Battle of Britain

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Battle of Britain The Battle Re-Thought A Symposium on the Battle of Britain Sponsored jointly by the Royal Air Force Historical Society and the Royal Air Force Staff College, Bracknell 25 June 1990 Joint Editors Air Commodore Henry Probert Mr Sebastian Cox ii THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT Copyright ©1991 by the Royal Air Force Historical Society First Published in the UK in 1991 by Airlife Publishing Ltd British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data available ISBN 1 85310 292 X All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission from the Publisher in writing. Printed by Livesey Ltd, Shrewsbury Airlife Publishing Ltd 101 Longden Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 9EB, England THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT iii Contents Preface 1. Opening Remarks: Air Vice-Marshal A F C Hunter 2. Chairman’s Introduction: Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris 3. The Dowding System: Mr Derek Wood 4. The Battle of France: Mr John Terraine 5. The Luftwaffe and the Battle of Britain: Dr Horst Boog 6. The British Commanders: Dr Vincent Orange 7. The Intelligence Aspect: Mr Edward Thomas 8. August and September 1940: Group Captain Tom Gleave 9. Digest of the Group Discussions A. The System B. The Tactics C. Intelligence D. The Commanders E. The Strategy F. Writing the History 10. Lessons for Today: Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight 11. Chairman’s Closing Remarks Biographical Notes on the Main Speakers The Royal Air Force Historical Society iv THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT Preface To mark the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the RAF Historical Society and the RAF Staff College convened a joint seminar at Bracknell on 25 June 1990. Some 300 people attended, including the Bracknell Directing Staff and students, a visiting party from the West German Führungsakademie in Hamburg, and 150 members of the RAF Historical Society. Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, the Chairman of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, presided over the day’s proceedings, and the contributors included the following members of the Association: Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling, Air Vice-Marshal H A C Bird- Wilson, Group Captain T P. Gleave, Group Captain C B F Kingcome, Wing Commander N P W Hancock, Wing Commander A G Page, Wing Commander P L Parrott, Wing Commander J A Thomson, Wing Commander J R C Young, Flight Lieutenant M E Croskell. In addition, a number of historians took part, among them: Dr Horst Boog, Mr Sebastian Cox, Professor Michael Foot, Group Captain E B Haslam, Mr Cecil James, Group Captain I Madelin, Air Vice-Marshal R A Mason, Dr Vincent Orange, Air Commodore H A Probert, Mr Denis Richards, Mr John Terraine, Mr Edward Thomas, Mr Derek Wood. The morning was devoted to a series of six talks on various aspects of the battle, and in the afternoon the symposium divided into ten discussion groups in which the issues raised were considered in more detail. These provided an opportunity for Battle of Britain veterans and others to offer their recollections and for historians to comment further on some of the questions and controversies. The day’s events were rounded off with an address by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight. THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT v This volume contains the edited texts of the main talks and a digest of what was said in the discussion groups. Under ordinary circumstances, this record would be published privately by the RAF Historical Society and thus circulated only to members. On this unique occasion, however, it is felt that these proceedings will be of interest to a much wider audience, and the Historical Society is most grateful to Mr Jeremy Gambrill, and Mr Alastair Simpson for agreeing to publish them commercially. vi THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT 1 1. Opening Remarks The Commandant Air Vice-Marshal A F C Hunter It is my very pleasant duty to welcome all of you to the Royal Air Force Staff College, and to this symposium which we are delighted to be hosting along with the Royal Air Force Historical Society. Perhaps I may be allowed to say one or two specific words of welcome. First, there are the historians who have come here to keep us on the right rails; it is a pleasure to see so many of such high calibre gathered here today. Secondly, we have many who participated in the Battle of Britain, including members of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association – and, if I may mention one name, it is the sole representative of the Luftwaffe, Herr Schlichting, who today may find the arithmetic slightly different from the way it was fifty years ago. I would also like to welcome our sister staff college, the Führungsakademie from Hamburg, which has a good representation here today. I am delighted that we can continue our exchange and dialogue with them in this symposium. It would be wrong of me not to say how delighted I am also to see all the members of the Historical Society. Members of my staff and of the present course know the stress that I place on the study of history, and I hope that, after today, many of them will wish to become members, as I am, of this splendid society. May I now hand over to Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, who will chair the day’s proceedings? 