Letter CANBERRA, 3 September 1947
TOP SECRET PERSONAL
Following our talk yesterday, I have referred to the notes of the discussion with Field Marshal Montgomery on the status of United Kingdom officers functioning with the Australian Defence Machinery. The following is an extract:-
‘Field Marshal Montgomery asked if we were agreeable to accepting United Kingdom officers to work with our Joint Planning Committee.
I said that the Memorandum on Co-operation in Empire Defence proposed that the staff of the United Kingdom Joint Service Representative would be invited to attend meetings of the Joint Service Machinery subordinate to the Defence Committee and Chiefs of Staff Committee. They would not be members of the subordinate committees, but consultants on the aspects in which the United Kingdom was interested. This principle had been followed in the past with the Australian Defence Representative in London, and it was proposed to observe it in future. On the other hand, the Australian Memorandum relating to J.C.O.S.A. proposed that overseas officers should be attached to the Australian Services and given definite appointments therein, being responsible solely to the Australian Government. I suggested that the desirability of these principles should be affirmed, but the decision should be left to the country concerned. He agreed with this view.’
2. To avoid any misunderstanding, I have altered the last sentence of the first paragraph of your note to the same expression used with the Field Marshal regarding the attachment and posting of officers to definite appointments in connection with the assignment of the control of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force to the Australian Government. Your second paragraph has been deleted as it is covered by the amendment to paragraph 1.
3. Similarly, in the case of your paragraph 3 I have felt that the best course is to refer to the specific procedure contemplated by the Australian Government in its Memorandum of 23rd May on Co- operation in British Commonwealth Defence.
4. I also enclose copies of the Government’s Memoranda on Co- operation in British Commonwealth Defence and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in Australia, in case you should wish to refer to them in more detail.
5. When Mr. Chifley replies to Mr. Attlee’s letter of 17th August, I shall forward a copy to the High Commissioner’s Office, Canberra, for transmission to you before you leave Australia.
Enclosure
THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE IN AUSTRALIA
EXTRACT FROM AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MEMORANDUM OF 23RD MAY 1947
‘2. In paragraphs 10, 11 and 12 of the Memorandum on Co-operation in British Commonwealth Defence, the Australian Government has indicated the basis, principles, and procedure for the system for co-ordination of British Commonwealth Defence, in so far as the Australian Machinery is concerned.
In regard to the future functioning of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Australia for the control of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force, the Australian Government is of the opinion that this control should be assigned to the Australian Government and exercised in accordance with sub-paragraph 10(iv)(c) of that Memorandum. The representatives of the United Kingdom, India and New Zealand, would participate in the proceedings of the Defence Committee and Chiefs of Staff Committee in accordance with the principles and procedure outlined in paragraphs 11 and 12. Their staffs would also participate in the Joint Service Machinery in accordance with paragraph 12.’
EXTRACT FROM AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM WHICH IS AN APPENDIX TO THE GOVERNMENT MEMORANDUM OF 23RD MAY 1947
‘The Committee observes, however, that most of the matters considered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Australia are administrative. There are very few matters which would normally be dealt with by the Australian Joint Planning Committee which could deal easily with operational questions concerning the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. If the Australian Joint Service Machinery was made responsible for J.C.O.S.A. planning, it might be necessary to strengthen the existing machinery available for administrative planning.
It may be necessary also to reinforce the Australian Organisation with officers who have a special knowledge of matters connected with the organisation and administration of troops from overseas.
These officers should be attached to the Australian Services. They should be responsible solely to the Australian Government, and they should be given definite appointments in the Australian Services whilst so attached.’
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[AA: A5954/1, 1850/1]