CAB80-32 — Page 144

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TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to

ensure the secrecy of this document.

C413

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

SECREThis documen. was considered at eos) « « Meeting,

C.O.S.(41) 710.

30TH NOVEMBER, 1941.

WAR CABINET,

COPY NO.

Page 144

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE,

THE SITUATION IN NORTH RUSSIAN PORTS,

Memorandum by the Chief of Naval Staff,

The Admiralty feel some anxiety regarding the safe and timely arrival of the equipment being supplied to Russia and also for the safety of ships employed in carrying this equipment to the North Russian ports, owing to the climatic conditions.

We know the ice conditions prevailing during the winters of 1915/16, 1916/17, 1917/18 and 1918/19.

2.

In 1915/16 and 1918/19 the winter was early and

As a result 80 the Gorlo was frozen early in December. to 100 Allied ships were frozen in and put out of action for 8 months,

In 1916/17 it was the end of December and in 1917/18 the middle of December before the Gorlo was closed by ice.

3.

This year our information from North Russia is conflicting, The S.B.N.0. Archangel considers the Russian forecasts of the ice conditions are over- optimistic. The Russian ice expert, Papanyin, who is more moderate in his optimism than other Russians, advocates using Murmansk after the middle of January.

4.

Mr. Maclay, of the Ministry of War Transport, signalled the warning to us on the 11th November that he then considered the ice conditions could not be forecast after the middle of December, and he doubted the ability of the ports of Molotovsk and Ekonomia to accommodate our ships.

The Russians admit that much depends on the ice- breaker STALIN. The performance of this ship is yet to be tried.

5.

ۥ

Further-

The alternative to using the White Sea ports is Murmansk, which is ice free, but a sudden diversion of our convoys from the White Sca to Murmansk would in all probability defeat the Russian port organisation. more, the railway from Murmansk to the safer areas in Russia is of low capacity and vulnorable to attack by the Finns and/or Germans.

710

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