1933

Description

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: a BONIFACE report from Brigadier Hollis to the Prime Minister (PM); a daily SUNSET intelligence report; on Southern Europe: that the 14th Panzer Corps claim to have destroyed or captured 267 tanks between July 10 and August 5; that the shortage of light flak ammunition is catastrophic according to the German authorities in Messina, on August 7; that ammunition is urgently required by the Germans in the southern Italian area consequent on losses at Palermo and Messina, and on recent expenditure, on August 7; an operations report of the 14th Panzer Corps for August 8; that the Germans were nervous of Allied landings in the rear of the Sicilian bridgehead, on August 9; that the German Air Force (GAF) are making preparations for the dismantling of Crotone airfield, on August 8; that a large-scale Allied air attack on Crete is expected, on August 6; on orders for a state of readiness on Crete, that an increase in guerilla activity there is to be expected, and economy with fuel is called for, on July 27; that the 76th Infantry Division is to transfer from Brittany to northern Italy, on August 6; and Naval Headlines.

Keywords

military dispositions, troop movements, Axis powers, German withdrawal, military situation reports, Allied powers, casualties, tanks, invasion of Sicily, military shortages, military supplies, anti-aircraft defence, predicting enemy intentions, Allied strategy, amphibious operations, demolitions, ports, occupied Greece, anti-Nazi resistance, naval intelligence, Royal Air Force, aerial attacks on ships, German U-boats, Battle of the Atlantic, Italian foreign policy, Italian navy, warships, shipping losses, shipping