Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: accepts Roosevelt's proposals [on British and American commands in Burma, see CHAR 20/72/28-30] and has sent instructions to General Sir Archibald Wavell [Commander-in-Chief, India] and General Harold Alexander [General Officer Commanding, Burma, later Myanmar]; comments on plans for bombing U-boat construction yards, which has been held back by the weather; refers to the possibility of attack by long range...

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Telegram from the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] to WSC: states that WSC will be advised as soon as possible about the [Australian] 9th Division; thanks WSC for assurances of support in the event of invasion; comments on the aircraft position in Australia.

Scope and Contents Telegram from Sir Stafford Cripps [Lord Privy Seal] to WSC reciting his conclusions on the situation in the Middle East: states that "at present time neither our strength in tanks nor in air is such as to give any chance worth considering of a successful offensive"; gives details of tank and air strength; comments on the need for heavy bombers; comments on the view of General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief, Middle East] that there can be no offensive before mid-May; states that...

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: comments on his loan of American shipping and release of the Queen Mary, the Queen Elizabeth and the Aquitania for British use; suggests that a further 9000 American troops be sent to Iceland; expresses pleasure at the level of shipping of American personnel; expresses anxiety at the level of air provision for the Levant-Caspian front and asks for American light bombers and fighters to be diverted to the Middle...

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Telegram from Sir Stafford Cripps [Lord Privy Seal] (India) to WSC regarding the defence of North Eastern India: states that the next few weeks will be critical for morale; warns that the result may be disastrous if Calcutta is bombed without any effective defence; comments on the desperate need for up-to-date fighters and suggests alternative means of obtaining these from Britain or the Middle East or Ceylon [later Sri Lanka].

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to Sir Stafford Cripps [Lord Privy Seal] (India) regarding fighters for the defence of India: comments on the numbers of Hurricanes in India; states that nothing sent from Britain could affect the situation for at least two months; comments on suggestions for diverting fighters from Ceylon [later Sri Lanka] or the Middle East; refers to remarks by General Sir Archibald Wavell [Commander-in-Chief, India] regarding the inability of the Eastern Fleet to respond to a sea-borne...

Scope and Contents Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India, to WSC regarding the need for air reinforcements in India: states that the Japanese are likely to seize Burma [later Myanmar] air bases and will then be able to attack Calcutta and industrial Bengal [parts of Bangladesh and India] and stresses the need for a bombing force capable of attacking a sea-borne expedition against India; comments on existing reinforcement flow and suggests that consideration be given to the...

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India, regarding aircraft provision for India: refers to a telegram he has sent to the Lord Privy Seal [Sir Stafford Cripps, on fighter cover for India, see CHAR 20/72/107-108]; states that the Chief of the Air Staff [Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal] has telegraphed Air Vice-Marshal Douglas Evill [Head of RAF Delegation to Washington, United States] for American reactions; comments on present fighter aircraft...

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] regarding bombing: states that bombing attacks are being made on U-boat nests and reports a successful raid on Lubeck [Germany]; comments on the policy of menacing U-boats in the Bay of Biscay and his keenness to add six bomber squadrons to this new Biscay patrol; comments on the need to bomb Germany and on a structural defect to the wing tip of Lancasters which requires the laying up of four squadrons; appeals that...

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Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt] commenting on the heavy enemy air attack against Malta and British difficulties in providing adequate Spitfire reinforcements; asks that the United States aircraft carrier Wasp be used to take Spitfires from the Clyde [Scotland] to Malta and suggests the third week of April.

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Telegram from the Governor of Malta [Lieutenant- General Sir William Dobbie] regarding the need for "most drastic action" to gain and maintain air superiority if Malta is to be held; comments on recent Spitfire losses and the urgent need for supplies.

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Telegram from WSC to Generalissimo Chiang-Kai-shek [Chinese Nationalist Leader] thanking him for his telegram about the state of affairs in Burma [later Myanmar] and commenting on the difficulties in providing air support. [See CHAR 20/73/120-123 for Chiang-Kai-shek's telegram].

