also decided to raise the number of aeroplanes in each squadron from 12 to 18. This increase was to a large extent due to improvements in wireless telegraphy which enabled a larger number of machines to work on a given front. Subsequently, Fighter Reconnaissance (Army) Squadrons were raised to 24 machines per squadron.
It may be interesting here to examine the factors that tended to influence the policy that governed development as the war went on. It was out of events in France that these governing factors arose, and the requirements formulated by R.F.C. headquarters set the standard which those at home strove to reach. The scale that was adopted in the summer of 1915 provided for one squadron per corps for artillery observation, close reconnaissance, and photography; one squadron for each army headquarters and one squadron (to be later increased to two) for G.H.Q. for extended reconnaissance and special missions. The War Office accordingly committed itself at the time to providing 27 squadrons by the end of March 1916, but events in the field led to a request that this number should be increased by two artillery observation, one long-distance reconnais- sance squadron and two fighting squadrons (one of single-seater machines and one of two-seaters). Injune 1916, a revised schedule of anticipated requirements for the spring of 1917 was prepared, based upon the increase of the B.E.F. to five armies of four corps each and the growing importance of aerial fighting. This scheme, which provided for 66 squadrons (including 23 artillery and 20 fighter squadrons, with five night-flying squadrons and later 10 long- distance" bombers, as well as two medium-distance bombers and four fighter squadrons under G.H.Q.) , marked the growing impor- tance of the fighter, a conception of an offensive into the enemy's country by means of long-distance bombers, and a break-away from the idea that close cooperation with other fighting forces was the beginning and the end of aerial operations.
By the middle of Nov., however, aerial fighting had increased still more, and the vital importance of the constant struggle for air supremacy had been so often emphasized that 20 fighting squadrons supplementary to the above programme were asked for. This meant a proportion of two fighting to one artillery squadron, in place of the parity in numbers of the two types previously accepted as a basis. So vital a question did the supply of fighters appear at the time that it was urged that, failing the 20, at least 10 extra squadrons should be provided, even at the expense of delaying the bombing and night squadrons. The situation in France in June 1917 showed that there was a total of 52 squadrons of different types. In addition to raising new squadrons, existing squadrons had to be equipped with more modern machines. It was, therefore, impossible for the War Office to promise that more than 73 squadrons would be in France by the end of 1917, including the five R.N.A.S. units.
In June 1917, the Air Board drew up a scheme providing for the expansion of the R.F.C. to 200 service squadrons and 200 training squadrons. Further evidence of the growing realization of the value of the aerial offensive is afforded by the fact that this proposal em- bodied (in addition to fighter squadrons) the raising of, at first, 40 bombing squadrons (DHg and larger machines) to be organized into wings of five squadrons each, the wings to be grouped into four brigades. G.H.Q. France were accordingly asked to be ready for 40 squadrons in addition to 86 already expected to be ready by Aug. 1918. In Nov. 1917, the 1918 programme was drafted as follows :
40 squad, single-seater fighter.
15 squad, single-seater fighter for ground fighting.
15 squad, two-seater fighter reconnaissance.
l squad. long-distance 2-seater for reconnaissance and photography.
IO squad, short -distance day-bombers.
10 squad, short-distance night-bombers.
21 squad, for corps work.
I squad, long-distance machine carrying Q.F. gun.
In addition, for the Bombing Brigades:
25 squad, day-bombers.
20 squad, night-bombers.
20 squad, two- or three-seater long-distance fighters.
I squad, long-distance machine with Q.F. gun.
This programme for 179 squadrons involved the supply of 2,400 machines for armies and 1,028 for the bombing brigades.
Finally, in Feb. 1918, 240 squadrons (in addition to training units) was accepted as the goal to be reached, 179 being for France and Italy, 40 for other theatres, and 21 in reserve.
