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T H I S DOCUMEHT IS T H E PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

Printed for the War Cabinet. February 1940.

S E C R E T . Copy No .

W . M . (40) 33rd Conclusions.

It h vm$mmia& that special care may be taken to fssisiipe the mmmj of this document.

W A R C A B I N E T 3 3 ( 4 0 ) .

CONCLUSIONS of a Meeting of the War Cabinet held at 10 Downing Street, S.W. 1, on Monday, February 5, 1940, at 11-30 A.M.

P re sen t :

T h e R i g h t Hon . Si r J O H N S I M O N , K . C , M . P , Chancel lor of the Exchequer (in the Chair).v

T h e R i g h t Hon . S i r S A M U E L H O A R E , A d m i r a l of the Fleet the R i g h t H o n . B t , ' M . P , L o r d P r i v y Seal. L O R D C H A T F I E L D , Min i s te r for Co­

o rd ina t ion of Defence. The R i g h t H o n . L O R D H A N K E Y .

Min i s t e r w i t h o u t Portfol io .

T h e following were also present :

The R i g h t Hon . S i r J O H N A N D E R S O N , The R i g h t Hon . A N T H O N Y E D E N , M . P , M . P , Secre tary of S t a t e for the Secre tary of S t a t e for Domin ion Home D e p a r t m e n t a n d Min i s t e r of Affairs. H o m e Secur i ty .

The R i g h t Hon . W. S. M O R R I S O N , K . C , Sir H O R A C E J . W I L S O N , P e r m a n e n t M.P . , Chancellor of the Duchy of Secre tary to the Treasu ry . Lancas t e r and Min i s t e r of Food (Item 7).

Sir O R M E SARGENT, Depu ty U n d e r - L ieu tenan t -Genera l H . R. S. M A S S Y , Secre tary of S ta te , Fore ign Office. Depu ty Chief of the Imper i a l Genera l

Staff. '

R e a r - A d m i r a l H . M. BURROUGH, A i r Vice-Marsha l R. H . P E C K , Di rec tor -Ass i s t an t Chief of Nava l Staff. Genera l of Opera t ions , A i r M i n i s t r y

(Items 1-4).

Secretariat. Si r E D W A R D B R I D G E S .

S i r R U P E R T H O W O R T H .

Colonel L. C. H O L L I S , R . M . Mr . F . H E M M I N G .

Lieutenant -Colonel V. D Y K E S , R . E .

Lieutenant-Colonel E . I . C. J A C O B , R . E .

[ 2 0 7 8 3 ]

W A R C A B I N E T 33 ( 4 0 ) .

C O N T E N T S . Minute

No. Subject.1 The A i r S i t u a t i o n

Attacks on Eas t Coast shipping.

2 The Nava l S i t u a t i o n :

First Canadian Division: Third convoy. Proposed seizure of German supplies to TJ.S.S.R. Attacks on Bast Coast shipping.

3 The M i l i t a r y S i t ua t i on . . .Western Front. Finland.

4 Weekly Resume

5 T h e F a r E a s t : Re la t ions w i t h J a p a n . . .The case of the S.S. Asama Maru.

6 R o u m a n i a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Supply of equipment and raw materials.

7 M e a t R a t i o n i n gDate of introduction and amount of ration.

Page 255

255

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257

257

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258

The Air 1. The Director of Operations, Air Ministry, sa id tha t , on Situation. S a t u r d a y , a t t a c k s h a d been ca r r ied out on sh ipp ing off the E a s t (Previous coast by 16 G e r m a n a i r c r a f t . A l l except four of these h a d t aken Reference: place off the coasts of Scot land and Nor the rn Eng l and , as Sou th W.M. (40) 32nd of the W a s h the vis ibi l i ty h a d been extremely low. 117 F i g h t e r Conclusions, a i r c r a f t h a d been sent up , a n d five of the enemy a i r c r a f t h a d been Minute 1.) in te rcep ted . Of these th ree h a d been shot down, a n d one waS Attacks on East believed to have fal len into the sea on i t s way home. Our a i r c r a f t Coast shipping. h a d sus ta ined no loss.

The re h a d been no opera t ions on Sunday, nor had any enemy a i r c r a f t been repor ted .

