UN Palestine Commission – Disposal of surplus police equipment – Letter from United Kingdom

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21 June 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Communication from United Kingdom Delegation

Concerning disposal of surplus police equipment

The following communication, concerning the disposal of surplus police equipment, has been addressed to Mr. Cordier by Mr. Fletcher-Cooke of the United Kingdom Delegation.

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UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Empire State Building

New York 1, N.Y.

11th June, 1948

My dear Cordier,

May I refer you to my letter of the 24th March and previous correspondence with Bunche on the subject of police equipment in Palestine.

2. I have just learned that a message from the Inspector-General of the Palestine Police was received in the Colonial Office early in June to the following effect:

(i) As previously reported to the United Nations through Colonel Roscher Lund of the Palestine Commission’s staff in Palestine it was proposed, in the absence of successor authorities and in the interests of humanity, to destroy police armoured vehicles and automatic weapons which had hitherto been solely in the hands of British police personnel.

(ii) It is understood that Colonel Lund commented that this proposal was a sensible one and that no practical alternative was apparent.

(iii) In the absence of any recognised successor authorities and in view of the limited British guard resources and the increasing scale of thefts and attempted thefts of assured vehicles and automatic weapons this plan has now been put into effect.

(iv) All surplus weapons have been dumped in the sea.

(v) Armoured vehicles are being destroyed as they become surplus to requirements and when British personnel can be made available for the task.

3. Although it is not so specifically indicated, it is presumed that this message was sent by the Inspector-General of Police from Haifa after the termination of the Mandate.

Yours sincerely,

(Signed) J. FLETCHER-COOKE

A. W. Cordier, Esq.

Executive Office of the Secretary-General,

United Nations,

Lake Success.