2 THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT 2. Chairman’s Introduction Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris I was approached nearly a year ago to be asked if I would participate in this particular exercise. It would be linked, they said, to an old exercise, called See Adler, which had been brought up to date. As the original author, I will tell you one thing about the exercise which I hope will give you food for thought. I was detached as a member of the Directing Staff to write the big appreciation exercise on the Battle of Britain, and after a week I sought an interview with the Assistant Commandant. I said, ‘I am awfully sorry, but I have applied all the usual considerations to the exercise – such as factors affecting the attainment of the aim, and the balance of forces – and the Germans must win. What do I do?’ He said, ‘Go and fudge it!’ So I did, and it has been fudged ever since. This brings me to the only other thing that I am going to say in the short time that I have been allotted. We really do want to know not only why we won, but whether we did win. So please do not toe the party line when you are studying and reporting on this exercise. If you are merely going to repeat what everybody else has said – and there are twenty-eight new books this year on the subject – it really is rather a waste of time. But if you can think of anything original that might possibly have affected the battle, for heaven’s sake bring it up. I know that I reflect the views of the Commandant and the DS in saying this. Without further ado, I am going to ask the first speaker to address you. He is the very well-known (and thoroughly justifiably well- known)-author Mr Derek Wood, who was the co-author of one of the classic books about the Battle of Britain, The Narrow Margin. THE BATTLE RE-THOUGHT 3 3. The Dowding System Mr Derek Wood What I would like to do first is to paint a little of the picture behind the system. In the 1930s it was widely accepted that the bomber would always get through, and that’s what frightened everybody to death. So the RAF and the British Government decided, on the basis of what they knew, that they had better do the other thing: in other words, create an air defence force capable of stopping daylight raids (not night raids – that came later) or of making them too costly to continue. It was a very, very radical approach. From 1936 the task of creating these defences was entrusted to Fighter Command and its Commander-in-Chief, Air Chief Marshal Dowding. A lesser man would have been overwhelmed by the task. In 1936 – in 1940, for that matter – there were no digital or analogue computers (they hadn’t been invented), no microchips, no sophisticated communications or detection equipment, no colour television, in fact none of the things that the defence takes for granted in 1990. In those days science-based defence systems were unknown; science was just something that was around the corner, and you found it in universities. It was against this background that Dowding had to build and perfect the world’s first operational defence system. Fortunately, he understood the problems, he knew the solutions and he created the system. He did have certain assets, however. A great deal of research and experimentation had gone on in the late 1920s and early 1930s: pioneering work on reporting and interception, based originally on the London air defence area layout perfected in 1918 by Major-General E B Ashmore. He is very often forgotten, but he was the first pioneer. He had gridded maps, he had common counters, he had a method of reporting, and he had sequences and timings. But he also did one other thing: he founded what is now the Royal Observer Corps, so he had two attributes so far as the defence of this country was concerned.
Recommended publications
  • FM 11-25 Signal Corps Field Manual Aircraft Warning Service
    MHI Copy 3 FM 11-25 WAR DEPARTMENT CPS F LD MANUAL AIRCRAFT WARNING SERVICE August 3, 1942 REFERENCE USE ONLY NOT TO BE TAKEN FROM LIBRARY REGRAOED UNCLASSIFIED ay AUTHo'YoF! DOD DIR. 5200. 1 R By A7 A5 on 2z. FM 11-25 C 1 SIGNAL CORPS FIELD MANUAL AIRCRAFT WARNING SERVICE CHANGES I WAR DEPARTMENT, No. 1 WASHINGTON. March 10, 1943. FM 11-25, August 3, 1942, is changed as follows: * 34: REPORTING PLATOON b. Operating detail and power-plant detail.-The reporting platoon * * * the powver-plant detail. The personnel of these two details are responsible for the actual installation and operation of the mobile radar equipment. They are also re- sponsible for accomplishing minor repairs, adjustments, and replacement; (maintenance in first echelon) and such more extensive repairs, adjustments, and replacements (mainte- nance in second echelon) as may be accomplished by use of hand tools and the mobile equipment issued to the unit. The operating detail * * * supply truck K-31. · . a . *, ·* [A. G. 062.11 (3-1-43).] (C 1, Mar. 10. 1943.) BY ORDER Of THE SECRETARY OF WAR: G. C. MARSHALL. Chief of Stafl. OFFICIAL: J. A. ULIO, Major General, The Adjutanl General. U.S. GOVERPaMEUTPRINITIN.. OFICEISO 1· FM 11-25 SIGNAL CORPS FIELD MANUAL AIRCRAFT WARNING SERVICE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1942 WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, August 3, 1942. FM 11-25, Signal Corps Field Manual, Aircraft Warning Service, is published for the information and guidance of all concerned. [A. G. 062.11 (6-11-42) .] BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: G.
