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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.

CL

145

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTI'S GOVERNMENT. )

SECRET.

This doet was considered atos 4/4 Meeting

C.0.S. (41) 718.

COPY

2ND DECEMBER, 1941.

1.

WAR CABINET.

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.

RAIDS BY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, HOME FORCES.

Memoranduin by Adviser on Combined Operations.

The Directive to Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces concerning Raids dated 16th October (C.0.S.(41) 630) has now been in operation some seven weeks, and during this time it has become clear that there is no prospect of Home Forces carrying out raids in Infantry Assault. Ships for a long time to come.

2.

It is generally agreed that some five or six weeks intensive training in an Infantry Assault Ship is necessary to

There are make a complete success of a raid from such a ship.

only five such ships available in home waters, and so full a programme (including refits) is envisaged for all of them that I do not anticipate being able to spare even one for the necessary time to train troops from the Home Forces to the standard to which Commandos have already been trained.

3.

I have seen Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces and also General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command (the command principally affected) and both are in agreement that it would be better for raids involving Infantry Assault Ships to be left in my hands, as was the case during the whole time of my predecessor.

4.

Approval is therefore requested for the Directive to Commander-in-Chief. Yome Forces, referred to above, to be changed

to read:

A

"You are authorised to carry out raids on the French, Belgian and Dutch coasts. Such raids are to be limited for the time being, to those which can be carried out using assault landing craft only, with or without M. LS., M. T. Bs. or M.G.Bs. Raids for which the use of an Infantry Assault Ship is necessary will be the responsibility of the Adviser on Coinbined Operations.

You will work throughout in the closest co-operation with the A. C. O. and will arrange to keep him informed of all details -+ all stages.

* Annex.

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