INDIA’S AIR FORCE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2310, 1 December 1925, Page 7

INDIA’S AIR FORCE

WAZIRISTAN OPERATIONS GOOD RESULTS ACHIEVED CALCUTTA, November 20. Interesting details are contained in a despatch published to-day under the signatures of Geileral Sir Claude Jacob, late Acting Commander-in-Chief, and Air Vice-Marshal Sir Ed. ward Ellington, commanding the air forces in India. During March, April and May the Royal Air Force was solely responsible for tho operations in Wazirlstan, where the results were most satisfactory, though Sir Claude Jacob believes that better results would have been so cured had the military combined in the operations. Operations lasted 54 days, and on 42 out of the first 45 days bombing was carried out. This is said to be tho longest continuous operation carried out by air-craft since the close of the war.

War flying done totalled 2070 hours, and other flying in connection with the operations amounted to 050 hours. There was only one fatal accident, two pilots and one machine being lost.

Sir Edward Ellington says that the difficulties of the operations -were greatly enhanced owing to the late date on which the Indian Government sanctioned the operations, the best weather then being over, while an underestimate of the financial requirements of the Royal Air Force during 1924-25 had resulted in a shortage of the necessary number of serviceable aeroplanes and engines.