E x a m i n a t i o n of G e r m a n a i r c r a f t which h a d been shot down by our fighters showed t h a t the modern al l-metal ae rop lane would s t and very heavy pun i shmen t . E a c h one had more t h a n 250 bullet holes in i t . T h e He inke l w a s difficult t o shoot down from the s tern , as, a l though the r ea r gunne r w a s probably near ly a lways killed a t once, the p i lo t was well protected by the meta l s t r u t s of the fuselage, a n d by the bomb s towage compar tments . I n most cases, the a i r c ra f t h a d been b rough t down t h r o u g h damage to both i ts engines. The pe t ro l t a n k s were self-sealing, a n d several a i r c r a f t h a d reached home on one engine. I n rep ly to t he Minis te r w i thou t Por t fo l io he sa id t h a t the la tes t He inke l would be much more vulnerable to cannon t h a n to machine gun fire.

The Lord Privy Seal suggested t h a t a vis i t by an Officer from H e a d q u a r t e r s , F i g h t e r Command, to the var ious l ifeboat crews on the E a s t coast, who b a d h a d such a very h a r d t ime recently, would be g rea t ly app rec i a t ed , and would show t h a t F i g h t e r Command recognised the need for co-operat ion between the l ifeboats a n d the de fend ing a i r c ra f t . T h e crews of these l ifeboats r a n the r i sk of be ing affected by the a i r a t t a c k s on ne ighbour ing l igh tsh ips , and if i t were possible to a r r a n g e t h a t l ifeboats on their w a y out to s h i p p i n g in d is t ress were protected by fighter a i rc ra f t , the morale of the crews would be sus ta ined.

The Director of Operations under took to invest igate t h i s suggest ion, a n d to ca r ry i t o u t if i t were . pract icable .

The Assistant Chief of Naval Staff said t h a t the A d m i r a l t y h a d p r e p a r e d a le t ter to the Na t iona l L i feboa t I n s t i t u t i o n recog­n i s ing the work of t he lifeboats, a n d they were a r r a n g i n g for the le t t e r to be h a n d e d to the I n s t i t u t i o n by the D u k e of Ken t .

The W a r Cabine t took note of the above discussion.

The Naval 2. The Assistant Chief of Naval Staff described the a r r a n g e -Situation. men t s m a d e for the movement of the th i rd C a n a d i a n t roop convoy. First Canadian Division: third convoy. (Previous Reference: W.M. (40) 32nd Conclusions, . Minute 2.)

Proposed seizure H e also re fe r red to the disposi t ions t aken to in te rcep t the two of German G e r m a n sh ips r epor ted to be ca r ry ing mun i t ions to M u r m a n s k . supplies to B a d w e a t h e r h a d prevented a i r reconnaissance for these two ships , TJ.S.S.R. a n d no recent in fo rmat ion as to the i r whereabouts was available. (Previous Reference: W.M. (40) 31st Conclusions, Minute 2.)

[20783] B 2

Attacks on Eas t Deta i l s of the enemy a i r a t t acks on E a s t coast s h i p p i n g on the Coast shipping. 3rd F e b r u a r y were given. 17 a t t a c k s i n all h a d been made , in wh ich (Previous the Norweg ian ship Tempo h a d been sunk a n d three o thers Reference: considerably damaged . Minor damage a n d casual t ies to personnel W.M. (40) 32nd h a d also occurred on other ships. A d i s t u r b i n g f e a t u r e of these Conclusions, a t t acks w a s the r epor t t h a t four merchan t ships h a d been unable Minute 2.) to sail from the H u m b e r recently owing to the difficulty in o b t a i n i n g

crews. There w a s some unwi l l ingness to s ign on in sh ips p l y i n g a long the E a s t Coast. The u r g e n t necessity w a s to find some form of counter to the Ge rman a i r a t t acks . P r ac t i c a l l y a l l "ships were now sai l ing e i ther in convoys or in groups . T h i s would be of g r e a t ass is tance to F i g h t e r Command in p rov id ing a i r escorts . T h r e e escort ships accompanied each convoy, and exper ience showed t h a t the Ge rman a i r c r a f t were unwi l l ing to a t t a c k sh ips which could re t a l i a t e aga in s t them. The small coas t ing vessels h a d suffered most seriously, and less progress h a d been made in fitting them w i t h an t i - a i r c r a f t weapons t h a n in the case of the ocean-going sh ips . Th i s w a s pa r t l y due to the short t ime which coas t ing sh ips spen t in harbour . P l e n t y of 12-pdr. guns were avai lable , and the Admi ra l t y h a d now taken powers to de t a in coas t ing ships in h a r b o u r long enough to fit the guns on to them.

