CAB80-20 — Page 185

Page 185

Page 185

159

Next as regards additional squadrons. While we are still engaged in the heavy battle in this country, we cannot spare any of our squadrons at home to go abroad, and owing to the shortage of pilots, we are not in a position to form any additional squadrons at the present time.

We are, however, arranging now to lay the foundations of further expansion in the Middle East; we are proposing to send the maintenance equipment and personnel of four Hurricane Squadrons to Malta, and of four Hurricar Squadrons and six Bomber Squadrons (which will probably be mainly Wellingtons) to Egypt. This will enable rapid reinforce- ment of the aircraft to be made later on.

In addition we are hoping to fly in an additional flight of Hurricanes to Malta from a carrier as we did before, and also an additional number of Glenn Martins.

I should add that there is at the present time a small surplus of pilots in the Middle East Command, and although this is a necessary reserve to replace wastage, it may be that, taken in conjunction with General Smuts' offer to release to us pilots and crews which are surplus to the immediate requirements of his own operational units, the A.0.C.-in-C. would be able to use them to form some increase of his fighter strength. We are pursuing this further, and

be able to send out enough Mohawks for him to form 1 more fighter squadrons.

We have also sent out the first thirty Lysander cannon equipments with a small supply of ammunition. We have of course no experience of the efficacy of the cannon Lysander against tanks, but this may be a valuable addition. Operational tests have been encouraging.

be

The Vultee and Brewster dive bombers are not due, I am afraid, to come in until February at the earliest, but the first allocation of these might well, I think, made to the Middle East, and we shall be able to consult with you on this nearer the time. Meanwhile, the shorter range medium bombers can be and are being used in support of the Army for attacking Italian concentrations. - In this connection I should like to suggest that a very important task at the present time, and one to which it may be necessary for the Chiefs of Staff to invite the A.0.C.-in-C. to give more attention, is the bombing of Benghazi. This is the sole major Italian port in Western Libya, and to deal with it as we are dealing with the Channel ports is I am sure the surest way of hamporing any major Italian advance.

May I close by assuring you that this question of our air strength in Middle East is receiving my constant attention. If we can get the aircraft out more quickly by adjustments in the shipping programme, it will be done; we are pressing on urgently with the improvement of the Takoradi route; we are pursuing General Smuts' magnificent offer and we can rely certainly on the fullest support from him; and we are laying the foundations for expansion in the not distant future, both with Fighters, Heavy Bombers and Dive Bombers, and meanwhile a steady flow of Hurricanes, Blenheims and Wellingtons continues.

I am sending a copy of this letter to the Prime

Minister.

chmond Terrace, S.W.1,

1th October, 1940.

-2-

*

班

*

Page 185

Page 185

Page 185Page 186