Cablegram 346 3 July 1940,
MOST SECRET
Reference your cablegram No. 228 [1] Commonwealth Government has given careful consideration to your request for despatch of one Division and two squadrons of aircraft to Malaya.
You are aware from cablegram No. 322 [2] of decision to send two further squadrons to Singapore. We are unable on the information before us to agree to the despatch of a Division as desired. It could not be provided with equipment other than small arms without gravely impairing home defence and the training of the A.I.F.
There is also the related urgent need for completing the equipment of the 6th Division and deciding its theatre of employment.
A final conclusion is affected by the appreciation which we are awaiting from you and which the High Commissioner [3] states is about to be cabled. [4]
- 1 Documents on Australian Foreign Policy 1937-49, vol. III, Document 459.
- 2 ibid., Document 442.
- 3 S. M. Bruce.
- 4 See Document 8. The appreciation was discussed by War Cabinet on 9 July (see AA; A2673, vol. 3, Minute 398) but a decision was deferred until receipt of a further appreciation from the U.K. Govt. The latter was received on 13 July (see Document 8, note 6), but the subject was not discussed again by War Cabinet until 28 August (see Document 84).
[AA: A3 196, 1940, 0.4422]