HC Deb 10 October 1939 vol 352 cc173-86
Mr. Speaker

Sir Kingsley Wood.

Mr. Garro Jones

On a point of Order. Would it be possible for you to guide the House by stating on what Motion the statement of the right hon. Gentleman is being made? As far as I am aware, no question has been asked and no Motion is before the House. Will it be possible to discuss the statement made by the right hon. Gentleman?

Mr. Speaker

The statement which is to be made by the right hon. Gentleman is made by leave of the House.

Mr. Davidson

Further to that, in view of the fact that the Secretary of State for Air will probably touch on many aspects of our Air Force, its strength and on buildings and barracks connected with the Air Force, will it be in order for any hon. Member to make a statement in reply after the Secretary of State for Air has made his statement?

Mr. Speaker

We are proceeding on the same lines as in the statement made by the First Lord of the Admiralty.

Mr. Attlee

On the point of Order. Actually, the statement by the First Lord of the Admiralty was made following a statement made on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House, whereas the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for Air is making a statement when there is no Motion before the House. I presume that if we wish to debate any of these statements we must seek another occasion, but we can ask questions?

Mr. Speaker

That is quite true; if you want a Debate on the matter you must seek another occasion.

Mr. Garro Jones

Further to that point of Order. I have no wish to stand between the House and the right hon. Gentleman. I only wish to clear up the procedure for some future occasion. As the position stands at present, it will be within the competence of any hon. Member who thinks fit to object to the statement being made, and, although I do not think any hon. Member would make an objection to a statement of such vital importance as this, circumstances may arise in which if Ministers are to be allowed to make ex parte statements after Questions, with no opportunity being given to reply to them, this privilege would be abused and it would then become necessary for hon. Members to take objection to these statements being made. The reason that I respectfully submitted this point of Order was that the procedure under which such statements are being made should be brought within the usual practice of the House.

Mr. Speaker

As a matter of fact, this procedure is adopted so that the Government may make a statement.

Mr. Charles Williams

Would it not be perfectly simple to do this in the ordinary way and let the Minister who makes the statement move the Adjournment?

Mr. Speaker

A Minister may make a statement to the House in the ordinary way.

The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Kingsley Wood)

The issue of the War Telegrams to all units on the morning, Sunday, 3rd September, found the Royal Air Force in a state of instant readiness, at all stations both at home and abroad. The transition of a fighting service from a state of peace, however troubled, to one of war requires the operation of a vast administrative machinery, and with air defence the time factor is vital. The whole process of mobilisation and assembly at war stations proceeded with the greatest speed and efficiency. We had been helped by previous peace time tests; and a number of our units were at their war stations in connection with peace-time exercises.

As Members of the House can confirm, the spirit and morale of the Royal Air Force are splendid. Officers and men are proud of their Force and confident that they can give a good account of themselves and take a heavy toll of the enemy. Each one of them is eager to play his part in active operations. While willing to recognise the fighting qualities of their opponents they are, I know, inspired by the knowledge that their job is to beat the enemy and to ensure once and for all that aggression and tyranny are ended.

Accounts have already been given of such considerable performances of the Royal Air Force, as the attacks on the German Fleet and the engagements with the enemy in Germany and on the Western Front. They show that the spirit and determination of the earlier generation of our flying men have been preserved unimpaired. The men who have already been in action have indeed shown to the full their courage and efficiency. Not all have returned; and I know that the House will join with me in paying our tribute to the high example set by the gallant pilots and their crews who have lost their lives in the performance of their duty. There is a revealing motto of one of our Air Squadrons:" I spread my wings and keep my promise." That undoubtedly was the spirit and the purpose of those brave men.

Full recognition too should be given to those who, though they have had to stand by at their war stations in a state of instant readiness for action by day or by night, have not yet been engaged in action with the enemy. The intensity of the operations of the Fighter Command, for example, depends largely upon the activities of the enemy. Instant readiness is demanded and the strain imposed has been as great as, if not greater than, if active operations were in progress. The keenness and the alertness of these officers and men are of the first order.

The activities of the Coastal Command, too, have been unremitting and strenuous in the extreme from the first day of war. In the last war aircraft played their part both as auxiliaries to the Navy and in independent operations against submarines, but their activities were limited by the degree of technical development then attained. To-day the vastly greater range, speed and reliability of our aircraft are being fully utilised, as the First Lord demonstrated a few days ago, in close co-operation with the Navy in the task of defeating the submarine and guiding in safety to and from our shores those merchant ships that ply the ocean.

