Page 21
18
80
*
An essential corollary to the transfer of Command of land forces to the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, is the extension of the responsibilities of the Minister of State to include Persia as well as Iraq. This would allow the Minister of State's Defence Council to cover the whole of the extended Middle East Command, and would greatly assist in proper co-ordination in the development of transportation facilities in the present Middle East Command and Iraq and Persia.
Recommendations.
(a)
We recommend that:
The command of land forces in Iraq and Persia
be transferred to Commander-in-Chief, Middle East as soon as Commander-in-Chief, Middlo East's immediate preoccupation with operation CRUSADER permits.
(b) The responsibilities of the Minister of State |
be extended so as to include Persia.
(c)
The India Office be invited to obtain the views
of the Government of India on the proposed arrangements for representation at Cairo.
(d) The control of Land Forces in Burma be
considered concurrently with this questi on.
The War Office,
16th November, 1941.
-3
Page 21
Page 21
Page 21