FO371-27622 — Page 305

Registry

No.F1189/327/G

Page 305

F.O..

November, 1941.

J.C.S.B.

+2 and

Q4

255

Page 305

NOTHING

TO

BE

WRITTEN

IN THIS MARGIN.

Draft.

Major Michel

WAR OFFICE.

(M.0.2)

(From Mr. Sterndale

Bennett)

Copy to:

3/1.

Mr. Holmes, D.O.

Lt.-Col. Cornwall- Jones, W.C.O.

Sir J.Brenan

North American

Dept.

to see.

FEE

= fu

17 Law W .A.

ליו:

Nol

[Major Michel M.D.2

rang up

about

this & asked that

any further cars? I'd be added to him)

IMMEDIATE.

Dear See

Nichol,

no. 00/162A letter/of

With reference to Browne's lette:

October 22nd I quite agree that we ought to

decide now as to how the arrival of Canadian

reinforcements at Hong Kong is to be treated

for publicity and propaganda purposes.

2. Telegram Gleam No. 149 relates only

to exaggerated publicity about measures in

which the Americans have a share. We do not

therefore think it necessary to consult

Washington on the point now at issue. Never the-

less I suggest we should do well to adopt the

principle suggested in Gleam 149. Hong Kong

is not going to be made impregnable by the

arrival of two battalions and we hope therefore

that publicity will not be overdone.

3. We would much prefer ourselves that

it should be confined to the fact of the arrival

of the force; and we entirely agree with your

e that the world press will draw the

inferences mentioned in paragraph 3 of Browne's

letter without prompting from us and that it is

best to allow it to do so. If we force the

pace too much we shall, as you say, give an

impression of weakness rather than of strength.

4....

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