By its very nature the work is silent and normally unspectacular. It demands continuous flying over the sea in all weathers. The magnitude of the effort of the Coastal Command may be judged by the fact that during the first four weeks of war this Command flew on reconnaissance, anti-submarine and convoy patrols a distance of approximately 1,000,000 miles and provided air escorts for over 100 convoys.

Our air escorts have also often been able to give warning of the approach of enemy craft and of the presence of submarines from ranges which are far beyond the vision of surface craft. Information as to the habits and movement of enemy submarines and of their varying visibility in different waters have been and are being constantly built up from patient observation, experience and deduction. The result of these endeavours has indeed been fruitful. During the first four weeks of war submarines were sighted by aircraft on 72 occasions and 34 attacks were delivered, some of which were undoubtedly successful. But the value of the work performed must not be gauged by attacks alone. There is the important preventive factor. We have confirmed from prisoners' statements that the mere presence of an aircraft is sufficient to make a submarine submerge and remain submerged, and that the presence of an air escort often prevents a submarine commander from attacking a convoy. Almost daily there have been clashes with the enemy. Thus by their incessant activity and alertness, carried out in full co-operation with the Royal Navy and the Naval Air Arm, the units of the Coastal Command are successfully carrying out a service that is vital to our war effort.

Again, in the Bomber Command, apart from the larger operations upon which they have been engaged, there have been many and valuable reconnaissance flights. They have taken place day after day over German territory and hundreds of hours of flying have been recorded. Vital military information has been gained and recorded and units have familiarised themselves with the country over which they will be called upon to operate. Day and night, reconnaissance aircraft are penetrating into the enemy's country testing his defences and observing his movements and troop concentrations. A complete photographic map of the Siegfried line has been made. Many photographs, taken from only a few hundred feet above the line, go to the composition of this map. A few days ago our aircraft, taking off from an aerodrome in France, covered the whole length of Germany from the Saar to the North Sea, flew on to Heligoland, all without serious interruption, and then made safe landings home in England. All accounts speak as highly of the navigating skill of the pilots and crews as of their determination.

Some of the longer reconnaissance flights—over 1,000 miles or so—have been carried out at night under weather conditions of great difficulty. I will quote one report from among many received, which gives some idea of the conditions: Weather conditions were extremely bad. A slow-moving cold front covered much of the operational area, giving conditions of dense cloud from 700 feet to 15,000 feet. The freezing level was 10,000 feet, and thunderstorms were widespread. The aircraft in question, like many others in similar conditions, found its objective, carried out its task and returned safely to its base.

I have another typical report from one of our Groups of the sort of work that is involved during daylight reconnaissances. The names of the towns concerned cannot, for obvious reasons, be mentioned: Vertical and oblique photographs taken of all 18 objectives except X. Could not take that owing to rain cloud. At Y only obliques were taken because aircraft was flying very low passing under some Heinhel III's which were landing at the time with wheels down. Aircraft came down so low because it was being shot at by anti-aircraft and four Heinkels and wished to get below them.… When near Z, eight guns opened fire at 0946 hours—aircraft at 4,000 feet. Shells burst about one mile apart to starboard and rear of aircraft. Height of shell burst was accurate. Anti-aircraft fire did not worry them. Seventeen of the 18 objectives asked for have been photographed. I would like to say a word about the distribution of messages to the German people over large areas of enemy territory which has been combined with the successful reconnaissance work, and has, I believe, been of considerable value in giving information to the people of Germany. It is interesting to note as regards the interest of these messages to the German people that a number of these messages were recently found in the possession of German prisoners notwithstanding the pains and penalties threatened against persons who picked up such communications.

I observed that the German Official Bulletin in acknowledging such a flight over Berlin the other night would have the world believe that the Berlin citizens slept quietly during its progress. Our airmen on their return spoke of the firing and the searchlights they encountered, so that we can only conjecture that the people of Berlin must be very heavy sleepers. Next day we may hope that they were wakeful enough to peruse what Hitler describes as these "wretched leaflets"!

For some time now the Royal Air Force has been established in France alongside the gallant French squadrons. Everywhere they have been received with kindness and hospitality. The moves of the squadrons to France with all their associated equipment proceeded with the greatest smoothness. Operations have now been in progress for some time and reconnaissance flights are being made continuously over the German lines at both high and low altitudes in co-operation with units of the French Air Force.

