Old file cover: "Norway" and "Operation Paul" [mining of Scandinavian shipping channels to prevent ore being exported to Germany].

Minute from WSC to "M.C.C" [Military Co-ordination Committee] and [Major-]General [Hastings] Ismay [Secretary, Committee of Imperial Defence] asking if a Commander in Chief of a North West Expeditionary Force [?Major-General Pierse Mackesy] is still required simply to deal with Bodo, Mo and Mosjeon, now that operations are limited to Narvik [all in Norway] under the command of [Admiral of the Fleet, 12th] Lord Cork [and Orrery]; initialled by WSC.

Minute from [Major-General Hastings] Ismay [Secretary, Committee of Imperial Defence] (Offices of the War Cabinet) to First Lord [of the Admiralty, WSC] giving the decision of the Chiefs of Staff that the post of Commander-in-Chief, North West Expeditionary Force, [?Major-General Pierse Mackesy] should cease to exist once his work has passed to the Flag Officer at Narvik [Norway, Admiral of the Fleet, 12th] Lord Cork [and Orrery].

Letter from WSC to [Major-General Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] and copied to Colonel [Ian] Jacob [Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet] on the needless delay over operation "Paul" [mining of Scandinavian shipping channels to prevent ore being exported to Germany]; comments on the Illustrious being wasted when it is needed to collect aeroplanes from the United States. [carbon copy].

Minute from the 1st Sea Lord [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound] to WSC informing him that after the evacuation of Narvik [Norway] is finished the Ark Royal will carry out Operation Paul [mining of Scandinavian shipping channels to prevent ore being exported to Germany] in a modified form. Annotated by WSC on 8 June: "Good".

Memorandum from "D P" [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound, 1st Sea Lord] to WSC and copied to First Lord [of the Admiralty, A V Alexander, later 1st Lord Alexander of Hillsborough], explaining modifications to Operation Paul [mining of Scandinavian shipping channels to prevent ore being exported to Germany], necessary due to ice in the Gulf of Bothnia and the German occupation of Norwegian aerodromes; annotated by WSC.

Draft minute from WSC to 1st Sea Lord [Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound] and copied to First Lord [of the Admiralty, A V Alexander, later 1st Lord Alexander of Hillsborough] insisting that Operation Paul [mining of Scandinavian shipping channels to prevent ore being exported to Germany] go ahead in some form; suggests aerodromes at "Bardufoss" and "Skaanland" [both Norway] be bombed.

Telegram from Flag Officer, Narvik [Norway, Admiral of the Fleet, 12th Lord Cork and Orrery] to WSC and high ranking members of the Admiralty marked "Secret" on action concerning aerodromes and possible landing sites in Norway. [copy].

Telegram from Admiralty to Flag Officer, Narvik [Norway, Admiral of the Fleet, 12th Lord Cork and Orrery] requiring aerodromes at "Bardufoss" and "Skaanland" [both Norway] to be rendered incapable of use so they cannot be used by the Germans to interfere with Operation Paul [mining of Scandinavian shipping channels to prevent ore being exported to Germany]. [copy with covering note].

Minute from WSC to [Major-]General [Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] asking if the "Mowinckle Plan" will prevent the laying of mines in the approach to Lulea [Sweden], thus interfering with Operation Paul [to prevent ore being exported to Germany]. [annotated copy].

Minute from WSC to [Major-]General [Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] requiring mines to be laid in the approach to Lulea [Sweden] before the evacuation of Narvik [Norway]; asks for a plan to be drawn up using flights from aircraft-carriers. [copy].

Minute from WSC to [Major-]General [Hastings] Ismay [Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence] on obstructing German ships from removing ore from Lulea [Sweden]; suggests planting "vegetables" [mines]. [copy].

Proof copy of "The Twenty-Five Days" by John Masefield. [Printed, separate item in box].

Letter from WSC to Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States, challenging the decision by the United States to withdraw Lend-Lease funding for operations Bolero [codename for preparations for the invasion of Normandy, France] and Roundup [codename for the Allied invasion of North West Europe] in favour of Torch [codename for Allied invasion of North West Africa].

Letter from Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin, Foreign Secretary] (Foreign Office) to WSC on their different attitudes to the Narvik [Norway] project.

Letter and report from [5th Lord] Munster [earlier Geoffrey FitzClarence, ADC to 6th Lord Gort, earlier John Vereker, Commander-in-Chief of the British Field Force], to WSC on the German raid on Hartbusch.

Letter from WSC to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain on creation of an Economic Minister, refers to Sir Kingsley Wood [Secretary of State for Air], Henry Page Croft and Sam [Sir Samuel Hoare, later 1st Lord Templewood, Lord Privy Seal], and to his desire to visit Edouard Daladier [French Minister of War] to talk about the British mining operation in Norwegian waters. [manuscript copy, not in WSC's hand].

Letter from WSC (Admiralty) to King George VI thanking him for his encouragement and describing plans for the Scandinavian campaign.

Letter from [Eric] Seal, Private Secretary to WSC, to [Arthur] Rucker [Principal], Private Secretary to Prime Minster, asking for the enclosed memorandum by WSC on military action in Scandinavia to be passed to [Neville] Chamberlain and Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin, Foreign Secretary]. [carbon with manuscript annotations by WSC; 2 pages extant, subsequent pages not in file].

Telegram from WSC to Admiral Sir Charles Forbes, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, asking for clarification of decisions in Norwegian waters and offering information on rapidly changing events. [copy; for draft see CHAR 19/2C/291].

Letter from [Rear-]Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser [Controller of the Navy] to WSC, criticising the evacuation of Central Norway and giving advice on future Scandinavian movements [annotated "First Lord saw Controller 30/4/40"]; with covering letter from "E A S" [Eric Seal, Principal Private Secretary to First Lord of the Admiralty] to [Arthur] Rucker, [Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minster Neville Chamberlain]. [annotated "recalled before it was shown to the Prime Minister"].