    [Show full text]
  • Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal 29
    ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL 29 2 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributors concerned and are not necessarily those held by the Royal Air Force Historical Society. Copyright 2003: Royal Air Force Historical Society First published in the UK in 2003 by the Royal Air Force Historical Society All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. ISSN 1361-4231 Typeset by Creative Associates 115 Magdalen Road Oxford OX4 1RS Printed by Advance Book Printing Unit 9 Northmoor Park Church Road Northmoor OX29 5UH 3 CONTENTS BATTLE OF BRITAIN DAY. Address by Dr Alfred Price at the 5 AGM held on 12th June 2002 WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE LUFTWAFFE’S ‘TIP 24 AND RUN’ BOMBING ATTACKS, MARCH 1942-JUNE 1943? A winning British Two Air Forces Award paper by Sqn Ldr Chris Goss SUMMARY OF THE MINUTES OF THE SIXTEENTH 52 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE CLUB ON 12th JUNE 2002 ON THE GROUND BUT ON THE AIR by Charles Mitchell 55 ST-OMER APPEAL UPDATE by Air Cdre Peter Dye 59 LIFE IN THE SHADOWS by Sqn Ldr Stanley Booker 62 THE MUNICIPAL LIAISON SCHEME by Wg Cdr C G Jefford 76 BOOK REVIEWS. 80 4 ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY President Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB CBE DFC AFC Vice-President Air Marshal Sir Frederick Sowrey KCB CBE AFC Committee Chairman Air Vice-Marshal
    [Show full text]
  • 1 P247 Musketry Regulations, Part II RECORDS' IDENTITY STATEMENT Reference Number
    P247 Musketry Regulations, Part II RECORDS’ IDENTITY STATEMENT Reference number: GB1741/P247 Alternative reference number: Title: Musketry Regulations, Part II Dates of creation: 1910 Level of description: Fonds Extent: 1 volume Format: Paper RECORDS’ CONTEXT Name of creators: The War Office Administrative history: The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. The name "War Office" is also often given to the former home of the department, the Old War Office Building on Horse Guards Avenue, London. The War Office declined greatly in importance after the First World War, a fact illustrated by the drastic reductions in its staff numbers during the inter-war period. On 1 April 1920, it employed 7,434 civilian staff; this had shrunk to 3,872 by 1 April 1930. Its responsibilities and funding were also reduced. In 1936, the government of Stanley Baldwin appointed a Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, who worked outside of the War Office. When Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940, he bypassed the War Office altogether and appointed himself Minister of Defence (though there was, curiously, no ministry of defence until 1947). Clement Attlee continued this arrangement when he came to power in 1945 but appointed a separate Minister of Defence for the first time in 1947. In 1964, the present form of the Ministry of Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives 1 Defence was established, unifying the War Office, Admiralty, and Air Ministry.