As important for the successful conduct of an operation as the pilots and crews, are the ground personnel who maintain the aircraft and engines in a state of fighting efficiency. These men are working tirelessly to keep our aircraft constantly in service. Excellent work has been done by all classes of such personnel, whether regulars, reservists, ex-airmen or members of the Volunteer Reserve.

I know the House will desire me to say a word about the units of the Auxiliary Air Force who are carrying out magnificently their allotted role alongside the regular squadrons and have justified in every way the high expectations which had been formed concerning them. Perhaps on some other occasion I might tell the House of the valuable and devoted work which is being done in the Training, Balloon and Maintenance Commands at home, and in the Overseas Commands —in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Iraq, India and the Far East.

But I would now like to say a word about the important matter of recruitment. We are maintaining recruitment for the Air Force on a voluntary basis and there has been a magnificent response in the many categories for which we have called for personnel. During the fortnight after the outbreak of war no less than 10,000 men were accepted for service as pilots, crews and maintenance personnel, and we are maintaining waiting list's of many others who will be accepted as training facilities expand. I would like to tell the House that they are men of the highest quality and they certainly enable us to look forward to the continuous expansion of the Air Force with the greatest confidence.

We have also taken steps to accelerate the training of personnel so far as is compatible with efficiency and safety. Large numbers of men are already passing from the training schools into units fully qualified for the functions which they have to perform. The training organisation has been expanded on a vast scale —following plans which we laid down before the war—to produce the further large number of pilots, observers and air gunners which we require. Those who have watched these men under training and at work speak of their superb quality both mentally and physically. Large numbers of women have already been enrolled in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. A large number of former members of the Civil Air Guard too are being absorbed into the Service according to their qualifications and training.

I have spoken of our airmen and I would like to say a word about our aircraft. The engagements which have taken place have more than confirmed the high opinion we had formed of the quality of the types of aircraft now in the Royal Air Force, and in addition we have learned from encounters with the enemy a little more about the types they have in service. Startling claims have been made from time to time in regard to the performance of German military aircraft— particularly, for example, their fighters. The plain facts seem to be that our latest fighters are definitely better than their German counterparts. Happily a specimen of the latest Messerschmidt fighter has fallen intact into the hands of the French so that in regard to this aircraft at least we shall be free to test our convictions at our convenience.

All sorts of claims have been made in German reports as to the numbers of our aircraft shot down. Day after day and night after night our aircraft have been flying over German defended areas and of course we must have our casualties. Some of the claims made by the Germans have been accurate, others have been grossly exaggerated. An interesting sidelight was the mysterious affair at Friedrichshafen. According to early German reports eight French aircraft were destroyed in the course of this attack. No doubt the German defences were in action on this occasion, but it is less clear against what they were in action for most certainly neither the British nor the French were responsible for this mythical raid.

As I have said, the Royal Air Force has already shown its skill, courage and determination. As in other of our military spheres its action and its work must be governed by our general strategic plans which are designed to bring about the complete defeat of the enemy. What has been undertaken so far has been undertaken advisedly and when measured in terms of prizes offered, results achieved and experience gained, all such efforts have been abundantly justified. The Royal Air Force has every reason to be proud and satisfied of what it has accomplished during the opening weeks of the war. The Air Force has to take its considerable. part in the maximum effort at the right time and in the right place. But as already has been fully shown it is ready to strike and strike hard, and at any time to make its full and effective contribution to winning the war.

I can, of necessity, speak only in general terms of our aircraft production. We have built up, as the House knows, on broad foundations and with progressively increasing speed a vast productive machine which comprises not only the old-established aircraft firms and the Government factories but the great new factories erected by well-known engineering and other organisations and hundreds of sub-contracting firms great and small. At the outbreak of war the rate of aircraft production represented an achievement unprecedented in this country in time of peace. Moreover our factories are every day increasing their labour force and the increased experience of aircraft work has already resulted in an increased output rate per man. New factories are also nearing completion and fresh subcontractors are daily being enlisted into our organisation from a wide area.

Immediately war broke out our carefully prepared plans for greatly increased production were put into effect. They will mean in due course a rate of production more than twice the considerable figure we have now reached. Beyond all this, since the outbreak of hostilities, the War Cabinet has made a fresh examination of the whole position and authority has been given and is being immediately put into effect to add considerably to our production facilities and to insure us still further against the possible effects of enemy action.

