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to the Middle East, it may well involve delay in bringing squadrons at home up to a mobile establishment, and the Air Staff wish it to be recognised that this conflict of requirements must be accepted. Indeed, it must be clear that any accretion of strength in the Middle East can only be at the expense of the Metropolitan Air Force.

10. In view of these competing requirements at home and in other thea tres in certain essential classes of material and personnel at the present time, it is not possible to make any definite proposals for the addition of new squadrons in the Middle East without a very thorough examination of all the implications involved. The Air Staff regard the two foregoing measures re-equipment and expansion by increasing the first line strength of the existing squadrons as the only practicable means at their disposal for an immediate strengthening of the air forces in the Middle East. They are, however, already investigating the possibility of raising three new fighter squadrons in the near future, using certain existing fighter flights and improvised units as cadres upon which to build. They hope to gain some valuable assistance in this direction from the offer of the South African authorities to release pilots, which has recently been made by General Smuts.

11. Apart from these additional squadrons, the total reinforcements which it is hoped to despatch under the foregoing proposals amount to the equivalent of about six squadrons, equipped with aircraft of superior_fighting value to the majority of those now in the Middle East. It must be understood, however, that this programme cannot, owing to shipping and other difficulties, be realised immediately, and its completion must be a matter of some time.

Air Ministry, S.W.1.

12TH OCTOBER, 1940.

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