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(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT).
SECRET.
C.0.S.(40)827.
12TH OCTOBER, 1940.
KANKLY
.. to
ensu
his
Sent.
WAR CABINET.
CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.
COPY NO.
20
)
AIR REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST.
Note by the Chief of the Air Staff.
In C.0.S. (40) 817 dated 10th October, 1940, the Prime Minister instructed the Chiefs of Staff to consider certain representations by the Ministerial Committee on Military Policy in the Middle East for the immediate strengthening of the air forces in that theatre.
2.
In his covering minute the Prime Minister points out that these recommendations must take account of the fact that we are still vastly inferior in numbers, both of Fighters and Bombers, to the German Air Force, at home, and that heavy losses have been sustained by our air pro- duction. The present position is that we are still short in the Fighter Command of 17 squadrons on the target pro- gramme of 85 squadrons for the air defence of Great Britain.
3.
The strength of Bomber Command is still quite inadequate to meet effectively the many demands upon it, and numerically our bomber reserves are lamentably inferior to those of the enemy. There are still substantial deficiencies of crews even on the present establishment.
4.
It is clear, however, that our recent successful air operations at home, combined with the approach of winter, has caused the threat of invasion of this country to recede. Moreover, in recent weeks it has become increasingly evident that the strategical pendulum is swinging towards the Middle East. In fact, from the latest indications of Axis moves south-eastwards, we are justified in assuming that the most serious danger in the coming months is already developing in the Middle Eastern theatre.
5.
The Air Staff have made considerable progress already with their plans for reinforcing the Middle East, and had it been possible to carry out to time the programme of rein- forcement which the Air Staff had set themselves, the strength of the Air Forces in the Middle East would have been substantially greater than it now is.
There is, however, no easy way of rapid reinforcement of the Middle East by air. The air route via Malta is precarious and
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