrange for a reply to be
sent, conveying this decision to the Committee.
6. Further discussion took place on the forthcoming Debate
in Secret Session on the Shipping Situation.
Reference was made to a suggestion by Mr. Aneurin
Bevan, M.P., that, a t the end of the Secret Session, the Speaker
should be authorised to issue a much fuller report t h a n had been
made after Secret Sessions during the present war.
The W a r Cabinet were reminded that in the last war very
full reports had been made, giving the names of Members who
had taken p a r t in the Debate.
I n discussion, considerable difficulties were seen in the
adoption of this suggestion. From the nature of the case, the
statement would have to be impartial and uninformative.
It
would not therefore give satisfaction to those Members of
Parliament who held strong views; nor would it be satisfactory
that the opinions expressed by a small unorganised Opposition
should be treated as on an equality with those of a National
Government with an overwhelming majority.
The Prime Minister said that, if the W a r Cabinet so wished,
he would be prepared to see the editors of the principal newspapers
after the Debate.
The W a r C a b i n e t ­
(1). Agreed, that no encouragement should be given to
Mr. Aneurih Bevan's suggestion that, on the occasion
of the forthcoming Secret Session on Shipping, the
Speaker should be authorised to issue a much fuller
report than had been issued on previous occasions :
(2) Welcomed the Prime Minister's suggestion that he should
see the editors of the principal newspapers in regard
- to the Shipping Situation, and invited the Minister of
Information to make arrangements accordingly.
Shipping Losses.
False Enemy
Reports.
7. The W a r Cabinet were informed that recent enemy
broadcasts about our shipping losses had included the names of
certain ships which were still afloat. This showed that the enemy's
information was inaccurate. Such announcements might never­
theless be deeply disturbing to the families affected.
. The Prime Minister thought that the right way of dealing
with this matter would be for a public statement to be made giving
a n assurance that the next of kin were invariably and promptly
informed when a ship had gone down. Relations of seamen should
therefore ignore enemy propaganda statements on shipping losses.
This suggestion was approved.
India.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 86th
Conclusions,
Minute 5.)
8. The W a r Cabinet had before them—
(a) Telegram 2056G from the Viceroy to the Secretary of
State for India, summarising a Resolution passed by
the Congress Working Committee on the 10th July, as
published in the Hindustan
Times :
-(b) Telegram 5419, dated the 11th July, from the Government
of India Home Department.
The Secretary of State for India said that, while the final
Resolution of the Congress Working Committee referred to in
telegram 5419 had not yet been textually agreed upon, the
Resolution summarised in the former telegram was too serious to
ignore. The Congress Working Committee, claiming the position
of an authority parallel to that of the Government, deliberately
instructed people to resist the Governments action in regard to
measures such as the removal of boats or vehicles. This was an
intolerable challenge, and was made worse when read together with
p a r a g r a p h 4 of the Resolution which said t h a t " All restrictions
on organisation for self-protection should be disregarded."
Continuing, the Secretary of State said t h a t he thought it
right to bring this Resolution to the immediate notice of the W a r
Cabinet, who should authorise the Viceroy, if the terms of the
Resolution were confirmed, to take such action as he thought
necessary, including possibly the immediate arrest of Gandhi.
I n discussion, the W a r Cabinet were reminded that in
paragraph 10 of his telegram dated the 26th J u n e (circulated
as W . P . (42) 271), the Viceroy had said that there was not a great
deal to be gained at that stage by examining, for the benefit of
the Cabinet, alternative possibilities; he would prefer to wait until
the Working Committee had met, and thereafter to advise the
Cabinet in the light of their conclusions. It was pointed out that
the Viceroy had not yet p u t forward any proposals as to the action
which should be taken, consequent upon the passing of this
Resolution of the 10th July.
The view was also expressed t h a t it by no means followed
that the Congress Working Committee possessed the power which
they claimed, or t h a t their so-called instructions would be at all
generally acted upon.
The Prime Minister said that we were responsible for the
defence of India. I t was essential t h a t we should have the same
facilities for the defence of I n d i a as we had for the defence of
this country. He thought that it would be reasonable that the
Secretary of State for I n d i a should give the Viceroy an immediate
assurance that, if in the opinion of the Government of I n d i a the
situation should make it necessary to take strong measures in order
to ensure the same co-operation in the defence of I n d i a as we
had in this country, they would, receive the fullest support from
His Majesty's Government.
The W a r C a b i n e t Approved this suggestion, and authorised the Secretary
of State for India to send a telegram to the Viceroy on
the lines proposed by the P r i m e Minister.
India.
Communist
Party.