We have had our setbacks and no doubt we shall still have to face the difficulties that are common to all great undertakings, both in this country and elsewhere, but I have no doubt that we can count on the same good will and the same determination to see things through as have already served us well. Indeed the efforts of all in the factories —the management and the workmen— deserve the highest praise. They have been unstinting in their efforts and have made and are making a powerful contribution to the strength of our Air Defences.

I had just said there were difficulties "elsewhere." Some people seem to imagine that the organisation of German aircraft production is perfect—that they have no troubles and no difficulties. That, indeed, is very far from the case, and we know of serious setbacks and many difficulties in German production. There is, in fact, no reason to suppose that they have not at least as many troubles as we have had and probably a good many more.

I would like here to add a few words about the unprecedented expenditure of money which we needs must undertake. I appreciate the need of great care and constant scrutiny. I have recently appointed Sir Harold Howitt—the well-known chartered accountant—to be a member of the Air Council to help us on the financial side, and I have also personally drawn the attention of each member of the Air Council to the necessity of exercising the strictest economy in their respective spheres. I am particularly keeping under review our heavy staff requirements in the light of the tasks that have to be done.

I should also like to tell the House that we are acting in full co-operation with France in many of our production plans. Military aviation and production in France have recently made great strides. The efficiency of the personnel of her Air Force and the genius of her engineers and aircraft designers are of the first rank and much mutual advantage has been obtained by full and free interchange of experience and ideas. I have had the considerable advantage of a number of conferences with M. Guy la Chambre, the French Air Minister, and a number of officers and officials are attached to maintain liaison on the production as well as on the operational side. Representatives of the aircraft industry in the two countries have exchanged visits of inspection and conferred together on common problems. By these means, we have been enabled to act in full accord and we intend to intensify this co-operation to the great benefit of both countries.

Nothing has given us greater encouragement since the war began than the keen desire of all parts of the Empire to play an effective part in air defence. I am thinking not only of the Dominions and India, but of the Colonies. The Dominions have already signified their intention of making a great and powerful contribution to the common cause in relation to air defence. In the last Great War the Dominions gave us large numbers of skilful and courageous pilots and crews. Again to-day in the air the whole strength of the Empire is being marshalled and there is no doubt that the great Dominion effort of 25 years ago will be largely exceeded in the present conflict.

In this connection, I am glad to be able to announce a development of great importance which I can confidently say is destined to make a most effective contribution to the successful prosecution of the war. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom put forward last month for the consideration of His Majesty's Governments in Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand an outline of arrangements for the rapid expansion on a co-operative basis, of the training organisation for pilots, observers and air gunners required, first, for the considerable enlargement, and then for the maintenance on the enlarged basis, of the Air Forces of the respective countries, this to be combined with an expansion of the production of aircraft in the Dominions concerned.

The Dominion Governments concerned have signified their ready agreement in principle to these arrangements and as a result they and we have ensured that the many facilities and great natural advantages for the training of pilots and other personnel and the production of aircraft which the Dominions offer, in areas comparatively free from any risk of enemy interference, will be utilised to the fullest extent and to the best advantage. Training schools will be established and maintained in each of these Dominions. The more comprehensive and technical facilities required for advanced training, apart from those available and to be made available here, will in the main be concentrated in Canada. Personnel from the elementary training schools in Australia and New Zealand, as well as a substantial proportion of the young men passing out of similar establishments in this country, will proceed to Canada to receive there, with similar personnel from Canadian schools, the advanced training which will fit them for service in the line. The young men so trained will join either Air Force squadrons maintained by the respective Dominion Governments in the theatre of operations or our own Royal Air Force units; while those from this country who get their final training in Canada will, of course, come back to join the Royal Air Force squadrons in the field.

The undertaking is one of great magnitude. Its development will result in a very great and rapid increase in the number of training schools, already large, and achieve an increased output of first-line pilots, observers, and air gunners which, combined with our home effort, will ensure that the greatly increased requirements in trained personnel are fully met. The aim, in short, is to achieve by co-operative effort Air Forces of overwhelming strength.

It will be seen that this undertaking involves the concentration of advanced air training largely in Canada. With the facilities which Canada possesses, this co-operative effort will, in the opinion of the Government of the United Kingdom, prove to be of the most essential and decisive character. A Mission from this country—headed by Lord Riverdale, who will be aided by a specially selected technical staff—is already on its way to Canada to meet there corresponding Missions from Australia and New Zealand. These Missions will discuss with the Canadian authorities all the further steps that are to be taken for the rapid execution of the undertaking, including the provision of the necessary aircraft, instructors, ground personnel, and aerodromes.

