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(a) Co-ordination of British and Turkish air operations. (b) Allocation of the air effort between purely Turkish

and British interests.

(c) Reference to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief in the event of disagreement with the Turks over the employment of the R. A. F.

In order that the Air Marshal should be free to deal with matters of higher policy, it is recommended that he should have under him an Air Officer Commanding who will exercise operational command of the British Air Forces,

Allocation of Air Effort.

12. The Turkish Air Force is not likely to last long and the British Air Forces will inevitably become responsible for all air operations in Anatolia. It will probably not be possible to earmark a definite proportion of the available air forces to support British land forces - particularly in the early stages of the campaign if British land forces are in strategic reserve and our whole air effort is needed elsewhere.

13.

On the other hand, the British land forces, particularly armoured forces, will need adequate air support.

This need may conflict with the requirements of the air situation as a whole and of the Turkish land forces in particular, It will, as explained in paragraph 11 (b) above, be one of the duties of the Air Marshal to allocate the air effort as the changing situation demands.

Air Liaison.

14.

The above system entails the appointment of an Air Marshal to work with Marshal Cakmak at the Turkish Ministry of Defence. It is proposed that the Air Attache and his staff should cease to function as such and should become the nucleus staff of the Air Marshal.

There should, in addition, be the usual interchange of operational liaison officers.

Interpreters.

15.

The Turks should be asked to supply as many interpreters as possible. The records of interpreters and their collection etc. are likely to be centralised at Turkish G. H. Q. and arrangements for the supply of interpreters and for their distribution as required to the three Services should therefore be co-ordinated by the Liaison Staffs with the Turkish High Command.

Recommendation.

16.

We recommend that the Defence Committee give general approval to the abu. angements which can then be discussed with the Turks at an appropriate stage in the Staff Conversations.

Great George Street, S. W. 1.

26TH NOVEMBER, 1941.

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