Letter(extract) CANBERRA, 11 April 1946

TOP SECRET

[matter omitted]

3. As stated by the Prime Minister at the discussion on 10th April
[1], he welcomes the idea of setting up a range in Australia,
subject to the conclusion of an agreement later which would be
mutually satisfactory to the United Kingdom and Australian
Governments in respect of the matters referred to in sub-paragraph
1(iii) [2] above and other aspects which may have to be provided
for.

4. The Prime Minister is agreeable to your Mission proceeding in
conjunction with the Australian authorities, to:-

(a) Select the actual site of the range; and
(b) Make a general survey of the technical and industrial
facilities which exist to enable full scale firing trials to be
carried out.

5. The various aspects raised in your letter [3], relative to the
machinery for the control of the programme of range work,
attachment of Australian Service and technical officers to United
Kingdom establishments, research and development work in Australia
as part of the main scheme, the administration of the range,
manufacture and modification of components and production of
fuels, manufacture of guided missiles in Australia, finance, and
the allocation of personnel for training for this work, are
matters which the Prime Minister considers will be covered by the
agreement referred to in (iii). It is understood that your report
will be submitted to the Minister of Supply when the matter will
again be taken up in London on the Inter-Governmental level. The
Prime Minister is agreeable that, later in the year, a fully
representative Technical Mission should be sent from the United
Kingdom to Australia to draw up a detailed agreement as
contemplated.

6. Subject to the foregoing being read in conjunction with your
letter as an expression of the views of the Prime Minister, it is
agreed they jointly represent a record of your discussion with the
Prime Minister, except that the Prime Minister expressed his view
on the question of manufacture in Australia somewhat more
positively than suggested on page 2 of your letter. Mr. Chifley
pointed out that, if the Australian Government were to embark on
expenditure in connection with this

scheme, it wished to do so with the knowledge and assurance that
it would have access to all information necessary to enable
manufacture to be carried out in Australia should it be desired to
go into production at some future date. Otherwise, it would be
wasteful expenditure to embark on an enterprise associated with
defence, the results of which might be denied to the Commonwealth
when circumstances might prevent supplies being obtained from
overseas, an occurrence of which Australia had experience in the
recent war. There is also the related wider strategical aspect of
Australia being a potential source of supply for British
Commonwealth needs in the Pacific theatre.

7. The Prime Minister instructs me to say that you have his full
approval to go ahead with the objects of your Mission as outlined
by you. I am to assure you of every co-operation which you will
find to be readily forthcoming and to wish you success in an
undertaking of such importance to the security of the British
Empire.

F.G.SHEDDEN