I handed this communication in writing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 9.30 p.m. that evening. Herr von Ribentrop received it without other comment than that the blame rested on the Poles, that was they who had first mobilized and who had first invaded Germanw with troops of the regular army. He made no enquiry as to the nature of the communication which he merely said that he must submit to the Führer. I said that I realized that this would be necessary, and that I would be available at whatever hour he ight be in position to give me the Rei chancellor's reply. The French Ambassador, who had been instructed to make a similar communication, did so immediately after me and received a reply on the sine lines.
Earlier in the afternoon of that day. in accordance with your Lordships instructions, I had officially requested the United States Chergé d'Affaires to be good enough to take charge of British interests in the event of war. All ciphers and confidential documents were burnt, and the whole of the Staff left their normal residences and were concentrated in the Adlon Hotel next door or in the Embabby itself. All the arrangements were carried out with a maximum of efficiency and a mi mum of confusion, which did the utmost credit to the organization and competency of the very excellent Staff of His Majesty's Embassy. The chief responsibility for this rested upon Mr. Holman, as Head of the Chancery.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.