406

Mr Winston Churchill, U.K. Prime Minister, to Mr John Curtin, Prime Minister

Cablegram Winch 11 LONDON, 12 March 1942, 1.35 a.m.

MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET AND PERSONAL

I am thinking of offering the vacant position of Minister of State in Cairo [1] to R. G. Casey. [2] The appointment is of course a United Kingdom matter and would be personal to Casey and not representative of Australia. Nevertheless it might not be unpleasing to Australian opinion. Before going further I should like to know what you think about it, and whether you could spare him from his present important position in Washington. Such an appointment would not of course affect the official contacts and representation you are establishing with the United Kingdom War Cabinet. Pray treat this enquiry as extremely private. I have not opened it to Casey.

CHURCHILL

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1 Previously held by Oliver Lyttelton.

2 Minister to the United States.

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[AA:MP1217, BOX 474, DR H. V. EVATT … VISIT TO UNITED KINGDOM AND U.S.A.-1942]