Handwritten memorandum by Frank Aiken (Dublin) of a meeting with
Eamon de Valera, Sir John Maffey and General Harrison

On Friday 2nd Aug. 1940 the Taoiseach received Sir John Maffey and Gen. Harrison. The Ministers for Co-ordination and for Defence were present.¹

Gen. H. said that his job would be to act as liaison officer in the event of our calling for British assistance. In order to fulfil this task efficiently he wished to make personal contact with the people he might have to work with here. He stressed the importance of getting to know members of the G.H.Q. staff.

The T.[aoiseach] indicated the neutral attitude of our people and pointed out that it would be impossible to have anything like staff talks. He wished to examine the possibility of arranging that Gen. H. should meet one or two members of G.H.Q. for the purpose of getting personally acquainted.

In reply to the Minister for Co-ord. Gen. H. said that in the event of British troops being invited to come to our assistance it would be advisable if we should have about twenty five officers to assign as liaison officers to the H.Q. of the British force and to the staffs of the various units making up this force. Billeting and other arrangements with the public would have to be made through the Irish Liaison Officers.

The T. pointed out the necessity for supplies of arms and Gen. H. said that he felt it to be one of his primary functions to insure that the Irish Army would be as well equipped as possible and that he had already pointed out the importance of this to his own people. He would continue to press for additional supplies of airplanes, anti-aircraft guns, and anti tank guns, machine guns etc.

The T. and the two ministers stressed the importance of getting supplies quickly.