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THIS DOCUMENT IS T H E P R O P E R T Y OF H I S B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T Y ' S G O V E R N M E N T

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UNDER

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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 SITUATIONAPPRECIATION 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, 1939
0

^DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO BE K E P T U N D E R L O C K A N D K E Y . I t is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

j ^

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. NEVifALL. DUDLEY POUND. S. IRONSIDE.

Richmond Terrace, S.W.1.

8th September, 1939.

WEEKLY RESUME jNO a.) OF THE NAVAL MILITARY AND A I R SITUATION. %OM^THE OUTBRpK. OF
H O S T I L I T I E S IN'POLAND T O ' I S NOON

" 7JM. .lssPTEMBER

ff

1959 o

v A LJ S xTUATlQN..., General. 1. The R o y a l Navy has b e e n f u l l y sea communications, giving engaged i n i t s task and

of s e c u r i n g

escorting military to B r i t i s h

air reinforcements, shipping,

protection

and A l l i e d trade. as

and i n i n t e r r u p t i n g

the Enemy's

seaborne

2.

The e n t i r e F l e e t to meet

h a s t a k e n up War D i s p o s i t i o n s s i t u a t i o n which has The n e c e s s a r y

modified

the naval of

developed patrols

in the opening have b e e n 3.

days

the war.

established, from

T h 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 p a s s a g e t o t h e N o r t h S e a , gind w i l l , t o our D e s t r o y e r

the B a l t i c valuable 4

i n due c o u r s e , make a

addition

strength. the f i t t i n g out o f liners

Progress

i s b e i n g made w i t h Cruisers., have

as Armed M e r c h a n t 5.

The French F l e e t

t a k e n up t h e i r

dispositions

as

agreed i n the A l l i e d war p l a n s . A t t a c k s upon Enemy S u b m a r i n e s . 6. S i n c e war b r o k e o u t , t h e r e has b e e n v e r y little shipping in

a c t i v i t y b y German s u b m a r i n e s has b e e n sunk t h e r e , , one i n s t a n c e , in this

i n t h e N o r t h S e a and no

Mines have been l a i d by a submarine, area.

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.

Type

Name

Flag. Br. Br. Br. Br.

Gross
Tonnage Date 13581 2401 4853 4000 3/9 5/9 5/9 6/9

Where off Ireland off Spain off Bay of Biscay. off Spain

By s/m. s/m. s/m. s/m.

How Torp. Gun. ? ?

s,s, ASHEN IA s.s. BOSNIA s,s. ROYAL SCEPTRE s.s. RIO CLARO.

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 ports
0

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
A number of German ships are still on

ports are being used.

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.
AJAX AJAX Sunk.. Sunk.

Olinda Carl Friten J.Molkenbuar Inn

4576 6594 5294 2867

5/9 5/9 5/9 6/9

off River Plate off River Plate off Norway near Para

JERSEY Captured while sinking 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"
Armoured Ships "Deutschland"
"Scheer"
"Graf Spee"
Cruisers "Hipper" "Blucher"
"Nurhberg"
"Leipzig"
"Koenigsburg"
"Koln" "Emden" Mouth of the Elbe
Wilhelmshaven

it

of
W/haven

Baltic

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
she

been in the vicinity of Danzig since 25th August; 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
The first moves came from

5.55 a.m. on 1st September.

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

to

adva nee were made b y t h e Germans

The

i n the Poznan S a l i e n t . Poles were

movement with w h i c h t h e
Prussia

f a c e d w a s a p i n c e r movement f r o m E a s t

and f r o m 28. reports

Silesia,

The p r o g r e s s

of the t w o arms of t h e p i n c e r s
7th September i s as

from

r e c e i v e d up t o m i d - d a y

follows I (a) North

(German Fifth Group).

The Polish forces are r e s i s t i n g t h e German
While the

attacks attacks of

some m i l e s North of Warsaw.

appear to be held up for the moment N.W.

Warsaw there are i n d i c a t i o n s t h a t t h e m a i n drive may be designed to pass E a s t o f

German the (" )

D

Capital-.

South

(German F i r F t and Second G r o u p s ) . In the South t h e Poles a r e h o l d i n g t h e

Germans Lodz

on the l i n e Sxeradz - P i o t r k o w S o u t h o f
counter

and there is a r e p o r t of a P o l i s h

attack the

near Piotrkow., "but the Germans c l a i m of Kielce,, a l t h o u g h the P o l e s h a v e

it. This drive is very

capture

not y e t admitted serious forces

for not only does it bring t h e German 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

Poznan Salient

in the

being c o m p l e t e l y

surrounded. the situation

S o u t h of the attack on K i e l c e is still obscure.

The Germans h a v e

claimed

Cracow

and there i s little d o u b t that t h i s go before long.

p o c k e t must

11 *y

i . -1 /

29.

The m a i n c a u s e

of

the g r e a t

difficulties

with, the

which the P o l i s h

armies have been f a c e d has b e e n superiority. Polish

o v e r w h e l m i n g German a i r h a v e "been h e a v i l y of

railways

attacked,

a considerable out

proportion of action, state

t h e i r war i n d u s t r i e s meagre air

have b e e n put

and t h e i r of

force

has b e e n r e d u c e d t o a

impotence. Nevertheless the last official reports stated

that

the morale

of

t h e P o l i s h Army

remained high.

GERMANY. 30. German d i v i s i o n s as follows 24 18 54 96 divisions. divisions. divisions. divisions. divisions on 7 t h S e p t e m b e r h a v e been

identified

Western Frontier,. Central Germany.

Eastern Frontier. Grand T o t a l In addition further reserve formed.

and Landv/ehr

have probably been Eastern 51. Front. It

is believed

that are

t h e German f o r c e s into five

operating and

on t h e E a s t e r n F r o n t that the taskg of

divided

groups

these

g r o u p s a r e as

follows:-

F i r s t Grmro. To oc cupy 0 r a c ow. S e c o n d Group (motorized, group). junction of P o l i s h S e c o n d and Third

To a t t a c k Armies

and t o a d v a n c e f r o m 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 E st to West.
a

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. to stop helping the Chinese.
AIR SITUATION.
Strength, of German Air Force.
36. The estimated strength of the G rman Air Force

Japan has also asked us

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, G rmany 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

no

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.
e

The

G rman 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 face

a t t a c k was c a r r i e d o u t a t of considerable Seven of

a low a l t i t u d e

in

the

o p p o s i t i o n by f i g h t e r s failed to

and A . A .

fire. 40.

our a i r c r a f t

return. have

In addition f l i g h t s out each n i g h t

o v e r W e s t e r n Germany in order to

been c a r r i e d propaganda

distribute slight, No

pamphlets. confined to

O p p o s i t i o n has b e e n spasmodic A.A. is fire.

and has b e e n fighters that

h a v e b e e n e n c o u n t e r e d and i t pamphlets have

estimated Germany.

some 9 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

dropped i n