Meanwhile, at the end of 1916 the home organization included: (i) The Administrative Wing, Farnborough ; (2) the Training Brigade of 9 wings, totalling 21 service squadrons and 43 reserve squadrons; (3) the Home Defence Wing, comprising II service squadrons and one depot squadron for the training of night pilots;
(4) the Kite Balloon Training Wing, including a training depot, an inspection branch and two schools of instruction. The following training centres and schools had been formed, in addition to numer- ous reserve squadrons: (l) Recruit Training Centre, Halton Camp ; (2) School for Wireless Operators, S. Farnborough ; (3) Balloon Training Wing, Roehampton; (4) No. I Balloon School, Larkhill;
(5) No. I School of Military Aeronautics, Reading (including Equipment Officers' School and the School of Technical Training for other ranks); (6) No. 2 School of Military Aeronautics, Oxford; (7)
Cadet Wing, Denham; (8) School of Aerial Gunnery, Hythe; (9) Central Flying School, Upavon; (10) Wireless and Observers' School, Brooklands; (ll) Scottish School of Fitters, Edinburgh.
In Nov. 1916, with a view to meeting the deficiency in the supply of skilled men, arrangements were made to place about 400 men continuously under instruction at various polytechnic institutes throughout the country. During 1917 further expansion of the Home Defence service took place. A Northern Home Defence Wing was formed with headquarters at York and the Home Defence Wing became the Home Defence Group, which, as other wings were formed, subsequently became the 6th Brigade, and by 1918 had become responsible for the aerial defence of England and the South of Scotland, cooperation of coastal batteries, and the training of night-fighting pilots and night-bombing pilots for France. Other developments at home during 1917 included the formation of air- craft depots which were transferred from the Army Ordnance De- partment to the R.F.C., principally for the supply of spares. Ac- ceptance parks were also formed the duties of which were to receive aircraft from the manufacturers, to erect, test and finally issue them to units or dispatch them overseas. The creation of a Department of Production under the Ministry of Munitions placed on a more satisfactory basis the supply of equipment for the R.F.C. The number of training units had increased to such an extent that it was found necessary to form them into groups (southern, northern, eastern, western). These groups became, shortly, brigades (the old training brigade then becoming the division), and the standard training unit, the reserve squadron, was renamed " training squadron."
For theatres of war other than France, separate arrangements were made from time to time for providing for the requirements in Egypt, E. Africa, Mesopotamia, Salonika, and Palestine.
II. NAVAL AVIATION. The British Admiralty's first practical steps in aeronautics were taken in June 1908, when as a result of the Committee of Imperial Defence recommendations, it was decided to build a rigid airship. This ship, known as No. i naval airship (the "Mayfly"), was completed in May 1911, but was wrecked in the following September. This experience discouraged further attempts until Feb. 1911, when two civilian pilots offered their services free, with two machines, for the instruction of four naval officers as aeroplane pilots. Four naval officers were accordingly selected out of some 200 volun- teers to undergo a six-months' course of instruction on the Royal Aero Club ground at Eastchurch. At the end of the year, land adjacent to the Royal Aero Club ground at Eastchurch was purchased by the Admiralty, and a naval flying school was formed there, four officers having in the meantime qualified as pilots. Thereafter, pupils were trained continuously at the school both before and during the World War. Apart from being used for training purposes, Eastchurch was the scene dur- ing 1911 and 1912 of many interesting experiments in the ap- plication of aircraft to naval uses. On the formation of the R.F.C., it was decided to form an Air Department at the Ad- miralty, this Department actually coming into being in Sept. 1912. By June 1913, the total number of aeroplanes and sea- planes in possession of the Naval Air Service were 37, and by October, 61 were in commission with three airships.
In Aug. 1913, the Admiralty decided to establish air stations at various points along the coast. An " Inspecting Captain of Aircraft " was placed in general charge, under instructions from the Director of the Air Department of the Admiralty. He was also responsible to the commander-in-chief home fleets regard- ing all matters concerning aircraft with ships afloat.
In June 1914, the increasing importance of the naval wing R.F.C. led to a reorganization of the service, and the R.N.A.S. came into being. It comprised the Air Department, Admiralty; the Central Air Office, Sheerness; the Royal Naval Flying School, Eastchurch; the Royal Naval Air Stations and all seaplanes, aeroplanes, airships, seaplane ships, balloons, kites and other types of aircraft that might from time to time be employed for naval purposes. Regulations were drawn up for the entry of officers as probationary flight sub-lieutenants direct from civil life and special designations were instituted for the various com- missioned ranks in the flying branch.
With regard to airships, which by this time had passed entirely under Admiralty control, in the early part of 1913 German activity with rigid airships of the Zeppelin type led to a reconsid- eration of the question as to whether similar aircraft should be constructed for the British navy, and it was decided to arrange
