HL Deb 19 January 1943 vol 125 cc667-8
VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government, whether they will consider the advisability of immediately bringing Field-Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell into close association in this country with the supreme strategical direction of the war.]

LORD SNELL

My Lords, I have been asked to reply. His Majesty's Government are fully cognizant of the high qualifications of Field-Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell who, as Commander- in-Chief in India, is already closely associated with the supreme direction of the war in the Far East.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

Arising out of that answer, which I regard as rather unsatisfactory, may I ask my noble friend, in view of the very critical state of the war and the vital necessity of utilizing in its supreme central direction the best brains that the United Nations can produce, if he will be so good as to represent to the Prime Minister the desirability of making use at the centre of direction of the well-known high strategical qualifications of Field-Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell, with his unrivalled knowledge of the strategical problems of the Seven Seas, by appointing him to the War Cabinet, possibly as Minister for Offence? I should like to add that this step would, I am sure, meet with unbounded satisfaction in this country and on the part of the United Nations, and in a proportionate degree with great disfavour by the Axis Powers.

LORD SNELL

I shall see that the noble Lord's remarks are conveyed to the proper quarters.