GERMAN AIR FORCE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1935, Page 5

GERMAN AIR FORCE

“OFFICIAL EXISTENCE" OFFICERS WEAR SWORDS INTIMATION TO BRITAIN PROVISIONS OF TREATY By Telegraph— Press Assn.—Copyright. London, March 12. The Berlin correspondent of the Times reveals that the German air force actually came into official existence on March 1 when officers of the “Reich Air Sport Federation” were commissioned with a military rank. The correspondent points out that the uniforms of the “Air Sport” officers had recently become almost identical with those of the Reichswehr, except for the colour of the cloth and the absence of the sword, which the senior officers suddenly started wearing a week ago, while juniors wore a new dirk slung by two straps, similar to that carried by all German naval officers.

Other ranks continue to wear a knife slung by a single strap, but once they are equipped with bayonets it will mark compete transition of the air force from a semi-military organisaton - to a full military force. It has been learned at London that the German Air Ministry on March 9 informed the British air attache at Berlin of the intention that men chosen as officers in the air force from April 1 should wear uniforms and be given ranks accordingly. This is the first official intimation of Germany’s intention to break the part of the Versailles Treaty denying her an air force, whose existence, however, has not yet been officially admitted. It is understood that Germany has similarly, informed other Powers.