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 France: a German Air Force (GAF) situation report for August 16, making a possible over-estimate of the strength of the Allied forces in a thrust over the line from Chateaudun-Chartres-Dreux, with all air activity being hindered by the weather; that the 7th Army received orders to withdraw to a north-south line east of Flers; on the lines of the 81st Corps and the 352nd Division, as at August 16; that the 3rd Air Fleet is to move to Rheims, on August 17; of the 64th Corps forming anti-tank defensive strong-points south of the Loire, despite a shortage of anti-tank weapons; that the GAF Station at Orleans is reported to have been attacked and destroyed by 100 Allied tanks; that fuel oil at La Pallice was destroyed through Allied action; that the 5th Fighter Division for West France has been withdrawn from operations, with its tasks being taken over by the 4th Fighter Division; that von Kluge reported the situation on both sides of Falaise necessitated the quickest withdrawal across the Orne, on August 17; that the 2nd SS Panzer Corps is to make a concentric attack to clear up the situation caused by an Allied penetration from Morteaux to north-west of Trun; that the 1st SS Panzer Corps and the 74th Corps are to be subordinated to the 7th Army on instructions from Army Group B; that no fuel arrived with the 7th Army to the evening of August 17; of an order from Hitler to the Commander in Chief (CinC) West for the movement of Army Group G to make contact with Army Group B and for the 11th Panzer Division to act as a rearguard in the Rhone Valley, that the 62nd Corps with the 148th and 157th Reserve Divisions are to withdraw to the Franco-Italian Alpine position, that the fortresses on the French west and south coasts are to be held to the last man, and that Marseilles and Toulon are to be held by one division each; that Toulon's destruction was ordered by the CinC of the 19th Army, on August 17; a situation summary at 1800 hours on August 16 signed by Blaskowitz, that the Allies succeeded in gaining a foothold in the 19th Army's area between Cap Negre and Cap Roux, and in the area south of Draguingnan, thrusting through the Les Maures mountains, their strength being estimated at four divisions plus armour and paratroops, with the German troops having no anti-tank weapons, and the main disembarkation area being in the Gulf of Tropez - he anticipates the Allied intention is to thrust in a west-north-west direction to cut off Toulon and Marseilles; Naval Headlines, covering two 1,200-ton transport U-boats in Bordeaux are to be specially fitted, probably for the Far East; that Concarneau is under tank attack, with terrorists said to have occupied the inner town; that Menton harbour has been demolished and Antibes harbour fouled; that the HQ of the Admiral for the South Coast of France is moving towards Lyons to avoid Allied air attacks; and that the U-boat Base at Spezia is to be moved to Genoa; and from the Japanese ambassador in Berlin, describing the effects of Allied air raids on German production, on August 11; and on German supplies of raw materials, on August 12.