TLS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, Chartwell letterhead, January 3, 1947. Letter to Major-General Sir L. C. Hollis. In full: “The Prime Minister very kindly sent me a copy of C. O. S. Committee paper entitled SOME WEAKNESSES IN GERMAN STRATEGY AND ORGANISATION. I have read it carefully and made a lot of notes upon it. I wonder if it would be convenient to you to let me have a spare copy which I should like to send to General Pownall. If not, I can send him mine. It gives me much pleasure to see you in your great new position.” Churchill has also handwritten the letter’s greeting, “My dear Hollis,” as well as the closing, “All good luck, Yours, sincerely.” Central horizontal and vertical fold, one through a single letter of signature, a punch hole to top left corner, and a thin strip of mounting remnant along back top edge, otherwise fine condition.
In 1946, Britain's highest intelligence body, the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), created the top secret document referenced by the former Prime Minister in this letter written to Hollis, secretary to the Chiefs of Staff Committee. In conducting their report, the JIC interviewed and solicited feedback from all those familiar with the inner workings of the war effort to ‘set down certain aspects of the War whilst there are still sources available who were closely connected with the events described...when it is finally possible to make a balanced historical survey, some of the acutely critical moments which are vividly remembered now are likely to become confused with the passage of time, and there will be a tendency…to underestimate the great and evident strength of the German war machine.’ An historically interesting letter referencing a top secret document that has only recently been made public. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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