Closing the Ring (96 page)

6. I note that the United States have definitely diminished their programme of anti-U-boat craft in order to develop landing-craft. Hitherto I have perpetually pressed for the ceaseless construction of anti-U-boat vessels as each slip became vacant, but our growing numbers, and many signs of weakness in the enemy’s production and in the morale of their crews, require that the whole of this section should be reviewed.

Prime Minister to Minister of Aircraft Production
    6 Nov. 43

I am impressed by the large number of man-hours which your minute of October 27 shows to be consumed in modifications to service aircraft. I hope the modifications are confined to those strictly necessary to improve the fighting value of our aircraft.

Looking at the tables attached to your minute, the disquieting fact emerges that we have no really heavy bomber under development. The Vickers Windsor will not really be much larger—though we must trust it will be better—than the improved Lancaster, which will be coming into production at the end of next year. In the meanwhile the Americans have the Boeing B-29 already in production, with an all-up weight of 120,000 pounds, stated to carry nine tons of bombs with a range of 3000 miles. I understand they also have projected a six-engine aircraft, the B-36, with an all-up weight of over 250,000 pounds, designed to carry a load of over thirty tons with a range of 4600 miles. Ought we not to be looking forward to making aircraft of similar performance?

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War and C.I.G.S.
    6 Nov. 43

As I understand it, the plan is that on D-Day the Americans will have fifteen divisions in “Overlord” and we twelve. Now it seems to me a great pity that we cannot make our quota equal, or if possible one better. So much depends upon the interpretation given to the word “division.”
²
I should like to be able to tell them [the Americans], “We will match you man for man and gun for gun on the battle-front,” and also that we have made extra exertions for this. In this way we should maintain our right to be effectively consulted in operations which are of such capital consequence.

2. For the above purpose I would run considerable risks with what is left in the Island. If necessary the Home Guard could be largely mobilised during the period when all the Regular troops have left the country, and the resulting decline in the factory munitions output accepted.

3. We have carried the recent trouble about the Italian campaign entirely by mentioning that we had preponderance on the battle-front. We ought to
have at least equality in this other most critical task. Moreover, the announcement of the fact that we had lifted [i.e., increased] our contribution would sweeten all the discussions which are now proceeding, and might well enable us to secure any necessary retardation of D-Day. Pray think this over and let us talk together.

Prime Minister to the Lord President of the Council
    11 Nov. 43

I hope that out of the present surplus of grain you will manage to do a little more for the domestic poultry-keeper. He can usually provide or collect scrap to balance the grain, so that we get more eggs for a given amount than if it were handed to the commercial producer. It costs no labour, and the extra eggs are not an undue reward for the enterprise and initiative of the owner. Moreover, it gives him an interest and something to talk about. The present miserably small allowance of one ration per ration card frequently does not allow enough hens to be kept in a small household to justify putting up the poultry run, etc. I feel sure that if it were increased, a good many more people would produce their own eggs, and thus save shipping and labour.

Prime Minister to the President of the Board of Education
    11 Nov. 43

Thank you for your report of September 16 about the use of the cinema in schools. I have read it with interest, and I am glad to know that you are giving your personal attention to this matter.

2. There must be a number of children whose talents would remain undeveloped, or at any rate underdeveloped, if the written and spoken word was not supplemented by visual aids of this kind. In addition, really good films should benefit all school-children. The films produced might possibly fall into two main categories: (
a
) films designed to fit in with and illustrate the ordinary curriculum; and (
b
) films to show children the proud inheritance to which they are the heirs, and of which they will become in time the guardians.

3. You will not expect me to enter into any commitment on the financial side. The additional costs of the educational proposals shown in the appendix to your White Paper are considerable, and no doubt this particular aspect will be assessed in relation to the various other parts of your programme. I note however that in Germany a fee used to be charged to the parents to finance the provision of films and projectors. I am not clear how this would fit in with your proposals, more especially if the film becomes a part of the regular curriculum at which the children’s attendance is compulsory, but if there were voluntary shows presumably some form of charge could be made. Perhaps you would kindly develop this point for me in rather more detail.

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for C.O.S. Committee
    16 Nov. 43

The reasons which led us to supply a more substantial garrison to the Falkland Islands were serious, and I should like to know in what way they have been altered by the course of events before any reduction is authorised. It
would be a pity if a Japanese cruiser took over these islands, including the new defences which we are to leave unmanned. This is not a likely contingency, but it exists nonetheless. What would you propose to do with the fifteen hundred men? What regiments do they belong to?

Prime Minister to First Sea Lord, and to General Ismay, for C.O.S. Committee
    21 Nov. 43

The centre point of my thought is the capture of Rome at the beginning of January and the capture of Rhodes at the end. The former is already provided for. For the latter two requisites are necessary: first, a declaration of war by Turkey and the use of the Turkish bases; second, a good British division to be landed at the first wave, to be backed up and followed by the 10th Indian as the second wave. Landing ships and craft will be required therefore on the scale of a division. These divisions need not be fully equipped with transport, etc., on account of the small distances over which they have to operate and the fact that the eight thousand Germans will be pinned down to key points. How much landing-craft will be needed? Where can it be obtained? The First Sea Lord has in mind that some landing-ships now in Southeast Asia Command should come to the Mediterranean for this job and then return in time for “Culverin” [Sumatra] or any other operation there.

2. If it be true that Admiral Mountbatten has abandoned “Culverin,” there really cannot be much hurry. The capture of the Andamans is a trivial prize compared with Rhodes, and also it can be undertaken at any time later in the year. In addition to the capture of Rhodes and all that follows from it, the surrender or destruction of eight or nine thousand Germans will give us three times the [German] prisoners we have so far taken during all our operations in Italy.

