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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT 65

SECRET.

Printed for the War, Cabinet November 1941 andT

This document Was Constrai C.0.5(41) 424 Meeting.

C.O.S. (41) 700.

(Also D.A.C. (41) 31. (Final.))

November 21, 1941.

TO BE KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure the secrecy of this document.

WAR CABINET.

+

Copy No. 33

"

Chiefs of Staff Committee.

.:

REPORT BY THE AD HOC SUB-COMMITTEE ON THE DEFENCE OF AERODROMES.

Introduction.

1.

At their Meeting on the 10th July, 1941, the Defence Committee (Operations) invited us to examine whether, as a long-term policy, aerodrome defence personnel should belong to the Army or the R.A.F. and to prepare a scheme to be put into operation as soon as the 1941 invasion season passed.

2. The present system of aerodrome defence has several major disadvan- tages, and although a large number of men and weapons are being employed, their organisation for that particular purpose, and the existing system of control and supervision of the defence arrangements, are not as satisfactory as they might be.

3. The main features of the existing system are as follows:-

(i) A purely infantry force is provided at each aerodrome to hold static positions and to furnish a mobile reserve. At some aerodromes this consists of Army troops (a "Young Soldier" Company or a Home Defence Company), at others of airmen of the R.A.F. Defence Force organised in Defence Squadrons. Over 140 of such squadrons now exist, vide para 26 below. 37.

(ii) With the exception of the light tanks referred to in (iii) below, the pro- tected vehicles and light A.F.Vs. provided for employment with the mobile reserve are everywhere manned by airmen, as are the A.A. machine guns and 20-mm. cannon provided for defence against low- flying attack.

(iii) At each of the most important Fighter aerodromes a troop of light tanks (with crews) is lent by the Army to support the mobile reserve. Field Army units equivalent in strength to a battalion are stationed in close proximity to these particular aerodromes for immediate support. (iv) A force of several hundred armed airmen drawn from the ordinary

personnel of the Station is available to assist in the static defence. (v) A.A. guns provided by the A.A. Command are sited as far as possible so that they can undertake land defence, particularly anti-tank defence, as a secondary task if required.

(vi) The Station Commander exercises command over the entire resources of his Station at all times, but whereas he is responsible to his Group Commander for all matters relating to air operations, he is responsible directly to the Local Military Commander for all defence preparations. He therefore has to serve two masters, in different Services, whose orders and instructions may sometimes conflict. [23181]

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