I should add that for various reasons the Government of the Union of South Africa does not consider this scheme of air training applicable to the circumstances of the Union, and that they consider that their Air Force personnel should receive their full training at home. I am, however, authorised to say that the Union authorities intend to make their training as complete as possible and to expand their air forces to the fullest extent of their resources.

I need not dwell upon the great significance and far-reaching effect of the cooperative arrangements to which I have referred in an all-important field of war activity, in which the Dominions have already made individual contributions of a gallant and striking character. It is, I think, a notable illustration of the manner in which free and equal members of the British Commonwealth can, by discussion and collaboration, bring to bear in concert the full weight and might of their individual resources to secure the achievement of a common purpose and the success of a common cause.

I am sure that the House will like to join with the Government in paying a tribute to the vision and imagination of the Dominion statesmen who have so promptly recognised the significance of this great conception, and who will, I am confident, contribute notably to its achievement. We are most grateful, too, to the Dominion High Commissioners in London for their helpful co-operation, and I am personally much indebted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Dominions for his active assistance.

His Majesty King George V, at the end of the last Great War, spoke in moving terms of the great contribution that the Empire had made in the air to victory. He recalled how the air pilots of the Empire and of Britain had ever been in the forefront of the battle and how far flying squadrons over home waters and foreign seas had splendidly maintained our cause. We shall have our dangers, our ordeals, and our difficulties, but none of us doubts that when the great test comes again, our airmen of to-day—from the Motherland and overseas—will once more record the same magnificent achievements, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty.

Mr. Dalton

While associating myself and my hon. Friends completely with the tribute paid by the right hon. Gentleman on the one hand to the courage, endurance, and skill of the personnel of the Royal Air Force, and on the other to the authorities of the Dominions for the assistance which they are giving, may I ask two questions? First of all, is he, in the light of the practical experience that has now been gained in air operations satisfied of the effectiveness of methods of co-operation between the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, on the one hand, and the military authorities, British and French, upon the other? Is he satisfied that the closest and most effective co-operation has now been achieved and worked out? The second question that I would like to put to him is this, particularly having regard to the magnificent promise of added contributions from the Dominions: Can he now assure the House that the time is not far distant when Britain will have recovered her air supremacy over Germany, which should never have been jeopardised and thrown away — [Interruption]— and which this country had in 1931 when the labour Government were in office?

Sir K. Wood

So far as the latter question is concerned, I think what I have indicated to-day will satisfy the hon. Gentleman that we are taking every step in that connection. So far as co-operation with the Navy and the military authorities is concerned, it is very close at the present moment. We are endeavouring to improve it still further, and I can assure the hon. Gentleman and the House that we shall leave nothing undone to that important end.

Sir Archibald Sinclair

On behalf of my hon. Friends, I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his statement, and, like the hon. Gentleman who spoke from the Front Opposition Bench, we associate ourselves with the tribute which he paid to the spirit and efficiency of the Royal Air Force. May I ask him, in view of the denials, counter-denials, and counter-counter-denials of the Ministry of Information by which we were confused yesterday, whether the officers and men who displayed such conspicuous gallantry and skill in the attacks upon the German fleet in the Kiel Canal have been rewarded by His Majesty's Government?

Sir K. Wood

Yes. I understand that an announcement is being made to-day.

Mr. Bellenger

The right hon. Gentleman has referred to the losses which we have sustained in attacks that we have made on the enemy, and, of course, one must be prepared for that, but has he nothing at all to say of the effects of that remarkable raid which was made on the Kiel Canal and on the German battleships? Surely the House is entitled to some substantial information and not mere camouflage?

Sir K. Wood

Many substantial report's of that occasion have been issued, and I do not want to dwell on the matter again. I think that very full accounts indeed have been given on a number of occasions.

Mr. R. C. Morrison

Why did the right hon. Gentleman not refer to the part which is being played by the balloon barrage?

Sir K. Wood

I said that on a future occasion I might be referring to it.

Mr. Poole

In view of the claims made by Germany of losses which they say we have sustained, will the right hon. Gentleman say whether any useful purpose is served by withholding that information from the British public, seeing that the enemy already know it?

Sir K. Wood

I have paid great attention to that.

Mr. Poole

Do the enemy not already know the number of machines they have destroyed?