five-zero; climb to Angels two-zero; bandits are in your
right two o’clock”). This offered the freedom to intercept
wherever seemed best without being tied to geographi-
cal features. Moreover, the warning allowed fighters to be
held at ground alert and scrambled only to meet incom-
ing raids, thereby avoiding continuous (wasteful) patrols,
which required at least three fighters for every one that
met the enemy.
Husbanding Resources
O
nce fighting began, however, Dowding still had
to argue against Churchill’s commitment to
France. The C-in-C watched almost helplessly
as his fighter squadrons were steadily committed into a
losing battle, leaving his air defences pro-
gressively denuded. On 16 May, a mes-
sage from French General Gamelin asked
for ten more fighter squadrons “at once.”
Churchill flew to Paris. In acrimonious
discussions, the defeat of France was be-
ing attributed to Churchill’s failure to
provide sufficient air support. The Prime
Minister gave way.
Dowding was alarmed: “our armies
may well be defeated in France but, as-
suming we are to fight on, the minimum
air defence necessary was assessed as 52
squadrons yet we have only 36 remaining,
of which in the last few days a further 10 have been also
despatched.” He demanded:
as a matter of paramount urgency the Air Ministry
will consider and decide what level of strength is to be
left to the Fighter Command for the defences of this
country, and will assure me that when this level has
been reached, not one fighter will be sent across the
Channel however urgent and insistent the appeals for
help may be...if the Home Defence Force is drained
away...defeat in France will involve the final, com-
plete and irremediable defeat of this country.^3
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Left
After being shot down and
baling out over the English
Channel during the
Battle of Britain, an
RAF pilot is rescued by a
high speed launch
Illustrated magazine,
summer 1940
five-zero; climb to Angels two-zero; banditsareinyour
right two o’clock”). This offered the freedomtointercept
wherever seemed best without being tied togeographi-
cal features. Moreover, the warning allowed fighterstobe
held at ground alert and scrambled only to meetincom-
ing raids, thereby avoiding continuous (wasteful)patrols,
which required at least three fighters for everyonethat
met the enemy.
Husbanding Resources
O
nce fighting began, however, Dowdingstillhad
to argue against Churchill’s commitment to
France. The C-in-C watched almosthelplessly
as his fighter squadrons were steadily committedintoa
losingbattle,leavinghisairdefencespro-
gressively denuded. On 16 May, ames-
sagefromFrenchGeneralGamelinasked
fortenmorefightersquadrons“atonce.”
Churchill flew to Paris. In acrimonious
discussions,thedefeatofFrancewasbe-
ing attributed to Churchill’s failure to
providesufficientairsupport.ThePrime
Ministergaveway.
Dowding was alarmed: “our armies
may well be defeated in France but, as-
suming we are to fight on, the minimum
air defence necessary was assessed as 52
squadrons yet we have only 36 remaining,
of which in the last few days a further 10 have been also
despatched.” He demanded:
as a matter of paramount urgency the Air Ministry
will consider and decide what level of strength is to be
left to the Fighter Command for the defences of this
country, and will assure me that when this level has
been reached, not one fighter will be sent across the
Channel however urgent and insistent the appeals for
help may be...if the Home Defence Force is drained
away...defeat in France will involve the final, com-
plete and irremediable defeat of this country.^3
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Left
After being shot down and
baling out over the English
Channel during the
Battle of Britain, an
RAF pilot is rescued by a
high speed launch
Illustrated magazine,
summer 1940
