851.002/518: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 6—11 p.m.]
896. Personal for the President from Harriman.
“Supplementing 880, July 3.31
- 1.
- Lyttelton’s appointment provides means for better understanding by War Cabinet status of resources here. Previous misunderstandings have led to resentment and questionable decisions in both places.
- 2.
- Lyttelton though not involved in military tactics will have overall responsibility as representative War Cabinet. He is instructed to attain coordination in command of the services which has been so sadly lacking. Method of accomplishment, however, has not yet been worked out. I will have to report further on this before I leave.
- 3.
- He will relieve service commander of extraneous duties of civil, political and supply nature.
- 4.
- General Haining’s appointment as Intendant General under Lyttelton will improve and coordinate transportation, supply and maintenance and provide more adequate forward planning.
- 5.
- Lyttelton has been specifically charged with the responsibility to see that lease-lend questions are worked out satisfactorily here and requests that suggestion contained my 881, July 3, to Hopkins asking for appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Piburn to work with himself and General Haining to this end be approved.
- 6.
- New Commander-in-Chief of Army is, I believe, more forceful and better organizer.
- 7.
- Deficiencies such as inadequate intelligence, insufficient training of personnel, and wastage of equipment through lack of supervision will, I hope, be corrected by new and better officers now taking hold in certain key subordinate positions.
- 8.
- Improved communication between London and Cairo is considered essential and three B–24 B’s have been requested to provide frequent direct high altitude overnight service.
The morale of the British officers and men is still high and they will give a good account of themselves if provided with proper equipment [Page 287] under properly coordinated command. Our observers report in the highest terms of the individual competence and resourcefulness in combat of the subordinate commanders and the coolness and gallantry of the troops which perhaps saved the recent unsuccessful engagement from becoming a serious disaster.
Our Army and Navy officers and men on duty here are to be commended for their work in receiving, erecting and maintaining our equipment and instructing English personnel. As an example no small part of present success of Tomahawks and Marylands is due to their fine efforts. First tanks are now being unloaded and school is starting to function.”
- Not printed.↩