1941-01-20 — Page 6

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M.P.'S SHARP ATTACK ON THE ADMIRALTY

ON THE MOTION for the adjournment of the House of Commons Mr. Stokes (Soc.) raised matters concerning the sinking of the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Glorious during the withdrawal from Norway in June.

He said that if the captain's death was claimed as an excuse for not giving full publicity and having an investigation into the matter, his answer was that 1,200 gallant men went down at the same time, and their relatives had a right to know what happened.

He might have agreed three or four months ago that it was not in the public interest to discuss the matter, but what advantage could that be to the enemy now that it was a matter of history?

Which was more likely to im-, he must have the permission press the German High Command the man,

to

face

fuced them

an Adiniralty afraid the facts, or which with serene confidence?

Was the First Lord satisfied that the proper instructions,

**Victimised" For Criticism

formed, according to

what he

told me, fully as to what was happening in connection with the evacuation of Narvik. Certain it is that the Operations Staff, Coastal -Command, R.A.F., of which I was a member, did not know, and junior officers of the Operations Staff of the Admiralty, whose duty it would have been to provide the plans, did not know either.

"I know that what has been described as Gestápo methods have been applied to those offi», cers since, as Indeed they have been applied to me. Those offl- cers have their careers to think can of and I have not, and I speak openly.

First Lord's Attitude

"Well, I wrote that letter to the First Lord, and, far from realising that i had acted with discretion and forbearance, he of sent for me and told me he took the gravest exception to that let- ter.

he

"I protested and said that as a member of Parliament I had an absolute privilege to write such a letter whether I was a the Cindr. Bower (Cons.) said

The First serving officer or not. returned from thrce Lord protested against that, and best that could have been advis-had just ed, were issued to the ship? Did months at sea engaged on convey said it was not so. We argued Before that he was naval for a bit. He then became very the Admiralty know of the move- work.

sank ment of ships which

the liaison officer to the Commander-friendly and said, "This has put Glorious? The Grand Fleet was] in-Chief of the within 800 miles of the accident. Command, in Did Sir Charles Forbes (tiren daily, touch with the Operation: Commander-in-Chief of the Home Staff of the Admiralty, and

confirm everything Fleet) know of the movement of could

the Glorious, and was his posi- Stokes had said. tion such as to give it aid?

"Gestapo Methods"

R.A.F. Coastal

me in a very difficult position vis- constant, abnost

a-vis the First Sea Lord."

"I asked why, and he admitted he he had shown my letter to the Mr. First Sea Lord. I do not think It was a proper proceeding for a Minister to show someone else a he letter written by a member of

a Parliament.

In the early part of June, said, he was approached by large number of officers on the

The First Lord then said, 'This has put me in a very awkward position, Naturally, those fel-

at lowe don't like having you Coastal Command, with access to the board-room of the Ad- miralty. Will you accept an. other appointment?'

The most tragic part was, he Operation Staff of the Admiralty, understood, that from the three not silly young officers, but men 39 between 40 and 50 holding re- ships sunk there were only survivors. It had been reported sponsible positions, and he could at that that 1,000 men were on rafts for assure the House that

days. three nights and two

He time there was very grave dis- got into touch with one of the quiet not only at the episode now survivors and asked to meet him, being discussed but at the whole when he had a telegram saying, conduct of naval operations from

"I replied, 'Certainly,' and he "Regret unable to meet you. Ad- the point of view of the higher said 'I would like you to accept miralty instruction." (Cries of command in Norway.

an appointment at sea.' At that "I shall disclose nothing which time we were faced with immi- "Oh!")

assist the enemy.

Five nent invasion. He offered months have elapsed since this an appointment and, acting

took his description not inconsiderable disaster

of that appoint- place," he said. "Considerations ment, which subsequently turned of secrecy are no longer operative, out to be what I can only de- except for one reason, and that scribe as a false is to conceal the deficiencies of accepted. high officers."

"It seems to me very wrong," he said. (Cheers.) "1 shall op- pose Gestapo methods wherever they are."

Mr. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty intervening, asked for particulars.

Mr. Stokes said that if he had an assurance that the person con- cerned would not get into trouble he would show Mr. Alexander the telegram.

could

Officers' Request

prospectus.

Inferior Command

me

on

I

my

"He asked me whether I would Officers, he continued, approach-go first to do an anti-submarine ed him, some individually and course, I went and when I got Mr. Alexander said he certainly some collectively, with a definite there I found that a lot of undertook that at all times when request to raise the matter on naval friends, hearing that I such a matter was raised in the the floor of the House of Com- was appointed to a corvette, ask- House by a member there would mons.

ed 'Why are you going to this be no penalty for the other per- son referred to,

Mr. Stokes said that in view of that assurance he would give Mr. Alexander the partitulars, but first

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"I think the House will agreeinferior command?" I said, 'No, I adopted a perfectly right atti-the First Sea Lord has promised tude in refusing, because it was it would be fully as good as my quite indefensible for me, as a present appointment." serving officer, to bring informa- "I then came back to the anti- tion I received in the course of submarine department of the my duties, to the House, but 1Admiralty and found the same am not so sure now that I was thing. Officers asked, 'Why are right."

you going to a command of this Instead, continued Commander description? These ships are Bower, he promised to see the be commanded by lleut-comman- First Lord, but it happened that ders R.N.R. and Ř.N.V.R." he had gone to Bordeaux, so he

"This upset me, and I had an- (Commander Bower) wrote him other interview with the First Lord, a letter in which he pointed out who assured me he had all my the grave concern felt among the interests at heart and in no way officers he had mentioned,

was I being victimised; and not "The facts were," said Com-until I got to my command did First mander Rower, "that the evacua-I discover that what the tion of Narvik was considered, for Lord had said was caurely wrong reasons hitherto undisclosed, to and what any friends had sald be, of such a secret nature that was right. none but the highest officers were informed that it was to take place,

"Naturally such an operation in ́ normal circumstances would in- volve the closest cooperation be- tween the Admiralty, RA.F., Coastal Cominand, Vico-Admiral) Submarines and other high officers, but such cooperation, never took personal Issue, as I have no per- place. I can give my word försonal grievance, At all times. I it for. I was in the Coastal Com- was free to come back to mand. at the time, and we knew Parliamentary duties. nothing about it.

·Director Did Not Know

"In other words, a member of Parliament

Was doilberately victimised for expressing cer taim opinione,, which in my view

· he had # perfect right to .ex- - press about the conduct of these

operations.

"I have no desire to raiso 2

Disquiat in Navy

my

"The point is that there was, "This ship was sunk, these lives art still is on the Naval Staff - were lost, and even such a highly- and throughout the Navy, grave placed officer as the Director of disquiet as to the conduct of tirese Operations at the Admiralty knew operations.. Orie of the people nothing about it,” he added. "I much criticised in the Navy has wrote this fefter to the First Lord gone--the late Commander-in- of the Admiralty."

Chief of the Home Fleet, I will

· Mr. Alexander: Will you tell say nothing: about him.

"At the present moment · there me what the Director of Opera. [ tlong knew nothing about?

is grava disquiet about the Board Cmdr. Bower: I am prepared to of the Admiralty as a whole. There tell the First Lord that the Direc- | are on the board men of great tor of Operations was not in-

(Continued on Page 13)