British Military Aviation in 1919 - Part 2

Part 1

July
The aircraft carrier HMS Vindictive is despatched to the Baltic to support attacks on the major Bolshevik naval base at Kronstadt.

2-6 July
A Royal Air Force (RAF) airship makes the first airship crossing of the Atlantic. Major G.H. Scott and a crew of 30 RAF and United States Navy personnel fly the airship R34 from East Fortune in Scotland to New York.

9-13 July
Following their pioneering transatlantic flight, the crew of the airship R34 achieve the first successful double crossing of the Atlantic when they complete the return journey.

30 July
A joint Royal Air Force and Royal Navy force successfully attacks Kronstadt, a major Russian naval base, firing a dry dock and damaging the depot ship Pamyat Azova.

August
A bombing campaign mounted by the Royal Air Force brings the Third Afghan War to an end. During the course of the campaign, warning leaflets had been dropped on Afghan towns and village settlements in an effort to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.

4 August
The present rank titles of the Royal Air Force (RAF) are introduced by Air Ministry Order AMO 973/19.

15 August
The 'Ten Year Rule' is formulated by the War Cabinet in response to a request for guidance from the Admiralty. This read:

"It should be assumed for framing revised estimates, that the British Empire will not be engaged in any great war during the next ten years, and that no Expeditionary Force is required for this purpose."

The Ten Year Rule came to dominate decision-making with regard to defence expenditure during the 1920s, being made a permanent rolling assumption by Winston Churchill during his tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

17-18 August
Eight Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft carry out bombing and strafing attacks on gun and searchlight crews protecting the Kronstadt naval base in Southern Russia, suppressing the defences and thereby enabling Royal Navy motor torpedo boats to attack naval vessels in the base. Two battleships and the depot ship Pamyat Azova are sunk.

15 September
The Royal Air Force Coastal Area is formed from South-West Area's No.10 Group, to control all units working with the Royal Navy in home waters. The Air Officer Commanding Coastal Area was jointly responsible to the Air Ministry and the Admiralty.

15 September
No.29 (Operations) Group loses its status as an independent command when it is placed within Coastal Area.

September - October
Five existing geographical Areas within the United Kingdom are consolidated to form three Areas:

Southern Area: Air Vice Marshal Sir John Salmond
Northern Area: Air Vice Marshal J.F.A. Higgins
Coastal Area: Air Commodore (from 10 October, Air Vice Marshal) A.V. Vyvyan

October
The School of Technical Training (Boys) is formed at RAF Halton, establishing a tradition of apprentice training that continues until 1993.

8 October
No.86 (Communications) Wing completes its last cross-Channel flight prior to disbanding. Between December 1918 and October 1919 the flight had flown a total distance of 350,000 miles.

23 October
The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is founded by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard.

11 December
The Secretary of State for War and Air, Winston Churchill, introduces a White Paper into the House of Commons outlining plans for the post-war development of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Drafted by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard, and often referred to as the Trenchard Memorandum, this White Paper provided for:

Home: 2 squadrons (increasing to 4) as a striking force, 1 army co-operation flight for each Army division, 1 or more squadrons for artillery co-operation, 1 reconnaissance and spotting squadron, half a torpedo squadron, an aeroplane fighting flight, a flying boat flight and a float seaplane flight (eventually increasing to 3 aeroplane and 2 seaplane squadrons) for fleet co-operation.
Overseas: 8 squadrons and 1 depot in India, 7 squadrons and 1 depot in Egypt, 3 squadrons and 1 depot in Mesopotamia, 1 seaplane flight in Malta, 1 seaplane flight in Alexandria, 1 seaplane flight on a carrier in the Mediterranean.

The White Paper also provides for the foundation of a comprehensive personnel training structure to include the Royal Air Force College, Staff College and Apprentice School, Halton, and the introduction of Short Service Commissions.

Part 1