CAB80-20 — Page 144

Page 144

Page 144

ANVEX V.

Copy of a letter dated 4th October from Secretary of tate for War to Lecretary of State for Air.

*

128

Page 144

You and I have had some discussion recently about our air strength in the Middle ast, and I know that you will not mind my putting before you my present grave preoccupation on this score.

The co-operation between Wavell and A.0.C-in-C. Middle East could not be better, and I frequently receive from the Commander-in-Chief tributes to the help which the Air Force is giving in the Middle East. The uncomfortable truth, however, remains that our ir Force in Egypt and in the Sudan is even at present heavily outnumbered. Moreover, we continue to receive reports from a variety of sources of the impending or actual reinforcements of the Italian Air Force by German machines and even German pilots. We know that German machines have several times dive-bombed Malta. There is the report of a German pilot and an Italian crew having force landed in Syria after bombing Haifa. We know also that the Italian ir Force in Abyssinia has recently been reinforced, which may be part of a general German-Italian move for the strengthening of their ir Forces in frica.

•

In the fighting that may be expected to break out at any moment in the Sudan and in the Egyptian Desert, the most important weapons will prove to be tanks and aeroplanes, field artillery and anti-aircraft guns. You will know what we have taken some steps in respect of tanks, and that an important reinforcement of field artillery is now on its way to the Middle East. I am concerned about the light A.. position, but we have now under consideration here certain plans for giving the Field Army in the Middle East further help in this respect. You will recall how great, perhaps decisive, was the part played by the German Air Force against the French Army in the battle in France in May. Proportion- ately aircraft will, I believe, prove even more important in fighting in the Desert in „frica. Dive-bombing may be an unpleasant experience for troops fighting in comparatively enclosed country; it must be still more difficult to endure where cover or concealment is so much harder to contrive. Moreover, a considerable proportion of our troops in the Middle East is Indian, and we can hardly expect them to show as determined a front as British troops to this part, cular form of attack.

This letter is, therefore, a plea to you to consider whether, despite the very heavy calls upon you for the Battle of Britain, it might not be possible for you now to spare some further reinforcements for the Middle East over and above the replacement programme that you are at present fulfilling. If to this it were possible to add even a squadron of dive- bombers, such a reinforcement would be of inestimable help to

US.

I am sending a copy of this letter to the Prime Minister.

*

*

*

--5--

Page 144

Page 144