"We had been aware for many months that the Germans were accumulating transports and troops in Baltic ports, and that these troops were constantly being practised in embarkation and disembarkation, It evident that some act of aggression Was in contemplation, but these forces were equally available for an attack upon Finland, Swedea, Norway, Holland oF this' country, and. it was Impossible to tell beforehand where the blow would fall, "It we had knowh that Denmark and Norway were to be the victims, we could not have prevented what happened without the ce-operation those countries. But in the belief that their neutrality would save them, they took no precautions, and. they: gave us no warning of attack, which Indeed they never suspected.
"It will be remembered that in the early days of April the British Government decided that they could Tonger tolerate the continued use of Norwegian territorial waters as 2 Jong communication trench by which Germany could obtain constant Supplies of iron ore and other contraband, and they decided that on April @ mine fields would be Inid at three points which would force this trafic out into the high seas where it could be intercepted.
"It is a curious chance that this date April 8, decided upon by His Majesty's Government for this major Joperation, should have coincided almost exactly with that chosen Germany
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.