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petroleum products.
In view of the extreme vulnerability of
an oil installation and the ease with which it could be wrecked, the 3oard considers that a party of determined men suitably equipped and landed by parachute in or near an oil installation would be able to effect irreparable damage in a very short time. In this connection attention is invited to the Air Staff Views as expressed in paragraph 5 of C. 0. S. (41) 648.
5.
The direct effects on the outcome of the Battle of the Atlantic of the destruction of any substantial portion of our oil reserves, especially if combined with the destruction of other sources of power and communications, requires no elaboration. The enemy must be fully aware of this and the possibility of a series of such destructive raids at any moment should, in the opinion of the Board, be accorded serious consideration. Such air-borne raiders, once landed, could only be prevented from attaining their object, either by denial of access to the tank farms, or by immediate destruction should they land actually within the tank farm. Security against this form of attack is therefore attainable only by the provision of adequate static garrisons.
6.
The Oil Control Board would invite the attention of the Chiefs of Staff to the strength of the static garrisons at present provided for three important installations on the East Coast.
Installation.
Acreage.
Present Stocks.*
Guard.
Killingholme.
(One Almiralty,
81
136,430 tons
and two
26 Military Police. 30 Home Guard.
Commercial Installations)
Thames Haven
Shell Haven
Coryton
(Three Commercial
1,920
Installations)
)
243,500 tons
f
486
184,530 tons
Isle of Grain.
(One Adiniralty
7.
and two Commercial Installations)
(Partially
armed).
37 Soldiers of an Essex Home Defence Battalion.
74 Home Guard.
47 Soldiers of a Home Defence Battalion.
18 Territorial Army Reserves. 20 Home Guard.
The Board fully appreciates the considerable body of troops already absorbed in the static defence of aerodromes in the vulnerable areas, and the conscque Lù difficulty of providing for the static defence of other vital installations.
* Stocks at these installations will probably be
increased in the near future.
Excluding Edible Oils.
Not always available.
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