D
ECEMBER

Prime Minister to Secretary of State for War
    13 Dec. 43

While in the Middle East my attention was drawn by the 4th Hussars to Army Council Instruction 1408, published on November 26, about the wearing of unauthorised headdresses. According to this, authorised headdress for all units of the Royal Armoured Corps (except 11th Hussars) is described as “black beret to be worn both with battle-dress and with service-dress,” although permission is given for officers to wear service-dress caps if in their possession until replacement becomes necessary.

2. The 4th Hussars are concerned lest after the war this ruling will continue and they, like the Tank Corps, will have no hat they can wear except the black beret.

3. As Colonel of the regiment, I should like to be able to assure them that, so far as the 4th Hussars are concerned, this is only a wartime measure, and that when supplies are more plentiful they will once more be allowed to purchase and wear service-dress caps.

4. I should like this assurance to be given. Pray let me know your views.

J
ANUARY

Prime Minister
(
Marrakesh
)
to Secretary of State for War
    7 Jan. 44

We should make every effort to ease the lot of the Home Guard, whose duties are more exhausting than those of any form of civil defence. Most of the men are now proficient and should not be compelled to attend parades merely to complete forty-eight hours of duty a month. Anti-aircraft Home Guard are credited with twelve hours for each night’s duty, whether there is an Alert or not, but the ordinary Home Guard’s parades are in the evenings and every week-end. Many of these men have had little free time for more than three years, and compulsory parades with fines, sometimes ending in imprisonment, for non-attendance can cause considerable industrial unrest.

At this stage in the war Home Guard hours of duty should be officially reduced and not left to the discretion of the unit commander. Guards and strenuous exercises should be cut to a minimum, and parades for those holding proficiency badges limited to weapon maintenance.

R
ADIO
P
ROXIMITY
F
USE

Prime Minister to First Lord and First Sea Lord
    10 Jan. 44

Are you content with the situation in which the American Navy will have a good supply of fuses, even for four-inch guns, by the spring, whereas we shall have no such facilities during the war? I consider this point is a serious one and should be faced by the Admiralty.

2. Is there any possibility of our obtaining an allocation from the United States, or are you satisfied that our methods are good enough?

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for C.O.S. Committee
    17 Jan. 44

This report [by the Joint Intelligence Staff on Japanese intentions in the Southeast Asia area] confirms the view I have held for some time that the danger of invasion of India by Japan has passed. During the next few months the Eastern Fleet will come into being, and will soon grow to a strength superior to any detachment which it would be worth while for the Japanese to make, having regard to the preoccupations in the Pacific. The air defence of India has also become very strong.

2. All the above brings me again to the conclusion that there ought to be a continuous reduction in the vast mass of low-grade troops now maintained under arms in India. Nearly two million men are on our pay-lists and ration strength, apart from the British troops in the country and on the frontier. The Viceroy and General Auchinleck should be instructed to reduce the numbers by at least half a million during the course of the present year. In this process, which will no doubt largely take place by uncompensated wastage, the greatest care should be taken to improve the quality of the remaining units and to rely as much as possible upon the martial races. An effort should be made to get back to the high efficiency and standard of the pre-war Indian
troops. The officers and skilled personnel from the disbanded battalions should be concentrated on these units, thus increasing the officer, and particularly the white officer, cadre. The standards of recruiting should everywhere be stiffened, and the intake reduced to the limits of the really trustworthy fighting recruits.

3. Meanwhile I should like to have a financial statement from the India Office showing the cost of the military establishments in India (exclusive of British troops) for every year since the outbreak of war, together with the average bearing of man-power.

Prime Minister to General Ismay
    19 Jan. 44

It would seem to be about time that the circular sent to generals and other high commanders about making speeches should be renewed. Let me see the text of it. There seem to have been a lot of speeches and interviews lately.

Prime Minister to General Ismay, for C.O.S. Committee
    19 Jan. 44

We ought to assert domination of the Dalmatian coast. It is within easy reach of our commanding Air Force in Italy. We have large naval superiority. After “Anzio” is over it ought to be easy to organise a circus of, say, two thousand Commando men and a dozen or so light tanks, and go round and clean up every single island the Germans have occupied, killing or capturing their garrisons. A plan should be made for this which we could consider and then present to the Supreme Commander for his consideration.

Pray let work be begun upon this at once. We are letting the whole of this Dalmatian coast be sealed off from us by an enemy who has neither the command of the air nor the sea. How can he garrison the islands in any strength to resist a concentrated attack?

Prime Minister to Dominions Secretary
    23 Jan. 44

I have always wanted the New Zealand Division to take part in the Battle of Rome, more as a symbol than because we cannot find other troops. This they are now very likely to do. It would be a pity for them to quit the European scene.

I should prefer to let the numbers of the division fall until they became a brigade group. Even so they could be called a division and some other brigade be attached to them. I like to have them there, and they will be proud of it in future years.

I should not ask Mr. Fraser to run into any serious difficulties about the return of particular individuals.

Prime Minister to General Ismay
    25 Jan. 44

General Montgomery speaks of his need to have ten Commando units for “Overlord” and has only seven. Pray let me know whether this request could be met. What arrangements have been made for bringing home some of the
specialised personnel for teaching purposes of the 2d Special Air Service Regiment? It is not intended to bring the regiment home, but I agreed that some of the special personnel should come as instructors.