AIR EFFORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 39, 15 February 1941, Page 8

AIR EFFORT

AUSTRALIA'S SHARE

UNITS SOON TO BE DOUBLED

(By Trans-Tasman Air Mail—From "The Post's" Hepresentative;)

SYDNEY, January 25,

The number of Royal Australian Air Force squadrons on service overseas will be more than doubled during the next few months, and some senior R.A.A.F. officers will be given the opportunity of serving abroad.

Announcing this decision of the War Cabinet, the Minister of Air, Mr. McEwen, said that the increase in squadrons represented only a fraction of the air effort in which Australia, Canada, and New Zealand would co-operate. Australia's share would extend far' beyond the "doubling of squadrons already abroad, he siad. There would be doubling and redoubling within a comparatively short period.

"The project in which the three Dominions are co-operating will provide scores of squadrons and thousands of highly-skilled air crews and ground staffs within the period originally fixed as marking the first phase of the Empire Air Training Scheme," Mr. McEwea added. "The decision to include large percentages of the ground staffs required for the maintenance of active service squadrons is important and significant. It indicates that many difficulties associated with the training of technicians and other specialists have been overcome. The posting oJ ground staff personnel will not interfere with requirements for. home defence or with section of the air scheme."

For security reasons, it was impossible to reveal the precise number of squadrons or personnel to be posted for service overseas under the new arrangement, Mr. McEwen said. It could be stated, however, that the squadrons would be distinctively Australian, although they would include a small proportion of experienced Royal Air Force personnel in the initial stages. It had been agreed that the necessary R.A.F. personnel should be gradually exchanged for suitable R.A.A.F. ground staffs as they; became available,