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188 THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
TO BE K E P T U N D E R LOCK A N D K E Y .
It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.
COPY NO.
WAR CABINET3
NAVAL. MILITARY AND A I P SITUATION-APPRECIATION BY THE CHIEFS OP STAFF COMMITTEE.
Note by the Sejcrejt ary;.
By direction of the Prime Minister, I circulate
herwitli, for consideration by the War Cabinet, the
attached weekly Resume (No. l) by the Chiefs of Staff
Committee dealing with the Naval, Military and Air Situation
up to 12 noon, 7th September, 1939. (paper No. C. 0.S.(39)18),
(Signed) 3 . E. BRIDGE S. Secretary..
Richmond Terrace, S.W.I
8th September, 19390
^DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT j ^ TO BE K E P T U N D E R LOCK A N D K E Y . It is requested that special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
COPY NO.
WAR CABINET,
CHIEFS OP STAFF COMMITTEE.
WEEKLY RESUME (NO. l) OF THE NAVAL, MILITARY AND AIR SITUATION UP TO IS NOON, 7th SEPTEMBER.
REPORT.
The accompanying Joint Naval, Military and Air
Force appreciation of the situation as at 12 noon on the
7th September is circulated in accordance with the
recommendation contained in Paper No. W.P.(G.) (39) 3, and
approved by the War Cabinet on the 7th September, (Paper
No. W.M.(39) 7th Conclusions, Minuted 17.
3. We should be glad of instructions as to whether, the
form and substance of this Appreciation meets the requirements
of the War Cabinet.
(Signed) C-.L. NEVif ALL. DUDLEY POUND. S. IRONSIDE.
Richmond Terrace, S.W.1.
8th September, 1939.
4 0
WEEKLY RESUME jNO a.) OF THE NAVAL MILITARY a
AND AIR SITUATION. %OM^THE OUTBRpK. OF HOSTILITIES IN'POLAND T O ' I S NOON
* * " 7JM. .lssPTEMBER 1959 o ff
v ALJ S xTUATlQN...,
Gene ra l .
1. The R o y a l Navy has be en f u l l y engaged i n i t s t a s k
of s e c u r i n g sea communica t ions , e s c o r t i n g m i l i t a r y and
a i r r e i n f o r c e m e n t s , g i v i n g p r o t e c t i o n t o B r i t i s h and A l l i e d
s h i p p i n g , and i n i n t e r r u p t i n g the Enemy's seaborne t r a d e .
2. The e n t i r e F l e e t has t aken up War D i s p o s i t i o n s as
m o d i f i e d t o meet t h e n a v a l s i t u a t i o n which has d e v e l o p e d
in the open ing days o f the war . The n e c e s s a r y p a t r o l s
have been e s t a b l i s h e d ,
3. Th r e e P o l i s h D e s t r o y e r s made a t i m e l y passage f rom
the B a l t i c t o the N o r t h Sea, gind w i l l , i n due c o u r s e , make a
v a l u a b l e a d d i t i o n t o our D e s t r o y e r s t r e n g t h .
P r o g r e s s i s b e i n g made w i t h the f i t t i n g out o f l i n e r s
as Armed Merchant C ru i s e r s . ,
5 . The F rench F l e e t have taken up t h e i r d i s p o s i t i o n s as
agreed i n the A l l i e d war p l a n s .
A t tacks upon Enemy Submar ines .
6. S i n c e war b r o k e o u t , t h e r e has been v e r y l i t t l e
a c t i v i t y by German submarines i n the No r th Sea and no s h i p p i n g
has been sunk there , , Mines have been l a i d by a submar ine , i n
one i n s t a n c e , i n t h i s a r ea .
70
Ill
In the-Atlaniijj^ and coast of the British
Isles, German submarines have definitely made their presence
known as far South as the coast of Portugal. There are also
reports of German submarines in the Caribbean probably based
on Curacao.
8, There is no reliable information of submarines having
passed through the Channel, but a steamer is reported to have
been blown up off Shoreham in the afternoon of 6th September.
No details yet received. This may have been due either to a
submarine or to a mine laid by a submarine. Enemy
submarines are reported and have been attacked in the Western
Channel.
