NOTE OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE D.C.N.S. AND SIR WALTER MONCKTON AT THE ADMIRALTY TODAY

(1) The D.C.N.S. said that he understood that it was agreed that an Officer should be appointed by the Ministry as Liaison Officer with the Admiralty. This man would have access to senior officers in the Admiralty and would be able to discuss points with the First Lord himself if necessary. The D.C.S.N. had discussed Admiral Carpendale as a possibility with the First Sea Lord but they both thought it would be preferable not to have an Admiral or a Naval Officer but someone who would give to the Admiralty a distinctive Ministry point of view. He had no names in view and knew nothing of Brigadier Lawson whose name I mentioned. He suggested that we should put forward two or three names and was certain that there would be no difficulty in accepting the Minister's nominee. We did not discuss the question of a number of officers who would be necessary for this duty, but I am sure there will be no difficulty in appointing more than one so as to ensure a continuous service if this is thought necessary. (Our interview had to be brief as the D.C.N.S. was constantly interrupted by telephone calls and personal interviews about operations in progress).

(2) The D.C.N.S. said that the Admiralty would be ready to supplement the Naval Officers now here by one or two further Senior Officers as we wished. He said that he would like to consider the names which he would suggest to us as suitable for appointment. I asked him if possible to appoint Rear Admiral Thomson among them and he promised to consider this. I also mentioned the name of General Tripp who is now here and Admiral Macnamara.

(3) I raised the question of the responsibility which would be given to the Officers mentioned in (2) and said that we wanted the senior Officer of those appointed to be in charge of the whole of the Naval Sections here and to be, as it were, number 2 to Captain Brooking. The D.C.N.S. plainly saw the advantage of having a single head responsible for all activities which the Naval Sections here conduct, including tours, as well as censorship and news and Press guidance, but he said that he thought that the extent of the responsibility which the senior Officer would exercise must be left largely to the discretion of the Officer himself on the spot. I said that the point was that the responsibility entrusted to him should be as wide as possible in the circumstances. I do not anticipate that there will be a difference of opinion about this.

I should like to be able to put names before the D.C.N.S. tomorrow morning. In addition to Brigadier Lawson, the name of J.G. Lockhart, the author and publisher, occurred to me as a possibility. I suppose that Lord Birkenhead is already otherwise employed. Lord Mersey, although he is not so far as I know particularly acquainted with publicity questions, has business experience and might conceivably fill the post. I am making further enquiries.