’DROME PROTECTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20660, 10 January 1942, Page 7

’DROME PROTECTION

R.A.F. REGIMENT FORMED NEW BRITISH SYSTEM (British Olfieinl Wireless.) Reed. 2 p.m. RUGBY, Jan. 8. As a result of careful study of the campaigns overseas and the conditions likely to occur in an attempted invasion of Britain, the Government had carried into effect a considerable development of its plans for defending aerodromes, said the Lord Privy Seal, Major C. R. Attlee, surveying the war situation in the House of Commons to-day. Great progress had been made during the past few months and a large number of Royal Air Force and other technical maintenance personnel would be armed and trained in order to take their share in the defence of their station. A decision of great importance had been taken. “After very careful consideration and on the unanimous advice of all services,” the Royal Air Force will, under military direction, undertake the entire defensive arrangements at aerodromes in this country,” said Major Attlee. Corps of aerodrome defence troops, under the executive administrative control of the Air Council, would be formed for the purpose of defending aerodromes. The corps would be called the Royal Air Force Regiment. The unit would consist of a number of armoured fighting vehicles, artillery weapons as well as normal infantry arms. Major-General C. F. Liardet had been appointed director-general of ground defence in the Air Ministry as senior officer of the regiment.