Cablegram EC5 LONDON, 19 June 1943, 2 p.m.
IMMEDIATE MOST SECRET
1. Please give personal message to Mr. Curtin as follows:-
In the course of a remarkably intimate letter from President Roosevelt [1] he said- ‘I am delighted over the result which, by constant pressure, came out of the War Department. I shall keep at it to ensure deliveries as soon as possible.’ This reference to the equipment for the additional Australian squadrons will greatly interest and please you. I urge that you will make the announcement as to the complete success of the mission as soon as possible. You should know too that Churchill has conveyed the facts to the Cabinet here. Further, all senior air officials know, and Bruce has also been informed. Therefore, there is a real danger of a press leakage from London or Washington. In the circumstances it would be unfortunate to delay too long.
2. Please show copy of above message to Shedden. I am sure that both you and Shedden will agree with my suggestion and that Shedden will help to frame appropriate announcement along lines suggested in my first telegram to the Prime Minister. [2]
Very best wishes to you all.
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1 There is a copy of Roosevelt’s letter (dated 15 June) in Franklin D. Roosevelt Library: Roosevelt Papers, President’s Secretary’s file, box 32, PSF Australia.
2 See Document 222. Curtin made an appreciative reference to Evatt’s success in obtaining additional aircraft for the R.A.A.F.
during the course of his reply to an Opposition no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives on 22 June (see Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates, vol. 175, p. 29). The text of Curtin’s statement was dispatched to Evatt on 24 June (see cablegrams L26-7 on file AA:MP1217, box 474, visit abroad of Dr H.
V. Evatt … 1943).
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