9. A number of attacks have been delivered upon enemy
submarines but detailed reports, which would enable a definite
opinion as to their success to be given, have not yet been
received.
10. List of British and Foreign Merchant Vessels sunk by the enemv up to a.m. 6th September, 1959.
Gross Type Name Flag. Tonnage Date Where By How
s,s, ASHEN IA Br. 13581 3/9 off Ireland s/m. Torp. s.s. BOSNIA Br. 2401 5/9 off Spain s/m. Gun. s,s. ROYAL
SCEPTRE Br. 4853 5/9off Bay of
Biscay. s/m. ? s.s. RIO
CLARO. Br. 4000 6/9 off Spain s/m. ?
Enemy Merchant Shipping and Losses.
11. On 1st September German merchant ships were generally
erdered to leave British, Colonial and French ports and make
for home or the nearest neutral ports0 Those neutral ports
most in favour are Brazilian and Spanish ports, especially
the Canary Islands and Vigo, and also Italian ports in the
Medit&jpjpanean and Red Sea.
18. In the Far East, Dutch East Indian ports and Japanese
ports are being used. A number of German ships are still on
the high seas, probably making for such refuge as is
practicable.
13. Bremen is probably at Murmansk, North Russia, hut she
has also been reported at Vera Cruz and making for Mar Del
Plata.
14. Enemy Mercantile Losses.
Ship Tonnage Date Position How dealt with.
Olinda 4576 5/9 off River Plate AJAX Sunk.. Carl Friten 6594 5/9 off River Plate AJAX Sunk. J.Molkenbuar 5294 5/9 off Norway JERSEY Captured
while sinking Inn 2867 6/9 near Para 1TEPTUNE Captured and
sunk?
Convoys.
15. The convoy system is being commenced on certain routes.
Elsewhere the controlled routing system is in force.
X i. 3
Enemy Mines.
16. The Germans have declared a mined area in the
North Sea, and there is evidence that laying has
commenced.
Mines have also been reported in the Southern part
of the North Sea and definitely located off the North
Forelands.
17. The Germans have also broadcast the limits of
mined areas in the eastern North Sea and the entrances
of the Baltic.
Movements of Enemy Warships - German Main Units.
18. On 1st September, the disposition of the German
units appeared to be as follows:-
Battlecruiser "Gneisenau" neighbourhood
"Scharnhorst" of
Armoured Ships "Deutschland" W/haven
"Scheer"
"Graf Spee"
Cruisers "Hipper" Baltic
"Blucher"
it "Nurhberg"
"Leipzig"
"Koenigsburg"
"Koln" Mouth of the Elbe
"Emden" Wilhelmshaven
19. The information received concerning the subsequent
movements of these vessels is very scanty, but it would
appear that no vessels have left German territorial
Waters except two cruisers possibly "Koln" and "Konigsherg"
accompanied by two destroyers which were sighted about
60 miles N.W. of Horn?s Reef at-0715, 6th September,
returning to Germany., It is possible this force was
employed in covering minelaying activities in that area.
Light Forces.
20. On 1st September, the German Destroyer Flotillas
are believed to have been divided evenly between the
Baltic and North Sea ports. It is probable that the
majority are now stationed at North Sea ports.
The Torpedo Boat Flotillas are still believed to be
in the Baltic.
Other Warships.
21. The old battleship "Schleswig-Holstein" has
been in the vicinity of Danzig since 25th August; she
has been engaged in bombarding Gdynia.
The old battleship "Schlesien" is believed to
have been based at Wilhelmshaven since 1st September,
Raiders.
28. No reports have yet been received of any German
raider activities.
MILITARY SITUATION.
FRANCE.
23. French troops are reported to he in contact with
the forward elements of the Siegfried Line in the Saar,
hut no further details are yet available.
POLAND.
24. The German forces crossed the Polish frontiers at
5.55 a.m. on 1st September. The first moves came from
Pomerania into the Corridor, from German Silesia into
and North of Polish Silesia, and from Moravia and
Slovakia across the Carpathians. A further move from
East Prussia South and Westward soon became apparent.
From the outset the Poles were at a grave disadvantage
in that they had only some 30 infantry divisions with
which to face the initial heavy German concentrations
against them; they have few mechanized units, their
transport is largely horsed, and their air defence
inadequate.
