CAB80-25 — Page 95

Page 95

10

Page 95

6.

(a)

British resources at home and in the Middle

East.

(6) Free France.

(c) The United States of America,

(a)

Greek resources.

(e) Captured Italian material.

Without an alteration in the present priorities little can be supplied from British resources. Our own situation is that we have virtually no stocks of weapons and only very small reserves of ammunition for our own forces. The latter are, broadly speaking, only equipped on a 50% scale or less, and according to present forecasts of supplies the major items in our programme will not be complete until well into 1942.

7.

From our own stocks and manufacture, therefore, the utmost we can do is to continue to make such small issues to the Greeks as we can afford. Unfortunately A.A. and A.T. weapons cannot be spared unless the Chiefs of Staff Committee consider that the strategical situation warrants some further contribution from our resources.

8.

One complication is that the majority of the weapons now in the hands of the Greeks are not of British type. For these no ammunition is available from British

sources.

9.

It has just been ascertained, however, that General de Gaulle is willing to release 7,000 rounds of 105 mm. ammunition as a gesture to the Greek Government. This will meet 70% of their immediate demand for this type.

10.

In the United States of America a certain amount of 75 mm. and 155 mm. ammunition is reported to be available, but it is uncertain as to whether these are of the correct specification. Urgent inquiries are being made to clear up this point. Apart from this no ammunition is immediately available in the United States of America for Greek weapons of foreign type. It was suggested in a telegram from Athens (Stow telegram No. 316) that a factory at Sorel, Quebec, is capable of manufacturing French type ammunition. Inquiries have shown, however, that this factory is fully employed in the manufacture of 25-pounder guns for ourselves and cannot be used for the manufacture of French ammunition. It is by no means certain that all the weapons and ammunition required by the Greeks can be ordered in America, but the British Purchasing Commission has been instructed to place orders for their requirements so far as this can be done without serious interference with our own orders. When

the time required for the manufacture and for the transport of Greek orders is taken into consideration no deliveries can be expected until the end of 1941,

m. 2 wa

82

Page 95

Page 95

Page 95Page 96