.
9. The Secretary of State for India said that, d u r i n g the
Lord Privy Seal's visit to India, the question had been raised
whether the Government of I n d i a should adopt a more lenient
attitude towards members Of the Communist P a r t y in I n d i a who
were anxious to play their p a r t in the fight against Fascism. A
number of students had been released, and the Government of
India now desired to make an announcement raising the ban on
the Communist P a r t y in India, and on its newspapers.
139
W.M. 91 (42).
The Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security said that,
while he raised no objection to the action proposed, he thought it
might be made a debating point in Parliament, in connection with
our a t t i t u d e towards the Daily Worker, and t h a t it was therefore
r i g h t t h a t it h a d been mentioned to the W a r Cabinet.
The W a r C a b i n e t Agreed that no objection need be raised to the course of
action proposed.
Parliament.
Prolongation of
"the life of the
United King­
dom Parliament
and of the
House of
Commons of
Northern
Ireland.
10. The W a r Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by
the Home Secretary (W.P. (42) 287) explaining that legislative
provision was required, not only for extending the life of the
United Kingdom Parliament, but also for extending the life of
the House of Commons in Northern Ireland which, under Sec­
tion 14 (4) of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, was due to
expire on the 1st March, 1943. The general considerations which
made a General Election undesirable in time of war were as valid
in the case of Northern Ireland as in that of Great Britain. The
Minister therefore asked for the authorisation of the W a r
Cabinet to announce that the Government contemplated introducing
legislation for prolonging the life of the United Kingdom
Parliament for another year from November 1942, and that they
proposed to include in the Bill provision enabling the life of the
House of Commons in Northern Ireland to be prolonged for a
year from March 1943, provided, such prolongation was approved
by a resolution of the Northern Ireland House of Commons.
The W a r Cabinet approved these proposals.
Great George Street, S.W. 1. July 13, 1942. 18513,
p l o t t e d t o P o l i t i c a l Dept.
Go P 1 e s , G1 rjgul a t e d .
*
D B CYPHER'
T E L E G ft A
0 F
Prom
Governor General t o S e c r e t a r y o f s t a t e f o r
India.
Dated.
New D e l h i
Reed.
01.15
gQ56-G.
p
SO, 5 0 h o u r s , 1 1 t h J u l y , 1 9 4 8 ,
hours., 1 8 t h J u l y , 1 9 4 8 .
Following is fv.ll summary of r e s o l u t i o n
passe
by Congress Working Committee a t Werdha o n J u l y l o t h a s published in
Hindustan Times",.
Begxas?. Where a s various complaints have "been
received regarding government o r d e r s , f o r evacuation of villages lands
and buildings without due notice ar.d proper compensation? seizure
of and destruction of country boats", even where life i s impossible
without them? requisition of vehicles without proper compensation
s a d regard for needs of civil population, Working Committee issue
T o i l owing -instruct ions for guidance of people concerned and hope
t h a t Government will take immediate .and necessary steps to remove
grievances and that people will carry out their instructions as
circumstances demand., -provided that in all cas^s before final
decision to -disobey an order, or resist any measure is taken, all
avenues ox" negotiations shall "be thoroughly explored.
With regard to evacuation and other orders involving
jmporary or permanent loss'of land 3d property Pull compensation
jould be demanded,. In fixing comp ansation factors to be taken into
*ns£deration are value of land and crops inconvenience and expense
L&ely to be caused to holder of la ad by having to move to another .
s'taining
other land where . ace and difficulty and delay in' o
3.1spossessed landholder could settl 3o
If no agreement is reached
tween authorities and evacuee a re jarding amount of compensation and
tier has to be referred to tribun ilo amount proposed by authorities
ouid be Paid forthwith and not wi ihheld pending ad indication-,
e r e should be no interference witi l use or disposal of private
operty except with consent of own* ;-r or on payment of adequate
?'Pensation*
In ease of requisif. Loss or boats full compensation
p u l d be demanded and no boats shoi lid be surrendered till question
' -compensation is settled.
In ar?as surrounded by water where
a-i-s are indispensable for normal i everybody (sic? everyday.)
?t. they should hot be surrendered at all. "Fishermen dependent on
a t s for earning livelihood should be compensated for l o s 3 of
In case of r equal tion of
Ployment in addition to price of 1joats.
aides full compensation should b( demanded and until question-of
apen sat ion is settled they should not be parted withs
I n v i e w o f s e a r c i t y o f s a l t a n d a p p r e h e n d e d f a m i n e o f it
to war c o n d i t i o n s f a c i l i t i e s s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d f o r c o l l e c t i o n ,
o r a t i o n and t r a n s p o r t o f s a l t or. s e a c o a s t and i n i n l a n d a r e a s
of duty by i n d i v i d u a l s .