    [Show full text]
  • Inscribed 6 (2).Pdf
    Inscribed6 CONTENTS 1 1. AVIATION 33 2. MILITARY 59 3. NAVAL 67 4. ROYALTY, POLITICIANS, AND OTHER PUBLIC FIGURES 180 5. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 195 6. HIGH LATITUDES, INCLUDING THE POLES 206 7. MOUNTAINEERING 211 8. SPACE EXPLORATION 214 9. GENERAL TRAVEL SECTION 1. AVIATION including books from the libraries of Douglas Bader and “Laddie” Lucas. 1. [AITKEN (Group Captain Sir Max)]. LARIOS (Captain José, Duke of Lerma). Combat over Spain. Memoirs of a Nationalist Fighter Pilot 1936–1939. Portrait frontispiece, illustrations. First edition. 8vo., cloth, pictorial dust jacket. London, Neville Spearman. nd (1966). £80 A presentation copy, inscribed on the half title page ‘To Group Captain Sir Max AitkenDFC. DSO. Let us pray that the high ideals we fought for, with such fervent enthusiasm and sacrifice, may never be allowed to perish or be forgotten. With my warmest regards. Pepito Lerma. May 1968’. From the dust jacket: ‘“Combat over Spain” is one of the few first-hand accounts of the Spanish Civil War, and is the only one published in England to be written from the Nationalist point of view’. Lerma was a bomber and fighter pilot for the duration of the war, flying 278 missions. Aitken, the son of Lord Beaverbrook, joined the RAFVR in 1935, and flew Blenheims and Hurricanes, shooting down 14 enemy aircraft. Dust jacket just creased at the head and tail of the spine. A formidable Vic formation – Bader, Deere, Malan. 2. [BADER (Group Captain Douglas)]. DEERE (Group Captain Alan C.) DOWDING Air Chief Marshal, Lord), foreword. Nine Lives. Portrait frontispiece, illustrations. First edition.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloadable Content the Supermarine
    AIRFRAME & MINIATURE No.12 The Supermarine Spitfire Part 1 (Merlin-powered) including the Seafire Downloadable Content v1.0 August 2018 II Airframe & Miniature No.12 Spitfire – Foreign Service Foreign Service Depot, where it was scrapped around 1968. One other Spitfire went to Argentina, that being PR Mk XI PL972, which was sold back to Vickers Argentina in March 1947, fitted with three F.24 cameras with The only official interest in the Spitfire from the 8in focal length lens, a 170Imp. Gal ventral tank Argentine Air Force (Fuerca Aerea Argentina) was and two wing tanks. In this form it was bought by an attempt to buy two-seat T Mk 9s in the 1950s, James and Jack Storey Aerial Photography Com- PR Mk XI, LV-NMZ with but in the end they went ahead and bought Fiat pany and taken by James Storey (an ex-RAF Flt Lt) a 170Imp. Gal. slipper G.55Bs instead. F Mk IXc BS116 was allocated to on the 15th April 1947. After being issued with tank installed, it also had the Fuerca Aerea Argentina, but this allocation was the CofA it was flown to Argentina via London, additional fuel in the cancelled and the airframe scrapped by the RAF Gibraltar, Dakar, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Montevi- wings and fuselage before it was ever sent. deo and finally Buenos Aires, arriving at Morón airport on the 7th May 1947 (the exhausts had burnt out en route and were replaced with those taken from JF275). Storey hoped to gain an aerial mapping contract from the Argentine Government but on arrival was told that his ‘contract’ was not recognised and that his services were not required.
    [Show full text]
  • Freeman's Folly
    Chapter 9 Freeman’s Folly: The Debate over the Development of the “Unarmed Bomber” and the Genesis of the de Havilland Mosquito, 1935–1940 Sebastian Cox The de Havilland Mosquito is, justifiably, considered one of the most famous and effective military aircraft of the Second World War. The Mosquito’s devel- opment is usually portrayed as being a story of a determined and independent aircraft company producing a revolutionary design with very little input com- ing from the official Royal Air Force design and development process, which normally involved extensive consultation between the Air Ministry’s technical staff and the aircraft’s manufacturer, culminating in an official specification being issued and a prototype built. Instead, so the story goes, de Havilland’s design team thought up the concept of the “unarmed speed bomber” all by themselves and, despite facing determined opposition from the Air Ministry and the raf, got it adopted by persuading one important and influential senior officer, Wilfrid Freeman, to put it into production (Illustration 9.1).1 Thus, before it proved itself in actuality a world-beating design, it was known in the Ministry as “Freeman’s Folly”. Significantly, even the UK Official History on the “Design and Development of Weapons”, published in 1964, perpetuated this explanation, stating that: When … [de Havilland] found itself at the beginning of the war short of orders and anxious to contribute to the war effort they proceeded to design an aeroplane without any official prompting from the Air Minis- try. They had to think out for themselves the whole tactical and strategic purpose of the aircraft, and thus made a number of strategic and tactical assumptions which were not those of the Air Staff.