25. By 4th September the Polish Corridor was to ail
intents and purposes in German occupation, so that East
Prussia could be easily rei and as a result the
drive on Warsaw increased in strength.
26. It was early apparent that the German attack from
Silesia was being made in great strength and with
mechanized formations, with the result that the Poles
had to fall hack rapidly, and must have lost fairly
heavily both in casualties and in prisoners.
27. No e f f o r t s t o adva nee were made b y the Germans
i n the Poznan S a l i e n t . The movement with wh ich the
P o l e s were f a c e d was a p i n c e r movement f r om Eas t P r u s s i a
and f r om S i l e s i a ,
28. The p r o g r e s s of the two arms of the p i n c e r s f rom
r e p o r t s r e c e i v e d up t o mid-day 7 th September i s as
f o l l o w s I
( a ) N o r t h (German Fifth Group). The Polish forces are r e s i s t i n g the German
a t t a c k s some m i l e s North of Warsaw. Wh i l e t h e
a t t a c k s appear to be held up for the moment N.W.
o f Warsaw there are i n d i c a t i o n s t h a t the main
German drive may be designed to pass East o f
the Capi ta l - .
("D) South (German F i r F t and Second G r o u p s ) .
In the South the Poles a r e h o l d i n g the
Germans on the l i n e Sxeradz - P i o t r k o w South o f
Lodz and there is a r e p o r t of a P o l i s h c o u n t e r
a t t a c k near Piotrkow., "but the Germans c l a i m
the cap tu r e of Kielce,, a l t hough the P o l e s have
n o t y e t adm i t t ed i t . Th i s d r i v e i s v e r y
s e r i o u s for not only does it bring the German
f o r c e s very close to "one Polish. I n d u s t r i a l
a r e a S,E, of Warsaw but also', in c o n j u n c t i o n
w i t h the attack from East P r u s s i a , t h e r e may
b e g r a v e danger of all Polish f o r c e s i n the
Poznan S a l i e n t being c o m p l e t e l y surrounded.
South of the attack on K i e l c e the s i t u a t i o n
i s s t i l l obscure . The Germans have c l a i m e d
Cracow and there i s little doubt that t h i s
p o c k e t must go before long.
11 *y i. -1 /
29 . The main cause o f the g r e a t d i f f i c u l t i e s with,
which the P o l i s h a rmies have been f a c e d has b e e n the
ove rwhe lming German a i r s u p e r i o r i t y . P o l i s h r a i l w a y s
have "been h e a v i l y a t t a c k e d , a c o n s i d e r a b l e p r o p o r t i o n
o f t h e i r war i n d u s t r i e s have been put out o f a c t i o n ,
and t h e i r meagre a i r f o r c e has been r e d u c e d t o a s t a t e
o f impo t ence .
N e v e r t h e l e s s the l a s t o f f i c i a l r e p o r t s s t a t e d
t h a t the mora l e o f the P o l i s h Army r ema ined h i g h .
GERMANY.
30. German d i v i s i o n s on 7 th September have been
i d e n t i f i e d as f o l l o w s
Wes te rn F r on t i e r , . 24 d i v i s i o n s .
C e n t r a l Germany. 18 d i v i s i o n s .
E a s t e r n F r o n t i e r . 54 d i v i s i o n s .
Grand T o t a l 96 d i v i s i o n s .
I n a d d i t i o n f u r t h e r r e s e r v e and Landv/ehr d i v i s i o n s
have p r o b a b l y b e en fo rmed.
E a s t e r n F r o n t .
5 1 . I t i s b e l i e v e d t h a t the German f o r c e s o p e r a t i n g
on the E a s t e r n F r on t are d i v i d e d i n t o f i v e g roups and
t h a t the taskg o f t h e s e g roups a r e as f o l l o w s : -
F i r s t Grmro.
To oc cupy 0rac ow.
Second Group (moto r i z ed , g r o u p ) .
To a t t a c k j u n c t i o n o f P o l i s h Second and T h i r d
A rm i e s and t o advance f rom Eadomsko t o Warsaw.
Third, and Fourth Groups.
