856B.01/43
The Canadian Legation to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
The United Kingdom authorities have advised the Canadian Government that they are apprehensive of damage, particularly from sabotage, to oilfields in Aruba, a Dutch island near Curaçao, from which the oil is derived, to which is largely due the superior performance of British aircraft. The island is at present garrisoned by French troops. If they should not be willing to continue to co-operate, the United Kingdom wish Canada to undertake to send the Canadian battalion which is now in Jamaica. The consent of The Netherlands Government would of course be obtained.
Canada has no desire to increase its commitments in the West Indies, particularly in view of the urgency of needs more within Canada’s ordinary sphere of interest. In view of the emergency the Canadian Government proposes, however, to inform the United Kingdom that Canada is prepared to make a battalion available if necessary.