Government Code and Cypher School: Signals Intelligence Passed to the Prime Minister, Messages and Correspondence

A file of signals intelligence reports, messages, and correspondence issued by the Government Code and Cypher School and sent by the head ('C') of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. This file includes the following reports on North Africa: of Kesselring's order for January 24, that the British 8th Army is forcing the German-Italian Panzer Army to make an early withdrawal into Tunisia; that he anticipates simultaneous Allied attacks from the south and west; that the defence of the Mareth-Gabes line is regarded as decisive; and giving instructions for the Panzer Army under Rommel and the 5th Panzer Army; a day report from the Panzer Army under Rommel for January 26, that the German rearguard withdrew from near Sorman; that Allied thrusts in the Giado area were beaten back; that Allied patrols pushed forward in an area 140 km south of Bem Gardane; that a major portion of the Italian troops crossed into Tunisia; and that the Army's intentions are to hold up the Allied advance on the coastal road in the Sabratha area; that landing craft convoys are scheduled to go from Sfax to Zuara, on January 26 and 27; the Abwehr report the arrival of Allied commandos in Gibraltar for a new operation in the Mediterranean area, on January 26; of orders for the treatment of captured Germans serving in the French Foreign Legion, on January 23; a German Air Force (GAF) early morning reconnaissance report for January 26, noting no Allied advance beyond the line from Bir Ghnem-Zauia; a day report from Battle Unit Gabes for January 25, describing the situation at Sened station as confused; that Italian forces are surrounded by powerful U.S. Forces, with mobile reserves attempting to relieve the situation; that support by the GAF is limited by the weather conditions; and that German forces are approaching Sened from the east; a GAF report for January 26, detailing Allied formations spotted by air reconnaissances; of Mussolini's appointment of General Messe as Ground Officer Commanding (GOC) of the German-Italian Army A, to be formed at a suitable time; and that Rommel is to retain Supreme Command of the Panzer Army until the defence in the Mareth position has been set up, on January 27; on Yugoslavia: of orders for an extensive operation WEISS involving several divisions with GAF support against rebel forces from January 17, with the operation to be completed by February 15; on the Russian Front: of a declaration of undying loyalty from the 9th Flak Division from Stalingrad, on January 26; and that Rostov is being evacuated of all units not directly involved in its defence, on January 26. This file also includes the following correspondence: a message from Badoglio in Tangiers to Rome discussing the Sultan's approach, on January 27; a summary of diplomatic messages for passing on to the Prime Minister (PM), from January 27; from the French chargé in Budapest, relating that Hungarian troops on leave from the front were recalled, on January 18; from the Spanish minister in Sofia, that an agreement was reached for the evacuation of children and old people from Sofia, seen as a contingency against the creation of a war front in the Balkans, on January 23; from the Turkish ambassador in Vichy, on Hungarian anxiety over the possibility of Turkey joining the Allies in the event of an Allied landing in the Balkans, on January 21; from the Turkish chargé in Kuibyshev, on the extension of the military call-up (see also 2129), on January 22; from the Japanese minister in Sofia, that former Czarist officers are interrogating senior Soviet officer PoWs; from the Belgian minister in Kuibyshev, on Soviet interest in the North African situation, on January 22; from the German minister in Kabul, on the appointment of an Afghan Minister for Posts to Washington, on January 19; from the German ambassador in Tokyo, on the setting up of a School for Development of Southern Territories, on January 23; from the Japanese minister in Sofia, on rumoured differences among the Allies over their post-war aims, on January 20; from the Japanese ambassador in Ankara, on a Portable Landing Strip, on January 20; the Japanese minister in Madrid forwards TO Intelligence from Washington, reporting a trip to North Africa by Churchill, on January 21; a further TO report from Washington, including verbatim instructions for the route from New Orleans to Trinidad, and instructions for entering the Boca de Navios Channel, on January 23; from the Japanese ambassador in Berlin, on German suspicions of the Chinese Embassy in Vichy, on January 23; that compensation payments are to be made to Embassy staff engaged in code construction, on January 23; and a report of meetings with Ribbentrop and Hitler, seeking Germany's help in dealing with French concessions and leased rights in China, on January 23; from the Turkish military attaché in Kuibyshev, on Soviet troop dispositions, on January 24; and from the Turkish ambassador in London, describing De Gaulle's unpopularity, on January 24.