SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2nd, 1943 .

PRESENT:

The Director General

The D.D.G.

Mr. Francis Williams

Mr. Gates

Mr. Grubb

Mr. Royds

Mr. Cruikshank

Mr. Grisewood

Mr. Macgregor

General Tripp

Brigadier Neville

Admiral. Carpendale

Mr. Lyne

Mr. Carter

1 REPORTS FROM SERVICE ADVISERS .

2 JAPANESE ATROCITY STORIES .

[CM/175.]

Brigadier Neville reported that whereas the Prisoners of War Department of the War Office strongly deprecated stories of ill-treatment of prisoners by the Japanese, the Military Attaché at Chungking was still taking his line from Mr. Eden's statement on Hong Kong and facilitating their transmission for publication; and he asked what was the Ministry's policy. The D.D.G. recalled that the Foreign Office had used its influence on several occasions to play the subject down. In general, the Board endorsed the Chairman's view that, while exaggerated stories were definitely harmful, no objection could be taken to fully authenticated reports.

3 R.A.F. BOMB DAMAGE EXHIBITION .

[[illegible]/104/169.]

Mr. Royds reported that the Air Ministry's bomb damage exhibition had encountered a query from Finance: whether the adverse decision on the proposed pamphlet “City by City” constituted a policy decision to be applied to all propaganda of this type. The Chairman confirmed that it had not been so intended.