    [Show full text]
  • The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force in Anti-Submarine Warfare Policy, 1918-1945
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Birmingham Research Archive, E-theses Repository THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE POLICY, 1918-1945. By JAMES NEATE A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY School of History and Cultures College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham September 2012 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This thesis examines the roles played by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force in the formulation of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) policy from 1918 to 1945. Its focus is on policy relating to the use of air power, specifically fixed-wing shore-based aircraft, against submarines. After a period of neglect between the Wars, airborne ASW would be pragmatically prioritised during the Second World War, only to return to a lower priority as the debates which had stymied its earlier development continued. Although the intense rivalry between the RAF and RN was the principal influence on ASW policy, other factors besides Service culture also had significant impacts.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal 21 – Seminar – Malaya, Korea & Kuwait
    ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL 21 2 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributors concerned and are not necessarily those held by the Royal Air Force Historical Society. First published in the UK in 2000 Copyright 200: Royal Air Force Historical Society All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. ISSN 1361-4231 Printed by Fotodirect Ltd Enterprise Estate, Crowhurst Road Brighton, East Sussex BN1 8AF Tel 01273 563111 3 ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY President Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB CBE DFC AFC Vice-President Air Marshal Sir Frederick Sowrey KCB CBE AFC Committee Chairman Air Vice-Marshal N B Baldwin CB CBE Vice-Chairman Group Captain J D Heron OBE General Secretary Wing Commander C G Jefford MBE BA Membership Secretary Dr Jack Dunham PhD CPsychol AMRAeS Treasurer Desmond Goch Esq FCAA Members *J S Cox BA MA *Dr M A Fopp MA FMA FIMgt *Group Captain P J Greville RAF Air Commodore H A Probert MBE MA Editor, Publications Derek H Wood Esq AFRAeS Publications Manager Roy Walker Esq ACIB *Ex Officio 4 CONTENTS Malaya, Korea and Kuwait seminar Malaya 5 Korea 59 Kuwait 90 MRAF Lord Tedder by Dr V Orange 145 Book Reviews 161 5 RAF OPERATIONS 1948-1961 MALAYA – KOREA – KUWAIT WELCOMING ADDRESS BY SOCIETY CHAIRMAN Air Vice-Marshal Nigel Baldwin It is a pleasure to welcome all of you today.
    [Show full text]
  • Sajal Philatelics Cover Auctions Sale No. 261 Thu 16 Aug 2007 1 Lot No
    Lot No. Estimate 1924 BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION 1 H.R.Harmer Display FDC with Empire Exhibition Wembley Park slogan. Minor faults, average condition. Cat £350. AT (see photo) £240 2 Plain FDC with Empire Exhibition Wembley Park slogan. Neatly slit open, tiny rust spot at bottom & ink smudge from postmark at bottom of 1d stamp, otherwise very fine fresh cover. Cat £300. AP (see photo) £220 1929 UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION CONGRESS 3 Plain FDC with T.P.O. CDS. Relevant & rare. Slight ageing in places. UA (see photo) £160 1935 SILVER JUBILEE 4 1d value only on reverse of Silver Jubilee picture postcard with Eltham M/C. AW £80 5 Forgery of Westminster Stamp Co. illustrated FDC with London SW1 CDS. (Cat £550 as genuine). AP (see photo) £30 1937 CORONATION 6 Illustrated FDC with indistinct CDS cancelling the stamp but clear London W1 13th May M/C on reverse. Neatly slit open at top. Cat £20. AT £8 1940 CENTENARY 7 Perkins Bacon FDC with Stamp Centenary (Red Cross) Exhibition London special H/S. Cat £95. AT (see photo) £36 1946 VICTORY 8 Display FDC with Birkenhead slogan "Don't Waste Bread". Cat £75. AT £26 1960 GENERAL LETTER OFFICE 9 with Norwich CDS. Cat £200. AW (see photo) £42 1961 CEPT 10 with Torquay slogan "CEPT European Conference". Cat £15. AT £5 1961 PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE 11 Illustrated FDC with London SW1 slogan "Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference". Stamps badly arranged on cover. Cat £75. AT £10 1962 NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY YEAR 12 (Phosphor) with Cannon Street EC4 CDS. Cat £90. AP (see photo) £50 1963 NATIONAL NATURE WEEK 13 (Phosphor) with Totton, Southampton CDS.
