THE AIR CHIEF

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIV, Issue 22777, 29 December 1943, Page 5

THE AIR CHIEF

Idol Of Subordinates

Surrounded By Good

New Zealanders Included

M.Z.P.A.—Special Correspondent LONDON, December 26.

Wherever you go in the Mediterranean theatre of air operations you hear the invariable comment, “Tedder is the brains of the whole organisation. He is terrific.” This is no idle, gratuitous pleasantry. You may, perhaps, expect to hear such comment from high ranking officers, but when comparatively junior officers tell you the same thing vehemently, then you may be certain there is more in it than mere politeness.

“I would do anything for that chap,” a young New Zealander told me. “He once came out to our station when there was a terrific flam on. We had to change our targets and bombs and in the middle of It all I was dashing out of my office when I brushed against some chap as he came in the door. Later, when I returned, I found It was Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, which shook me a bit as I had not exactly been polite. But he actually apologised for arriving at such an awkward time and gave a hand to help .us to get straight. Later he met the -boys, aS he had come to give a talk. He just got a chair, turned it round, leaned his elbows on the back and said ‘l'm to give you a talk, but let us have a chat. What do you want to know?’ So all the boys plied him with questions. He did not evade one. He answered the lot and gave us a real gen, he is terrific.” Sir Arthur Tedder is a taller and bigger man than you would guess from his photographs. Quiet in manner, impressively self-possessed, with a delightful smile, he is attached to his pipe which he sucks thoughtfully before answering questions. He drives his own jeep and lives in headquarters comprised of caravans, but has a small villa for guests. The Chief’s Lieutenants Sir Arthur Tedder gives complete freedom of action to his subordinates. Once he has' selected them he never worries or questions them. His immediate lieutenants are Lieut.-General C. Spaatz, A.0.C., North African air force, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park, A.0.C., Malta and Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, A.0.C., Middle East. Under Lieut.-General Spaatz are Acting Air Chief Marshal Sir

Arthur Coningham, A.0.C., tactical Air Force, Major-General J. Doolittle, A.0.C., Strategic Air Force, and Air Vice-Marshal Sir Hugh P. Lloyd, A.O.C. North-west African Coastal Air Force. Directly under Sir Arthur Coningham is an American force under Colonel House, the Desert Air Force i under Air Vice-Marshal H. Broadhurst, who commands the Spitfires and Kittybombers, and Air Commodore L. F. Sinclair, commandlpg the Tactical Bomber Force. Two of these men have special interest for New Zealand, Sir Arthur Coningham, who went to school with Lieut.-General Sir Bernard Freyberg and Sir Keith Park. Sir Arthur Coningham is a distinct personality with a mischievous sense of humour. He refers to himself as “one of the black troops.” He once remarked: “It is rather fun. I can go round and call people from the Dominions all sorts of things.” Like Sir Arthur Tedder he gives his subordinates the maximum of responsibility. It is said that he has no hesitation in promoting a flight sergeant to squadron leader within the space of a few days if he considers him to be the right man. but impresses him that if he falls down on the job he will be relegated to his old rank. Sir Arthur Tedder is also said to be absolutely ruthless when he finds inefficiency. Mockingly he calls himself “the old man sitting in the dress circle watching the youngster making certain that he keeps his feet on the rail and an eye on the ball.” In action, when things are going wrong, he gives the atmosphere as soon as he arrives that there is logic in everything and a feeling that everything will be all right. He also has a firm grasp of the politics behind the war. A Magnetic Personality Sir Keith Park, tall lean and spare, has' a magnetic personality and delightful charm of manner. To him the war would appear to resemble a game in which he does everything to carry the fight to the enemy and outthink him. He is in his element when handling a small force agaSyst superior numbers, regarding it as extretssly interesting. This mentality undoubtedly helps to account for his success at Dunkirk and in the battles of Britain and Malta. He is the acme of thoroughness and generous in praise for good work. He is of strong and independent mind and states his opinions clearly and forcibly regardless of the rank of others. Sir Keith Park has a tremendous admiration for Sir Arthur Tedder and the complete freedom he gives his subordinates. He once remarked of Sir Arthur Tedder: “It is a good thing that the Empire can still produce that type of commander." Sir Keith Park himself is an example of what the Empire can produce. He was a gunner with the Anzacs on Gallipoli. He was wounded in France in 1916 and was invalided from the army, told to find a “sitting down” job. He did. He found it in the RAF.—sitting down in a fighter. His attitude toward war isl ”1 naturally do not welcome war, but if there is a. war on, well. I like to-be there.”