Cablegram 49 CANBERRA, 19 December 1941
IMMEDIATE SECRET PERSONAL
Your 62. [1] Desire you report in detail discussions of Council and report of hostilities. It is quite possible that in some respects the views of the United Kingdom representatives will differ from our own, both in relation to supplies and distribution of forces. This Government is far from satisfied with the results of the policy of subordinating requirements of this theatre of war. Brook-Popham [2] gave us assurance that all was well with Malayan defences and there is anxiety here as to position. Will give specific instructions on matters discussed as you report them.
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1 Dispatched 19 December. On file AA:A981, War 42. It advised that Bowden would join the War Council in Singapore on 20 December and requested that any instructions to him be telegraphed urgently.
2 U.K. Commander-in-Chief in the Far East. See Document 84.
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[AA:A981, WAR 42]