however, he cast doubt on reports that were received regarding the nazi genocide of the jews. in late august 1943 the polish embassy in london informed the british government of the deportation and annihilation of hundreds of thousands of jews from lublin and bialystok provinces. the chairman of the joint intelligence committee, victor cavendish-bentinck, deplored polish and jewish information about atrocities. he wrote this information as an attempt to ‘stoke us up’ he added: ‘i feel certain that we are making a mistake in giving credence to this gas chamber story.’ this error of judgement makes his subsequent appointment as ambassador to poland the more surprising.