ROYAL AIR FORCE

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21369, 13 March 1941, Page 12

ROYAL AIR FORCE

BIG INCREASE IN STRENGTH ALLIES AND DOMINIONS CONSTANT EXPANSION (Official Wireless) RUGBY, March 11 Continuing his speech in the House of Commons, the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Archibald Sinclair, said: “A great and increasing element In strength is being contributed by the squadrons of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Holland, Free French, Belgian and Norwegian airmen fighting with the Royal Air Force. “There is another squadron of which I venture to prophesy members will hear more before long—the Eagle Squadron, mounted on Hurricanes and manned by American pilots.” While the number of officers and men provided for in the estimates could not be given, the Minister said: “The strength of one Royal Air Force command alone exceeds the total peace strength of the whole Royal Air Force by nearly 50 per cent, while two other commands have a strength equal to more than half the peacetime total.” This expansion, he added, could be enormously accelerated during the year 1941-42. Sir Archibald dealt with the recuperative and medical services devoted to the Royal Air Force and spoke of the recreation available and of the care taken to provide quiet quarters for pilots engaged in fighting. He stressed the need for the psychological care of pilots, and said: “The fighting spirit of our pilots is so strong that unless they are closely watched they keep on flying long after they should have been rested from operations.” Four of the most up-to-date orthopaedic centres have been provided, as well as centres for the most modern treatment, the progress of which the Minister described as astonishing, for burns. He thought that the progress in selfsealing tank and other devices would substantially reduce the risk of this form of injury. No Reduction in Standard Turning to training, the Minister said no reduction in standard would be accepted in spite of the difficulties caused by the carrying on of training in as many as four shifts. Of training overseas, the Minister said: “The success of the Empire air training scheme has surpassed all expectations, and together with other

training schemes in the Dominions it is making an increasing contribution to our air strength. In Canada the output of pilots and crews is well ahead of schedule, and there has been a great expansion of training in Australia and New Zealand. Men trained under the scheme are now daily flying against the enemy and in the battles of this year our cause will be sustained by Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and men from this country, trained side by side. The men trained by the | great organisation in South Africa, } also Rhodesia, come to us in increas- | ing numbers. In addition to large-scale schemes, I the colonial Governments in Malaya, j Trinidad and Bermuda have devised j arrangements for giving training in i elementary flying. , I TRANSPORT SUNK ITALIAN VESSEL TORPEDOED ! BRITISH SUBMARINE’S SUCCESS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) I LONDON. March 12 | An Admiralty communique states ; that the Commander-in-Chief of the ! Mediterranean Fleet, Admiral Sir I Andrew Cunningham, reports that j one of our submarines torpedoed ' and sank a heavily-laden Italian troop transport of the Sicilia class j The Sicilia is a 9646-ton Lloyd Triestino twin-screw steamer. She: was built in 1923. Advance in Abyssinia A Cairo communique states: j There is nothing of importance to | report in Libya and Eritrea. In Abyssinia the Imperial forces ' have captured the Afodu escarpment ' and are now advancing towards Asosa. In their retreat the enemy aban- i doned four guns, with quantities of | other equipment, including an ar- ' moured car. Further east the patriot forces' captured the town of Dambacha and are continuing their pursuit of an Italian column that is retreating towards Debra Marcos. In Italian Somaliland our advance into Abyssinia is developing satisfactorily. Many hundreds of prisoners have been taken, including a brigade commander and a resident commissioner and their staffs.