These have cut off the Corridor and are now
reported to he mopping up the isolated Polish
forces.
Fifth Group.
This group advanced from East Prussia.
Western Front.
52. Latest information is that areas of Aachen and
Osnatorlick are heing reinforced hy German troops and a new
reserve division has heen identified opposite the Dutch
frontier. An unconfirmed report stated that troop
trains filled with mechanized troops, etc., were seen on
5th September in the neighbourhood of Berlin moving
from East to West. There is no confirmation, however,
that these troops are being moved from the Eastern Front.
U.S.8.R.
33. There have been rumours ever since the German-
Soviet non-aggression pact was signed on 22nd August
that a military pact was also contemplated. Certain
Soviet Officers have gone to Berlin but there is no
confirmation yet that a military pact will be concluded.
The reports of Soviet military concentrations on her
Western frontiers are not conclusive and appear, at
present, to be no more than is reasonable under the
present circumstances. There are few signs that the
Soviet is yet likely to abandon the policy of leeting
other nations fight, while she waits to reap the
benefits later.
34. The partial withdrawal of Japanese troops from
the vicinity of Hong Kong, together with other local
indications, suggests that the Japanese do not at present
contemplate any major operations against Hong Kong.
35. Japan has, however, "been quick to take advantage
of the European war situation, and has presented demands
to Great Britain and other countries involved in the
present European conflict to withdraw troops from
regions under Japanese control. Japan has also asked us
to stop helping the Chinese.
AIR SITUATION.
Strength, of German Air Force.
36. The estimated strength of the German Air Force
on the 1st September was as follows.'1750 long range "bombers (858 in North West
Germany) 580 short range bombers ,
1215 fighters 670 reconnaissance and Army Co-operation 305 Coastal and ship borne.
Total 4320
37. Apart from the aircraft listed above, which are
all of modern types, Germany had available about 1,000
troop transport airoraft, of which it is estimated that
500 are in troop transport units. She also had available
a considerable number of aircraft of obsolescent types
including aircraft taken over from the Czech Air Force.
Reports have been received that Germany is forming
reserve squadrons out of these second line aircraft,
but no confirmation can be obtained of the number of
n o
sg.uad.rons to be formed.. The reserves of modern aircraft behind the first line units are estimated, at 100%.
German Operations in Poland.
38. German air attacks have so far been directed
against aerodromes, aircraft and engine factories, and
rail communications, as well as against the Polish
forces. Casualties to civilians have "been caused
mainly by bombs falling in the vicinity of the objectives
aimed at. There is no confirmation of the reports
from Polish sources that the Germans are using mustard
gas bombs. Although the aircraft factories and the
flying training schools must be regarded as now out of
action, the alternative aerodromes which had been
prepared for use by the operational squadrons were
well concealed, and it is understood that they have not
yet been located and. attacked. The Polish Air Force
consisted, on the outbreak of war, of 494 aircraft of
which only some 30 bombers were of modern types. The
German Air Force has therefore been able to obtain a
complete ascendency and is now in a position to
concentrate almost entirely in support of land operations.
British Air Operatipns.
39. An attack against German warships was carried out
on 4th September, 1939, by two squadrons of Wellingtons
and two squadrons of Blenheims, The results reported
were - two hits with 500 lb, bombs on a warship in the
S chillig-Roads, and one hit on the side of the lock
alongside a warship at the entrance to the Kiel Canal.
101 tj JL
The a t t a c k was c a r r i e d out a t a l ow a l t i t u d e i n the
f a c e o f c o n s i d e r a b l e o p p o s i t i o n by f i g h t e r s and A . A .
f i r e . Seven o f our a i r c r a f t f a i l e d t o r e t u r n .
40 . I n a d d i t i o n f l i g h t s o v e r Western Germany have
b e e n c a r r i e d out each n i g h t i n o r d e r t o d i s t r i b u t e
propaganda pamph l e t s . O p p o s i t i o n has b e e n s l i g h t ,
and has b e e n c o n f i n e d t o spasmodic A .A . f i r e . No
f i g h t e r s have been e n c o u n t e r e d and i t i s e s t i m a t e d
t h a t some 9 ,000 ,000 pamphle ts have dropped i n Germany.