CAB80-13 — Page 86

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

C.

71

SECRET.

C.O.S. (40) 464.

15TH JUNE, 1940.

WAR CABINET.

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.

COPY NO. 37

LANDING CRAFT.

Note by Secretary.

The main bottle-neck in getting on with offensive Operations will be landing craft.

2.

The landing craft actually available by mid-July will be 27 which is less than half the requirements to land one R.M. Brigade of four Battalions, and little more than half the requirements for an Army Infantry Brigade.

The Chiefs of

.

3.

Staff have agreed that one Brigade group should be placed at the disposal of the Commander, Offensive Operations. By mid-July, therefore, he would be able only to disembark half that force from landing craft.

4.

58 landing craft are now on order for delivery sub- sequent to mid-July, and these will be delivered month by month up to December.

5. It has now been estimated that a very much larger number of landing craft than those at present available or on order wil be required if offensive operations are to be carried out. An approximate assessment by the War Office gives the figure of 260 landing craft.

6. There is bound to be a certain time lag in assessing full requirements for the future, allocating priorities placing orders.

and

Action can, however, be accelerated with regard to landing craft now on order if an immediato direction is given by the Chiefs of Staff, and it is suggested that this should be done irrespective of future decisions.

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