AIR DEFENCES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 59, 9 March 1940, Page 13

AIR DEFENCES

COMMONS SUGGESTION

MORE CO-OPERATION

R.A.F. AND NAVY

(Britlsb Official Wireless.* (Received March 9, 10.50 a.m.)

RUGBY, March 8

In the later stages of the House of Commons debate on the Air Estimates, which were adopted without a vote, Admiral of the Fleet Sir! Roger Keyes appealed for more effective co-operation between the R.A.F. and the Navy for the protection of fishing vessels and other North Sea shipping, and asked for the Coastal Command to be placed under the complete control of the Admiralty. The Air Minister, in replying, said he believed the dual control arrangement of the Coastal Command between the Admiralty and the R.A.F. was the best in the present circumstances, but wherever possible the Government intended to improve the system.

(By Telegraph—Pres3 Association—Copyright.) (Received March 9, 11.10 a.m.)

LONDON, March 8.

Sir Kingsley Wood stated in the House of Commons that no air defences could be regarded as impenetrable, pointed out the difficulty of intercepting enemy planes in clouds and darkness over hundreds of miles of coastline, and thought the Royal Air Force was to be congratulated on having brought down and driven off so many enemy planes.

He said that the Government had direct evidence that recent , R.A.F. flights over Germany had affected both morale and production, and that British leaflets had been read by the people.