I n discussion, i t was agreed t h a t the difficulty in ob t a in ing crews m i g h t be the beg inn ing of serious trouble. I t w a s essent ia l t h a t no reference to i t should be made in the P r e s s , and the A d m i r a l t y would take the necessary s teps to th i s end. T h e A d m i r a l t y was a l ready in close touch w i t h the M i n i s t r y of S h i p p i n g

; on the whole quest ion of ob ta in ing crews.

Con t inu ing , the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff said t h a t 2 officers a n d 44 r a t i n g s h a d been saved from H . M . S . Sphinx, wh ich h a d been lost whi le be ing towed to ha rbour a f t e r h a v i n g been bombed

Vr on the 3rd Februa ry . The tow h a d p a r t e d three t imes, and t h e sh ip h a d been abandoned d u r i n g the n ight . The to ta l casual t ies , which included the commanding officer, who was ki l led in the first

.. a t tack , would amount to about 40. H . M . S . Boreas, w h i c h h a d t a k e n off the crew of H . M . S . Sphinx, h a d damaged her s tem when go ing alongside.

Enemy a t t acks on t r a d e on the 3rd F e b r u a r y were as follows :—

S.s. Armanistan (6,S00 tons), torpedoed and sunk "120 miles west of Lisbon when in convoy, escorted by 2 F rench vessels. The crew h a d been picked u p by a Span ish sh ip .

D u t c h s.s. Laertes (5,800 tons), bound to A m s t e r d a m , h a d s t ruck w h a t w a s probably a floating mine in the Channe l 6 miles south of H a s t i n g s , bu t w a s proceeding u n d e r her own power.

The re h a d been no enemy a t t acks on t r a d e on the 4 th Feb rua ry , bu t the F rench ship Marie Dawn (2,166 tons), wh ich had lost touch wi th the convoy, had anchored in w h a t proved to be one of our mine­fields off H a r w i c h . When weigh ing anchor a mine h a d exploded, d a m a g i n g the sh ip . The master h a d ordered the s h i p to be scutt led, as he t hough t she would be a dange r to nav iga t ion .

The a t t a ck reported by H .M.S . Viscount on an enemy submar ine 40 miles south-west of LancLs E n d was t h o u g h t to have been successful.

The re were believed to be about 4 enemy submar ines off Lisbon. Recent ly considerable act iv i ty h a d been repor ted among the G e r m a n merchan t sh ips in Span i sh and Po r tuguese por t s , a n d there were rumours t h a t the Ge rmans in tended to form a convoy of these ships , together w i th others from South Amer i can por t s , wh ich would be escorted home by the i r submar ines . I t would have been possible for some of the G e r m a n sh ips which h a d left Sou th A m e r i c a to reach/an a rea off the P o r t u g u e s e coast about th i s t ime. The a rea in quest ion was w i t h i n t he French zone.

The Military Situation. Western Front and Finland. (Previous Reference: W.M. (40) 32nd Conclusions, Minute 2.)

Weekly Resume. (Previous Reference: W.M. (40) 26th Conclusions, Minute 5.)

The Far East: Relations with Japan. The case of the S.S. .4sama Maru. (Previous Reference: W.M. (40) 32nd Conclusions, Minute 5.)

A n explosion h a d occurred in the minesweep ing t r a w l e r Firefly on the 3 rd Feb rua ry , as a resul t of the de tona t ion of a. mine w h i c h w a s be ing recovered. T h i s h a d resul ted in several casual t ies to personnel a n d some damage to the supe r s t ruc tu r e of the vessel, which was being towed to Le i th . A n enqu i ry into the inc ident w a s be ing made .

T h e W a r C a b i n e t ­(i) Took note of the above s ta tement .

(ii) I nv i t ed t he Min i s t e r of S h i p p i n g to submi t a r epo r t shor t ly on the p resen t pos i t ion in the m a n n i n g of merchan t vessels on the E a s t Coast t r ade .

3. The Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff sa id t h a t the re w a s no th ing to r epo r t from the W e s t e r n Fron t .

I n F i n l a n d the re h a d been no change in the s i tua t ion . The big a t t a c k made by the Russ i ans on the 1st F e b r u a r y h a d p e n e t r a t e d the F i n n i s h line, b u t the R u s s i a n s had been subsequent ly dr iven out. They h a d renewed the i r a t t a c k s on the 3rd, b u t w i t h less vigour, a n d h a d been repulsed.

I n reply to the Lord P r i v y Seal, the -Deputy Chief of the I m p e r i a l Genera l Staff sa id t h a t B r i g a d i e r L i n g b a d r e tu rned from F i n l a n d , as h a d the two men who h a d gone there w i t h Br i t i sh equ ipmen t for the F inns . A p a r t f rom our M i l i t a r y A t t a c h e , we now h a d three Officers in F i n l a n d on a special mission, a n d two In te l l igence Officers i n t e r r o g a t i n g R u s s i a n pr i soners .

