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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.
283
C.L
SECRET.
C.O.S.(40) 254. (Alao M.C. (40)61).
COPY NO. .30
8TH MARCH, 1940.
WAR BINAI,
CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.
SHORTAGE OF LIGHT A. A GUNS.
Memorandum.
War experience has shown conclusively that
low-flying attack, when practicable, is the most effective
means of hitting specific targets. It is the method which
we ourselves would prefer to use, when conditions are
suitable, if unrestricted air warfare should begin;
though the strength of the enemy's light anti-aircraft
artillery is so formidable that it is very doubtful whether
this form of attack would be practicable on any important
target in Germany. It is clear, therefore, that adequate
numbers of light anti-aircraft guns are essential if our
defence against air attack is to be effective.
2.
the forecast of the
At the beginning of the war,
Ministry of Supply budgeted for a production of 1,250 light
A.A. guns by the 1st September, 1940.
X
*
This forecast was later
scaled down to 770 Production does not seem to be keeping up even
to this drastically reduced forecast, and we have to face
the hard fact that, on the 1st March, out of a total
requirement on that date of well over 3,000 light
anti-aircraft guns, only 388 had been issued. The Britic..
Expeditionary Force had only 152 instead of the 352 authorised
*
Details of forecasts and issues are given in a
Table at the end of this Menorandum.
-J.-
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