    [Show full text]
  • Ops Block Battle of Britain: Ops Block
    Large print guide BATTLE OF BRITAIN Ops Block Battle of Britain: Ops Block This Operations Block (Ops Block) was the most important building on the airfield during the Battle of Britain in 1940. From here, Duxford’s fighter squadrons were directed into battle against the Luftwaffe. Inside, you will meet the people who worked in these rooms and helped to win the battle. Begin your visit in the cinema. Step into the cinema to watch a short film about the Battle of Britain. Duration: approximately 4 minutes DUXFORD ROOM Duxford’s Role The Battle of Britain was the first time that the Second World War was experienced by the British population. During the battle, Duxford supported the defence of London. Several squadrons flew out of this airfield. They were part of Fighter Command, which was responsible for defending Britain from the air. To coordinate defence, the Royal Air Force (RAF) divided Britain into geographical ‘groups’, subdivided into ‘sectors.’ Each sector had an airfield known as a ‘sector station’ with an Operations Room (Ops Room) that controlled its aircraft. Information about the location and number of enemy aircraft was communicated directly to each Ops Room. This innovative system became known as the Dowding System, named after its creator, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, the head of Fighter Command. The Dowding System’s success was vital to winning the Battle of Britain. Fighter Command Group Layout August 1940 Duxford was located within ‘G’ sector, which was part of 12 Group. This group was primarily responsible for defending the industrial Midlands and the north of England, but also assisted with the defence of the southeast as required.
    [Show full text]
  • Army Co-Operation Command and Tactical Air Power Development in Britain, 1940-1943: the Role of Army Co-Operation Command in Army Air Support
    ARMY CO-OPERATION COMMAND AND TACTICAL AIR POWER DEVELOPMENT IN BRITAIN, 1940-1943: THE ROLE OF ARMY CO-OPERATION COMMAND IN ARMY AIR SUPPORT By MATTHEW LEE POWELL A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of History and Cultures College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham September 2013 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This thesis examines the impact of the developments made during the First World War and the inter-war period in tactical air support. Further to this, it will analyse how these developments led to the creation of Army Co-operation Command and affected the role it played developing army air support in Britain. Army Co-operation Command has been neglected in the literature on the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and this thesis addresses this neglect by adding to the extant knowledge on the development of tactical air support and fills a larger gap that exists in the literature on Royal Air Force Commands. Army Co-operation Command was created at the behest of the army in the wake of the Battle of France.
    [Show full text]
  • Air Commodore Alan Deere Free Download
    NINE LIVES: AIR COMMODORE ALAN DEERE FREE DOWNLOAD Alan Deere,Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding | 200 pages | 01 Apr 2004 | Crecy Publishing | 9780907579823 | English | Cheshire, United Kingdom Alan Deere With his father not approving of his intention to join the RAF, he persuaded his mother to sign the necessary application form. Throughout these engagements this officer has displayed courage and determination in his attacks on the enemy. Simply reserve online and pay at the counter when you collect. By the time that 54 Squadron was withdrawn from the battle on September 3rdDeere had significantly increased his score but had himself expended a further three of his nine lives, having survived a mid air collision with a Messerschmittbeing shot down once and being hit by a bomb while trying a hairy take off during a bombing raid. In MayDeere was awarded his wings. Ang rated it really liked it Jan 20, His Nine Lives: Air Commodore Alan Deere duties at Bracknell ended in late and, after a short period at Transport Command in a liaison capacity, Deere was assigned to the Air Ministry as Director of Postings. This item can be requested from the shops shown below. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Deere attended Marist Brothers' School and then Wanganui Technical Collegebecoming an accomplished athlete in rugbycricket and boxing. Call us on or send us an email at. He shot down one Bf but then Nine Lives: Air Commodore Alan Deere with a second, flown by Oberfeldwebel Johann Illner of Jagdgeschwader By continuing to browse the site you accept our Cookie Policy, you can change your settings at any time.
    [Show full text]