Office of the Historian

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

Prime Minister Churchill to President Roosevelt 1

most secret
London,2 11 August 1943.

Former Naval Person to President. Most secret and personal. Number 407.

I have just arrived after a most swift and agreeable journey on which it has been possible to work continuously. The Warden Family are looking forward keenly to their visit to Hyde Park where we propose [Page 411] to arrive the afternoon of the 12th.3 Are we right in thinking we should all bring our thinnest clothes?

I send you herewith (see my next telegram4) the draft of the monthly announcement about U–boats which I have prepared in concert with the Admiralty. Let us discuss it when we meet and a day or two’s delay beyond the 10th in its release is not important.

Warmest greetings to all.

  1. Channel of transmission not indicated.↩
  2. The message originated at Quebec but was apparently transmitted via London.↩
  3. Churchill later notified Roosevelt in telegram No. 412 of August 12, 1943 (not printed), that Mrs. Churchill, on medical advice, would have to remain at Quebec to rest instead of accompanying Churchill and their daughter Mary to Hyde Park. This message was sent to Washington and forwarded by the White House Map Room to Roosevelt, who had left for Hyde Park at 10:30 p.m., August 11, as telegram No. White 2 (number later changed to White 69), August 12, 1943 (Roosevelt Papers).↩
  4. Not printed. Some stylistic changes were later made in the draft contained in Churchill’s telegram No. 408 to Roosevelt, but no changes of substance. For the joint statement on anti-submarine warfare issued by Roosevelt and Churchill on August 14, 1943, see post, p. 833.↩