HISTORY OF AIR WAR

Chronicle (Levin), 19 August 1947, Page 4

HISTORY OF AIR WAR

Sir, — May I invite the help of your readers in a matter which is of considerable public interest? As it will be some years before the full ofiicial history of the war is published, arrangements have been made for a preliminary history of the war in the air, covering the 1939-1945 period, to> be written under the joint authorship of Denis Richards and Hilary St. George Saunders, the aim being to produce a work which will combine accuracy and impartiality with wide appeal; As will be realised, official records in themselves, however complete (and we have a" first class collection) are inevitably deficient in "life" and "atmosphere" — qualities which it is very important to recapture if the history is to be more than a purely academic study. We, therefore, hope to supplement our official records by collecting first-handf stories and accounts of conditions and operations from those who served in the Royal Air Force during the war. .To this end we have officially invited stories from those still serving, but we also need to profit by the experiences of those who have now been released from the Royal Air Force. It.is in this respect that the help of your readers who have belonged to the service or have had experience with it, would be so valuable. Any officer, non-commission officer or other rank who served with or was attached to the Royal Air Force during the period of hostilities is invited therefore, to send to the Head of the Air Historical Branch, Air Ministry, Whitehall, details of any action or event personally experienced or witnessed which strongly impressed him as typical of the spirit of the Service or the conditions and atmosphere in which operations were conducted. Consideration will be given to all incidents reported wherever they took place— whether illustrating conditions and operations in or over Europe, the Western Desert, the Burmese Jungle, or the High Seas. The comparatively unimportant incident, if sufficiently .colourful, may be as valuable as Ithe account of a major operation. | All inf ormation submitted should ibe as circumstantial and as carefully authenticated as possible in order that it may be compared with 'official records.^ By this means we hope to fix for Iposterity a memorable and faithful picture of our great national wartime effort in the air. Yours P. B. JOUBERT, Air Chief Marshall.