The W a r Cabine t took note of the above s ta tement .

4. The W a r Cabine t took note of Weekly Resume No. 22 bv the Chiefs of Staff ( W . P . (40) 42).

5. Sir Orme Sargent re fer red to t e legram No. 238 (R.), da t ed t he 4 t h February , 1940, from H i s Majes ty ' s Ambassador , Tokyo, r e p o r t i n g a fu r the r communica t ion from the J a p a n e s e Vice-Minis te r for F o r e i g n Affairs. The J a p a n e s e Government h a d agreed to s t a t e t h a t they h a d ins t ruc ted J a p a n e s e s h i p p i n g companies to refuse passage to any ind iv idua l of a bel l igerent count ry who was embodied in the a rmed forces of t h a t country , or was suspected of being so embodied. B u t they were now ask ing for the r e t u r n of a t least eleven of the Ge rmans ins tead of n ine as previously agreed. T h e Sec re ta ry of S ta t e for Fo re ign Affairs h a d agreed to the increase of the number of G e r m a n s to be r e tu rned from nine to ten, or, if necessary, to eleven.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer welcomed the se t t lement effected, but though t the ac tua l formula not very sa t is factory. I n fact we proposed to rely upon a " gent lemen 's a g r e e m e n t " w i t h the J a p a n e s e Government which we could not refer to in public. The fac t t h a t a se t t lement h a d been reached would be announced on Tuesday , the 6 th Februa ry , 1940, a n d the Notes would be publ i shed on the ensuing day. Our announcement would be m a d e in the House of Commons, a n d he though t i t much bet ter t h a t i t should not only deal w i t h the fu ture , bu t should also s ta te t h a t

Roumania.Supply ofequipment andraw materials.(PreviousReference:W.M. (40) 28thConclusions,Minute 9.)

Meat Rationing. Date of intro­duction and amount of ration. (Previous Reference: W.M. (39) 106th Conclusions, Minute 4.)

we b a d agreed to the r e t u r n of some of the Germans in question-Owing to t he difference in t ime between Tokyo a n d London, there was a r i sk t h a t t e l egraph ic repor ts of the J a p a n e s e announcement on Tuesday m i g h t reach London before our s ta tement in the House of Commons. I t seemed desirable to a r r a n g e t h a t any such repor ts , if received, should not be published in Tuesday ' s evening papers , before the s t a t emen t h a d been made in the House of Commons.

The W a r C a b i n e t ­(i) Took note of the above discussion. (ii) Inv i t ed S i r Orme Sargen t to confer w i t h the M i n i s t r y of

I n f o r m a t i o n wi th a view to e n s u r i n g t h a t p a r t i c u l a r s of the se t t lement w i th the J a p a n e s e Government , if r epor ted by te legram from J a p a n , should not a p p e a r in B r i t i s h newspapers un t i l a f te r the s ta tement to be m a d e in the H o u s e of Commons, on Tuesday , the 6 th Februa ry , 1940.

6. I n reply to a quest ion by the Min i s t e r w i thou t Portfolio, . Sir Orme Sargent sa id t h a t he t hough t t h a t M. Gafencu ' s absence

from Bucha res t a t the mee t ing of the B a l k a n Entente accounted for the R o u m a n i a n Government ' s delay in r ep ly ing to the a ide-memoire

which the Secre ta ry of S ta t e for Fo re ign Affairs h a d h a n d e d h* M. Ti lea , t he R o u m a n i a n Min i s t e r in London, on the 30th J a n u a r y ,

1940. W h e n the rep ly was available, i t would, he thought , be preferable for i t to be communicated to S i r Reg ina ld H o a r e in

Buchares t , r a t h e r t han by M. Ti lea to the Fo re ign Office in London . The W a r Cabine t took note of the above s ta tement .

7. The Lord Privy Seal sa id t h a t on the 2nd F e b r u a r y the Min i s t e r i a l Sub-Commit tee on Food Pol icy h a d considered the da te of in t roduc t ion of m e a t r a t i o n i n g a n d the amoun t of the ra t ion , a n d had recommended the W a r Cabinet to approve the following proposals, p u t f o rward by the Min i s t e r of Food :—

(a) T h a t the weekly ind iv idua l r a t i on should be of the value of Is. 10d., equivalent to weigh t of I f lb. of mea t w i t h average bone.

