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Commonwealth Government to Lord Caldecote, U.K. Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

Cablegram 322 26 June 1940,

MOST SECRET

My cablegram of 13th June [1] and your telegram 180 of 16th June in reply [2], His Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia has approved of the following being made available to the United Kingdom:-

(1) One armed merchant cruiser and one sloop at once and a further sloop at the end of July for use in the East Indies;

(2) One extra squadron of Hudsons and one squadron of Wirraways for employment to release R.A.F. units at Singapore;

and propose that the necessary detailed arrangements to give effect thereto be made direct between the Australian Naval and Air Departments and the Admiralty and Air Ministry respectively. [3]

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1 Document 372.

2 Document 389.

3 Caldecote accepted this offer in cablegram 229 dispatched on 30 June 1940 (on file AA: M1608, H33/1/1).

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[FA: A3196, 0.4165]