No. 76  NAI DFA Secretary's Files A3

Memorandum by Joseph P. Walshe 'Help Given by Irish Government to the British in relation to the
Actual Waging of the War'
(Most Secret)

DUBLIN, 24 May 1941

  1. A large volume of detailed information about roads, railways and military facilities of every kind in the Twenty-Six County area.
  2. Broadcasting of information relating to German planes and submarines in or near our area.
  3. Permission to use the air for their planes over a certain specified area.
  4. Abstention from protest in regard to very frequent over-flying of other parts of our territory.
  5. A constant stream of intelligence information in reply to an almost daily series of questions.
  6. Placing at their disposal the information gathered by an elaborate coast-watching service.
  7. Routing of German and Italian official communications through Britain.
  8. Suppression of wireless transmitters and capture and internment of real or potential spies.
  9. Use of Shannon airports for West African Service, and presumably trans-Atlantic services, though both these services cannot fail to be used for largely military purposes.
  10. Allowing the British Legation to have two secret wireless sets and a private line to London and Belfast.
  11. Complying with requests of the British Naval and Military Attachés for information and visits to special districts to satisfy themselves that British interests were being safeguarded.
  12. Obscuring our lighting system at the request of the British military authorities.
  13. Allowing the setting up of apparatus which has resulted in the destruction and decreased efficiency of our broadcasting system in order to prevent it being used by the Germans as a guide to British objectives.

 

[Handwritten notes by Walshe on the reverse of this document]
British will argue we should loosen censorship to convert those who are against war. (For them to be pro-Irish is to be pro-German).
Grays – McDermotts – Dillons.
Chaos – as the view most strongly pressed will be for ejection of British.
150,000 men to British forces about 60,000 workers (men) have collaborated.
We have 250,000 men in all our military forces i.e. 400,000 men in military defence of two Islands and we could not do more if we were in the war.
All our surplus production going to them.
All our savings going to them.
None in 1939.
1940: 23,330 tons cement. First 10 months this year January to October inclusive 60,406 tons.
We are getting nothing but £1 notes – which go directly or indirectly British War Loans.
In Great War British had 60,000 men keeping order here. Now they have feeling of security about Ireland which would be complete if they gave us arms.


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