UNITED AIR FORCES

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1946, Page 4

UNITED AIR FORCES

’ SIR KEITH PARK DISCUSSES PLANS MODIFIED WAR-TIME BASIS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 30. The importance of the continuation of the Empire spirit in the Royal Air Force, and the continuation in a modified form of the Empire air training system, which had done so well in the war, was emphasised by Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park in an interview. He corrected the impression given by a cabled message from Australia, which stated he was coming to New Zealand for talks on air defence, by stating it was air matters in general which were to be discussed, and which he would discuss also with the Commonwealth Government.

It .was hoped, he said, that the united air forces of the Empire would be able to carry on in a modified form. The peace-time R.A.F. was being reduced to about one-fifth of its war-time strength, because of economy in manpower, material, and finance.

“Big Brother.” “We look upon it as a sort of big brother’ to the Dominion air forces, and we are going to continue with Empire navigation, armament, and other training schools, so that the Dominions can send their men over to them. New Zealanders can do their courses along with South Africans, Irishmen, Australians, and Scotsmen. We want to keep the Empire spirit up, because we shall then get standardisation in technique, training, and equipment. One of the greatest assets of an air force is flexibility, and flexibility will be lost if we have a number of little air forces. We want to be able to transfer a New Zealand squadron to Canada if necessary.” Sir Keith said one of the things he wanted to ascertain while here was whether New Zealand could send men to join the Royal Air Force. When in Malta, he had some purely R.A.F. squadrons, but in them were Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, and South Africans serving in R.A.F. uniform. There _ were two Australian squadrons doing coastal work, and some Fleet Ail’ Arm units. “They worked just like a Rugby fifteen, irrespective of shoulder flashes. Crews could be transferred from one squadron to another, and the squadrons could be shifted round without difficulties.” Defence in Pacific.

Air defence in the Pacific was a matter of intimate concern for New Zealand and Australia, but it was not purely a problem for the British Commonwealth. It was right out of the normal plane of Imperial defence, and on the UNO plane for co-ordina-tion of the United States, Dutch, French, Chinese —all our Allies today. . . Sir Keith will be tendered a civic reception following a visit to Oamaru, where Sir Keith’s father lives. Beginning on Sunday, Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, Rotorua, and some Air Force stations will be visited. On the conclusion of his New Zealand stay, which will be of three weeks, Sir Keith and Lady Park will return to Singapore, later going to England via Australia.