HOTCHKISS CAIRO
                                   OPNAV
DEC 21, 1941.
 
     ROBINSON
 
          192300 (CONTINUED) PARTS 2,3 &4- SHEET 2.
 
    OF THE BRITISH PLANS TO PUSH ON TO THE FRONTIER OF TUNISIA DEPENDS 
 
ON THE PROMPT IMPROVEMENT OF BRITSH TRANSPORT AND 
 
COMMUNICATIONS. BRITISH ARE SHOCKINGLY SHORT OF COMPETENT TRUCK 
 
DRIVERS. THEIR SYSTEM OF TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION 
 
HAS BEEN STRETCHD TO THE BREAKING POINT.  AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN I 
 
ATTENDED WITH LITTLETON AND AUCHINLEK A MEETING OF ALL THE STAFFS 
 
YESTERDAY FOR THE EXCHANGE OFINFO, NO NEWS HAS COME FOR 24 HOURS 
 
FROM THE FIGHTING FRONT.  LYTTLETON, AUCHINLEK, AND AIR MARSHAL 
 
TEDDER HAVE ALL PROPOSED TO ME IN WRITINGTHAT WE SHOULD TAKE OVER 
 
WITH OUR OWN ARMY UNITS UNDER COMMANDS  OF GEN. MAXWELLCERTAIN 
 
PORTION OF THE TRANSPORTATION BURDEN AS WELL AS THE INSTALLATION 
 
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF A SYSTEM OF TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH 
 
COMMUNICATIONS. I AM SENDING IN AMERICAN EQUIVALENTSTHE WRITTEN 
 
REQUESTS PRESENTED TO ME BY THE BRIT YESTERDAY BY A SEPARATE 
 
MESSAGE THROUGH GEN. MAXWELL TO THE WAR DEPT. I HOPE THAT
 
 
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEND AT LEAST THE TRUCK DRIVER IMMEDIATELY.
 
 
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND GEN. MAXWELL IS EXCELLENT AND
 
 
CONCURS IN MY OPINION THAT THE BRITISH ARE DOING AS GOOD A JOB AS
 
THE INADEQUATE MEANS AND THE IMMENSE TERRAIN WILL PERMIT.
   
 PLEASE SHOW THIS MESSAGE TO MARSHALL, STIMSON AND HOPKINS.
                                   (END)