HC Deb 07 November 1940 vol 365 c1457W
Mr. Bellenger

asked the Secretary of State for War whether General Lord Gort has completed his despatch on the campaign in France; and whether any or all of it will be available for publication in the near future?

Sir E. Grigg

It has been decided that despatches will not be published until alter the war for the reason that in the unusual circumstances of this war it would be impossible to publish them without giving useful information to the enemy. The despatches on the campaign in the Low Countries and in France were written with a view to giving His Majesty's Government the fullest possible narrative of events. A narrative covering the period may be published at a later date. I desire, however, to emphasise that the mass of information contained in the despatches and reports is being collated and carefully examined, so that the lessons to be derived from it may be applied by the Service Departments concerned.