8. Colonel Arthur Evansasked the Secretary of State for Air whether all ranks of the ground staff of British aerodromes, at home and abroad, receive elementary weapon training in order to protect themselves and reinforce the aerodrome guard if they are subjected to attack by parachute troops as they were in Crete?
§ Sir A. SinclairYes, Sir.
Colonel EvansHas the attention of my right hon. Friend been drawn to a report in the "Times" from an officer serving in Crete that when the aerodrome was attacked the ground staff, who had never held a rifle in their lives, gallantly came to the assistance of the military defending the aerodrome? Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that if they had had some extra training they would have given a better account of themselves than they did?
§ Sir A. SinclairThe answer is that the recruits' course includes 13 hours of weapon training, and musketry training, of course, as well.
Colonel EvansDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that 13 hours of weapon training is sufficient?
§ Sir A. SinclairI referred to bayonet training, because the hon. and gallant Member referred in his Question to bayonet training.
§ Mr. WoodburnMay I ask whether there is close co-operation with the Army 170 in the defence of aerodromes or whether that is entirely a matter for the Air Force?
§ Sir A. SinclairIt is certainly a matter in which we work in close co-operation with the Army. While the actual defence of the station is in the hands of the station commander, the defence of the aerodrome itself falls within the zone of defence under the military commander, and therefore the defence of the aerodrome is primarily an Army responsibility.