(b) T h a t provis ion of mea t outs ide the ra t ion should be made: for meals in r e s t au ran t s , i n d u s t r i a l a n d other canteens, a n d a t o ther forms of ca t e r ing es tabl ishments , inc lud ing schools, clubs, & c , by a l loca t ing a l imi ted q u a n t i t y of bu tche r s ' meat , possibly a m o u n t i n g to 60 per cent, of the i r no rma l requi rements , to such es tabl ishments , to be served " free of the coupon ." The amount of mea t so e a r m a r k e d to be controlled u p w a r d s a n d d o w n w a r d s accord ing to the supply s i tua t ion .

(c) T h a t the Min i s t e r of Food should announce these proposals in the H o u s e of Commons on Tuesday , the 6 th Februa ry , a n d should a t the same t ime announce t h a t the ac tua l ' r a t i o n i n g of mea t would begin on Monday , the 11th March , 1940.

T h e mea t supply posi t ion was be t te r t h a n i t h a d been ear ly i n December last, w h e n the quest ion h a d been considered by the W a r Cabinet . T h i s enabled the mea t r a t i on to be generous a n d pe rmi t t ed the exclusion from the r a t i o n of mea t consumed in r e s t au ran t s , canteens a n d other s imi la r communal ins t i tu t ions . Mea t meals a t such places would be ''' free of the coupon." T h i s avoided the minor inconveniences inc iden ta l to the r e n d e r i n g of

f rac t ions of a coupon when mea t meals were consumed away from home. T h e Sub-Commit tee favoured acceptance of the Min i s t e r of Food ' s proposals .

I n reply to quest ions, the Minister of Food in formed the W a r Cab ine t t h a t i t would be possible to vary the amoun t of the ra t ion , a n d also the amoun t of mea t e a r m a r k e d for communal i n s t i t u t ions accord ing to the supply posi t ion. R a t i o n i n g could not begin u n t i l 26 days af te r the amoun t of the ra t ion w a s announced. Owing to recent abnormal wea the r condi t ions , there h a d been a subs tan t i a l fa l l ing off in the amoun t of home suppl ies offered to the Min i s t ry , b u t the la tes t figures showed a n u p w a r d tendency.

Meals for necessitous and other school chi ldren would be covered in the general communal food a r r angemen t s .

Mr . E r n e s t Bevin, the Secre ta ry of the T r a d e s U n i o n Congress, had s t rongly favoured these communal a r r a n g e m e n t s on the g r o u n d tha t , the T r a d e Un ions h a v i n g agreed in the na t iona l in te res t to reduce the no rma l d inner hour in terval in works , i t w a s des i rable t h a t the workers should not have to devote any of th i s reduced t ime to quest ions a r i s i ng on the i r coupons. It. was recognised t h a t the re m i g h t be difficulties, e.g., in the m i n i n g d is t r ic t s , where some p i t s h a d canteens a n d o thers h a d not. T h i s m i g h t cause some t rouble as between ad jo in ing p i t s .

In conclusion, the Min i s t e r of Food pointed out t h a t the amoun t of the r a t i on now proposed compared very favourably w i t h a n y mea t ra t ion au thor i sed d u r i n g the G r e a t W a r .

The Chancellor of the Exchequer po in ted out t h a t the a r r a n g e ­ments now proposed d id not include a supp lemen ta ry r a t i o n to worker s employed on heavy m a n u a l labour. H e found i t difficult to ju s t i fy the g r a n t to members of the F i g h t i n g Services on service in th i s count ry of a much la rger r a t i on t h a n was al lowed to worker s engaged on heavy m a n u a l labour.

The Lord Privy Seal in formed the W a r Cabinet t h a t the ques t ion of Service r a t ions w a s to be considered by the Min i s t e r i a l Sub-Commit tee on Food Pol icy la ter tha t week.

A s r e g a r d s the proposa l for a meat less day, the C a t e r i n g i n d u s t r y much p re fe r red the a r r a n g e m e n t s now proposed, which would, in effect, a t t a i n the same objective, namely, reduced consump­t ion of mea t .

The Minister of Food agreed w i t h the L o r d P r i v y Seal a n d t h o u g h t t h a t a meat less day would, from the p r o p a g a n d a po in t of view, have a depress ing effect.

The W a r Cab ine t— A p p r o v e d the recommendat ions of the Min i s t e r i a l Sub-Commit tee on Food Pol icy set ou t above.

Richmond Terrace, S.W. 1, February 5, 1940.