P e o p l e may m a n u f a c t u r e s a l t f o r their
and their catties c o n s u m p t i o n ^
C o m m i t t e e c o n s i d e r . i t i n h e r e n t r i g h t o f a l l t o p r o t e c t their
and t h e i r n e i g h b o u r ' ' s l i f e a n d p r o p e r t y , s o a l l r e s t r i c t i o n s on
ganisation f o r s e l f - p r o t e c t i o n shculd be disregarded.
W h e r e v e r p o s s i b l e d i s p o s s e s s e d a g r i c u l t u r a l i s t s s h o u l d bo
provided
rovi&ea' with other lands where impossible money c o m p e n s a t i o n
"
frould h e paid including values of -trees* water-channels w e l l s
tie
It c a s e of temporary acquisition fall value of crops p l u s
£ e: - c e n t should he paid and when Government occupation
e r m t n a t e a compensation shflrold "be paid for restoring land t o
r - e v i o u s condition -for agricultural purposes.
Where "bulk o f
and i s a c q u i r e d and balance is so small that it may not b e w o r t h
j L i i v a t l n g , balance too should be acquired. Houses where a c q u i r e d
v v o . "be f u l l y paid for. Where hulk of agricultural land is
yjiroci
and o n l y the house is left over, house should also b e
n u i r e d b y ' paying full compensation if agriculturalist s o desire
nr - h o i " ; l 3 . occupied temporarily fair ?ent should be paid and
M - eof-sated forconvenience cause L.
No one should b e
u e ; to v a c a t e t h e house without arraigement being made
r e s i d e n c e s and full compensation should be paid for
r a n s p o r e of r v a c u e ^ s belongings and his iaaintenanee for reasonable
'
- enable n
to find suitable occupation in new surroundings,
:. c - r j . o * ' s u o u i o i n all cases he paid promptly on the spot by
0
:rc-.. r.cid.,c e f i i e ^ - - ^
and not at District headquarters­
AIjjrtted t o P o l i t i c a l Departmen ta
Copies Circulateda
D E 0 Y P II 13 R
1853
0 F
1 a L E G R A M.
Government of India Hone Department to
Secretary of State for I n d i a n
*om "Dated
New Delhi, 23:,50 hours, 11th July, 194;
Received
04*15 hours, 12th July.. 1942X
IMPORTANT
Final' form of resolution. of Congress Working Committee -fcely to he released shortly- Indications derived mainly from telligent anticipations in messages of press correspondents seeii
msorsiup are that it will attribute regrettable spirit of
;h political treatment of India
it ism in this counxry to
Allied
Powers
to bring pressure on His
to
til a t- j '
"reedon?
for ostensible -purpose
G-overnniezit
gran ; 11
lyanlzing vrar efforts with ;nreat thai, x f this appeal is
ted or prove unsuccessful- 0 rn grass
1 aunch .whi r"i wind
civil disobedience raovement m the . nes of earlier movements. 11 be under Gandhi s supreme direction nd control
will rd any attempt at non-enibarr.jssment * :
5
Resolution
is, apart from disingeniousness (? premises) which are- no .louht designed to secure American nose sympathy, woxud "be sh 3er- blackmail and could not be 1 to pass unchallenged^ - Wepropose to await final test and.
)n aider, whether to "ban publLeation either' in India or outside
if but we "believe that such a course would be neither
.?3 nor desirable from our nun point of view. In any ease
against Congress organisa-t Ion will have to follow if the is implemented and need fo ? effective propaganda on the )f my telegram No * 4484 datetI June 6th becomes of immediate VI ;al importance both in Engl -sud, America and other allied esc
we are holding up all out­
Until final text is rel ?ased
tng press messages referred to in paragraph No-"I since we see should he permitted and reason
advance Congress pr rpaganda
'ore publ -cation of resolution ve propose to hold press conference "e at whit/q. our ease would be e cplained,
We are also warning jvineial Governments to pverhau L
plans for dealing with mass il disobedience movement on th 3 lines explained in my letter of
rust 2nd 1940 which was eommuni 2ated to you with Home Department
;ter 5/13/(? 40) dated August 1:2th 1940,-, We shall of course
Lress you again if we consider Lt necessary to promulgate
srgency Powers Ordinances Much will depend on the character of
i movement threatened- In any ;ase we assume considerable
;erval will elapse before movem 3 n t itself is launched and Gandhi,
J. give us full notice of his i:itentionso r