CO537-4998 — Page 91

14. The Chiefs of Staff are making all preparations for the moves paras. 12(a) and (c) above while awaiting decisions by Ministers. The move of the cruiser from the West Indies is being ordered immediately. It will presumably not be

expedient to make any public announcement about the move of the brigade group for the next few days until the attitude of the Communists towards our shipping at Shanghai is known. The move of the fighter squadron 11 addition to other commitments for air transport in the Far East may entail some subtraction from the Berlin Air Lift.

25th April, 1949.

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