ROYAL AIR FORCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 18 June 1936, Page 7

ROYAL AIR FORCE

THE HOME COMMANDS SYSTEM AND ADMINISTRATION IMPORTANT CHANGES ANNOUNCED (United Press Association) (Received 18th June, 1.37 p.m.) RUGBY, 17th June. The Air Ministry announces that the Air Council has decided to carry out important changes in the system of command and administration in the Home commands of the Royal Air Force in order to provide appropriate organisation of the enlarged force which will function with speed and efficiency in peace or war. The new organisation provides for lour commands as follows: —

(1) A Bomber Command, controlling bomber squadrons. (2) A Fighter Command, controlling fighter squadrons, Army co-operation squadrons and observer corps. (3) Coastal Command, controlling flying-boats and a general reconnaissance squadron, and administration, and the shore training of squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. (4) A Training Command, which will, with few exceptions, control all training units at home. The air defence of the country will be vested in three operational commands, close co-ordination between which will be directly exercised by the Air Ministry. The first appointments to thes» Commands are:— To the Bomber Command: Air-Mar-shal Sir John M. Steel. To the Fighter Command: Air-Mar-shal Sir Hugh C. T. Dowding. To the Coastal Command: Air-Mar-shal Sir Arthur M. Longmore. To the Training Command: Air-Mar-shal Sir tharles S. Burnett.

FAR-REACHING NATURE The changes affecting administration are of a far-reaching nature, the main objects of which are to provide for the decentralisation of administrative duties, for the exercise of fuller powers of responsibility by various commands, and for a reduction to a minimum of the links in the chain of command in order to avoid delays and duplicated effort. The new organisation will be brought into force for the Bomber, Fighter and Training Commands in July, and the change in the Coastal Command will follow shortly afterwards.