ROYAL AIR FORCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23818, 20 November 1940, Page 10

ROYAL AIR FORCE

COMMAND CHANGES SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS CO-OPERATION WITH ARM® By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, Nov. IS The full list of new air appointments has been announced as follows: — Air Marsh ill Sir Arthur Sheridan Barratt. becomes Officer Commnndiug-in-Chief of the Army Co-operation Command. Air Vice-Marshal \Y. S. Douglas succeeds Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding as Chief of the Fighter Command. Air A ice-Marshal A. T. Harris becomes Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in place of Air Vice-Marshal Douglas. Air Commodore J. H. Dalhiac becomes Commapder of the British forces in C« rcecc. Air Vice-Marshal 0. T, Boyd becomes deputv chief officer in the Middle Fast with the acting rank of Air Marshal. Air Marshal F. L. Gossage takes Air Marshal Boyd's place, in command of the Balloon Barrage. Air Vice-Marshal Babington takes Air Marshal Gossage's place on the Air Council as member for personnel with the acting rank of Air Marshal. Sir Hugh Dowding has been seconded to the Ministry for Aircraft Production for special duty. Vital Step-. Taken Fx pert commentators regard the formation of the new Army Co-operation Command of the Royal Air Force as a vital step in the adaptation of the fighting forces to lessons learnt in the present war and to meet, needs in the near future, says the British Official Wireless. It represents an essential feature of the plan alluded to recently by the Secretary of State for War, Mr. Anthony Fdon, when he stated that the whole matter of co-operation between the Army and the Royal Air Force was now 011 an agreed and sound basis. The development is warmly welcomed in the press, which considers it in relation to the announcement of alterations in higher appointments of the Royal Air Force which represent sweeping changes in its operational control and bring to the front vigorous men in the prime of life. The Times says: "For the time being the new Army Co-operation Command's essential duty will be training, although we may look forward to a time when it will be purely operational." Mission to United States Referring to Sir Hugh Dowding's coming mission to America, the Times says: "He goes to America as a victorious commander—the best we have to send—tc give our friends across the Atlantic his view on materials needed for modern air warfare." The Daily Telegraph says: "The versatility and enterprise which have directed air operations with, such glorious success are still to rule." The Daily Mail says: "The idea of attack is inspired by the new appointments. We employ our best thrusters, both in planning and in operations."

ANOTHER SHIP SAFE ATTACK ON CONVOY CREW FIRE ON RAIDER FLAMES FOUGHT FOR 11 HOURS LONDON. Nov. TO Still another ship in the convoy that was attacked by a German surface raider in the Atlantic 011 November 5 has been saved. The vessel, the San Demetrio, a tanker, has arrived at a Scottish port. The San Demetrio fired 011 the raider with her guns until she caught on fire and had to be abandoned. The crew, however, later went back to their ship in an effort to save her. They fought the flames for 11 hours before the fire was extinguished. The vessel was then 1000 miles from the Scottish port, and although all the charts were gone and the wheel was broken, they brought her safely to land. Twelve survivors of another British ship in the convoy have arrived at an east Canadian port. They were picked up bv a Greek freighter after drifting for three days in an open boat. The San Demetrio is an oil tanker of 8073 tons, built in 1938 for the Eagle Oil and Shipping Company, Limited. Her port of registry is London.