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Telegram from WSC to the Prime Minister of Australia [John Curtin] regarding the naval position in the Far East: describes ship movements and losses between 4 April and 9 April resulting from Japanese raids on Colombo [Ceylon, later Sri Lanka] and Trincomalee [Ceylon]; comments on the relative strengths of Britain, the United States and Japan in aircraft carriers, aircraft and personnel; comments on future policy on the Eastern Fleet.

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Telegram from WSC to the Viceroy [and Governor- General] of India [2nd Lord Linlithgow, earlier Lord Hopetoun] expressing concern over poor progress in the construction of aerodromes in India and asking the Viceroy to look into the civil aspects of the question.

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Telegram from General Sir Archibald Wavell [Commander- in-Chief, India] to WSC outlining the situation in India, Ceylon [later Sri Lanka] and Burma [later Myanmar]: comments on air strength; comments on the naval situation; comments on the defence of Ceylon; comments on difficulties in Burma and implications with regard to China; "Our tails are well up but not wagging very much as yet.".

Scope and Contents Telegram from WSC to the President of the United States [Franklin Roosevelt]: thanks Roosevelt for his telegram about "Ironclad" [codename for operation against Diego Suarez, Madagascar] and for the use of USS Wasp; comments on the arrival of General Henri Giraud at Vichy [France]; comments on "desperate attacks" on the Tirpitz at Trondheim [Norway] and German retaliation against British towns near the coast; gives details of recent German aircraft losses over Norwich [Norfolk] and York;...

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Telegram from the Viceroy [and Governor-General] of India, [2nd Lord Linlithgow, earlier Lord Hopetoun] to WSC regarding aerodrome construction in India.

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Telegram from Admiral Geoffrey Layton [Commander-in- Chief, Ceylon] reporting on progress in Ceylon [later Sri Lanka] since 5 April 1942: outlines reinforcements and withdrawals; describes defensive works and reports on the RDF [Radio Direction Finder] situation; comments on aerodrome facilities and the likely zone of the main enemy landing; reports present airforce and army dispositions.

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Telegram marked "Hush - Most Secret" from Richard Casey [Minister of State in the Middle East] (Malta) to WSC regarding the supply of reinforcements and provisions to Malta and outlining the importance of achieving air superiority.

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Telegram from WSC to General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander-in-Chief Middle East] and Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder [Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Mediterranean] marked "most secret" stressing the vital importance of the convoys to Malta and asking them to take all steps to enable air escorts to be operated from landing grounds as far west as possible including Martubah [Libya].

Scope and Contents Telegram from the Minister of State in the Middle East [Richard Casey] to WSC marked "most secret" regarding the provision of bombers to protect the Malta convoys: notes the impossibility of sending required air forces; believes that the Liberators intended for India can be used for a limited time in Egypt and proposes to authorise holding these aircraft; states that the American Liberator squadron sent to operate against Ploesti [Romania] has begun to arrive and asks WSC to ask the...

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Telegram from Field Marshal Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC expressing his grave concerns about the weakness of the air forces in South Africa and Madagascar: stresses the importance of defending the Cape and calls for more equipment and aircraft without further delay.

Scope and Contents Telegram from Field Marshal Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC marked "most secret and personal" commenting on the situation in Madagascar: regrets the delay in the occupation of other ports in Madagascar and hopes that this will be possible by the end of July or beginning of August; expresses misgivings about leaving Major-General Robert Sturges in sole command of operations and suggests that Lieutenant- General Sir William Platt [General Officer Commanding- in-Chief East...

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Telegram from General Sir Claude Auchinleck [Commander- in-Chief Middle East] and Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder [Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Mediterranean] marked "most secret" confirming that they appreciate the value of operating aircraft to support the Malta convoy from bases as far west as possible and that the necessary measures are being taken.

Scope and Contents Telegram from Field Marshal Jan Smuts [Prime Minister of South Africa] to WSC marked "most secret and personal" opposing the plan by the United States to give priority to aircraft production for their own units: states that South Africa has thousands of trained men who only await aircraft; claims that South Africa needs aircraft for coastal defence and that politically it would be impossible to hand this task over to American units; offers to cable Franklin Roosevelt [President of the United...