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Minute from WSC to Home Secretary [and Minister of Home Security, Herbert Morrison] generally approving of [Morrison's] statement [on the new warning system for flying bomb attacks], suggesting further information is given, and commenting on the timing of the announcement [to the House of Commons]. [Carbon copy].

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Draft minute from WSC to Home Secretary [and Minister of Home Security, Herbert Morrison] generally approving of [Morrison's] statement [on the new warning system for flying bomb attacks], suggesting further information is given, and commenting on the timing of the announcement [to the House of Commons]. [annotated by WSC].

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Statement by Herbert Morrison [Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security] setting out the new warning system for flying bomb attacks, prepared as an answer to Edgar Granville MP. [Carbon copy].

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Minute from WSC to Home Secretary [and Minister of Home Security, Herbert Morrison] giving views on a report [on a new warning system for flying bomb attacks] commenting on the universality of the system, instructions to bus drivers and the public, and the terms of the announcement. [Carbon copy].

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Minute from "H M" [Herbert Morrison], Minister of Home Security, to WSC marked "Secret" enclosing a note of a meeting to consider the institution of a system of imminent danger warnings [for flying bomb attacks, see CHAR 20/231/77-78] and stating that he would like to announce the decision in the House [of Commons] as soon as possible. [initialled].

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Note of a meeting held in the Home Office between the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security [Herbert Morrison], the Minister of Aircraft Production [Sir Stafford Cripps], the Minister of War Transport [1st Lord Leathers], the Minister of Works [Lord Portal, earlier Sir Wyndham Portal], and others, on the institution of a system of imminent danger warnings for air raids, marked "Secret".

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Extract from War Cabinet minutes of discussions on improving the public warning system for attacks by flying bombs, including contributions from the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security [Herbert Morrison], the Minister of Aircraft Production [Sir Stafford Cripps], the Minister of War Transport [1st Lord Leathers], and the Minister of Production [Oliver Lyttelton, later 1st Lord Chandos].

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Minute from "H M" [Herbert Morrison], Minister of Home Security, to WSC suggesting that warnings for single flying bombs are instituted in "outer districts" of London, but that this will not greatly affect the number of warnings for the main part of London. [initialled] Annotated reply by WSC on 25 July doubting the value of this. [also annotated by WSC's Secretary Patrick Kinna and flagged "X"].

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Extract from War Cabinet minutes of discussions on whether to modify the public warning system for attacks by flying bombs, including contributions from the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security [Herbert Morrison] and WSC.

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War Cabinet memorandum by the Minister of Labour and National Service [Ernest Bevin] marked "Secret" on public warnings for flying bombs suggesting "some warning of imminent danger should be given generally in the London Region".

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War Cabinet memorandum by the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security [Herbert Morrison] marked "Secret" on public warnings for flying bombs: setting out the existing arrangements in Greater London and the rest of South-East England and arguments for modifying the system, but concluding: "I therefore consider that a public warning is still necessary for flying bombs and piloted aircraft alike", with an appendix of copies of four recent letters from the public on the matter.

Scope and Contents

Extract from War Cabinet minutes of discussions on modifying the public warning system for attacks by flying bombs, including contributions from WSC, the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security [Herbert Morrison] and the Minister of Aircraft Production [Sir Stafford Cripps].

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Minute from WSC to Home Secretary [and Minister of Home Security, Herbert Morrison] suggesting the use of air raid sirens "requires immediate consideration" because of the creation of a "great deal of needless unrest", commenting on the need to clarify the purpose of the siren, what he has noticed of people's reactions, and arguing for more use to be made of shelters. [Carbon; annotated by Sir Desmond Morton, Prime Minister's Personal Assistant].

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Extract from War Cabinet minutes of WSC's comments on reviewing the air raid warning system to ensure that warnings are not sounded because of the presence of isolated aircraft and the conclusion of a Staff Conference later that afternoon to that effect.

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Telegram from WSC [in the United States] to Secretary of State for War [Sir James Grigg] marked "From: Octagon" and "Gunfire 280" and "Personal and Top Secret" on the Home Guard returning their boots or uniforms. [Copy].

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Letter from Desmond Morton, Crockham Hill, Kent to WSC, expressing disappointment that WSC had not been appointed Minister of Defence, and criticising Baldwin's choice, Sir Thomas Inskip (later Lord Caldecote).

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Telegram from Charles Taylor MP to WSC, expressing disappointment that WSC had not been appointed Minister of Defence.

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Letter from Lord Lloyd, Portman Square, London W1 to WSC, criticising the appointment of Sir Thomas Inskip (later Lord Caldecote) as Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence. Commenting that Stanley Baldwin wanted someone who would give him no trouble or press any difficult questions or demands.

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Letter from Paul Maze, Chinatown St., London SW1 to WSC, offering sympathy on him not being appointed Minister of Defence. Commenting that the public were beginning to realise that WSC was right. "Hitler will come to heel if he knows that all countries are against him".

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Letter from the PS to Oliver Locker Lampson to Violet Pearman, PS to WSC, enclosing parliamentary question to the Prime Minister on the creation of the post of Minister for Defence, and asking if there could be a debate on the appointment.

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Letter from WSC to Edward Fitzroy [Speaker of the House of Commons], explaining that he wants to have a debate in Parliament on the work of the Committee of Imperial Defence's sub-committee on defence against attack from the air, to emphasize the importance of the subject. Unsigned copy.

Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to Sir Abe Bailey, stating that he was sure that "The Times" would not print a letter containing a favourable reference to him. That a week earlier Lord Bayford had made a friendly reference to him at a Conservative meeting, "The Times omitted this reference which in every other paper was the only sentence printed from the speech". Commenting that "in the present posture of affairs I have no wish whatever for office. I would not join any Government which I did not feel was...

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Letter from Freddie Guest, Street's Mews, London W1 to WSC, commenting that Clement Attlee (Leader of the Labour Party) would support WSC on any rearmament programme "He admires and likes you. The door is open if you want to talk to him". Also invitation to lunch in honour of the Queen of Spain.

Scope and Contents Letter from Desmond Morton, Crockham Hill, Kent to WSC, stating that the Civil Service proposed to give him a permanent post after 17 years "temporary Service", so that he could eventually draw a pension, and that he had named WSC as a referee. Also commenting on the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, reporting that the opinion of the Carlton Club was that SB was not going until "Death or the Coronation". Also that there was "trouble brewing aboun Anthony Eden (later Lord Avon), Foreign...

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Letter from WSC to Lady Houston, thanks for letter on the League of Nations, stating that he had very carefully considered the course he was taking from the view of the "safety of England from the German Nazi menace", and that he shared her regrets for the "misguided policy of the MacDonald-Badwin regime" in defence and external affairs [carbon].