Founded in 1968 by
Richard M. Langworth CBEThird Quarter 2019 • Number 185
ISSN 0882-
http://www.winstonchurchill.org
____________________________
The International Churchill Society, Publisher
[email protected]
David Freeman, Editor
[email protected]
Department of History
California State University
Fullerton, CA 92834-
__________________________
Deputy Editor
Justin Reash
Senior Editors
Paul H. Courtenay, James W. Muller
Contributing Editors
Ronald I. Cohen
Michael McMenamin
Timothy Riley
Contributors
Roddy MacKenzie Canada
Katherine Carter, Sir Michael Graydon,
A. P. N. Lambert, Richard Milburn
United Kingdom
Paul F. Anderson, Fred Glueckstein, W. Mark
Hamilton, John H. Maurer, Richard A. McConnell
United States
Address changes: Please update us when you move
by contacting [email protected]
________________________________
Finest Hour is made possible in part through the generous
support of members of the International Churchill Society.
________________________________
Published quarterly by the International Churchill Society
with subscriptions from offices on pages 2 and 51.
Permission to mail at nonprofit rates in USA
granted by the United States Postal Service.
Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.From The Editor
Churchill and the RAFThis issue completes a triptych that we started two years ago
about Winston Churchill’s relationship with the armed forces. We be-
gan with the Royal Navy, the “senior service,” in 2017 and continued
with the British Army last year. Now we examine Churchill’s associa-
tion with the Royal Air Force, and we are honored to have Air Chief
Marshal Sir Michael Graydon introduce this issue.
Churchill was one of the first major office holders in any
nation to recognize the importance of air power. As First Lord of the
Admiralty before the First World War, he routinely inspected the
Fleet for which he was responsible and to this end had an airplane
custom built for his use. Fred Glueckstein tells the little-known
story of the “Sopwith Churchill.”
Between the two world wars, Churchill worked in and out
of office to preserve the RAF, define its mission, and strengthen its
capabilities. John Maurer explains how Churchill’s support helped to
ensure the RAF was in place and prepared to face Hitler’s Luftwaffe.
When the war came, the RAF combined with the Royal Navy
to form Britain’s first line of defense against invasion. The ensu-
ing Battle of Britain saved the day, and Air Commodore A. P. N.
Lambert takes us through Churchill’s dealings with the “Dowding
System.” Churchill’s famous “Few,” however, referred not only to the
crew of Fighter Command but also to the courageous men of Bomber
Command, who suffered unimaginably high casualties in pursuit of
Allied victory. Roddy MacKenzie helps set the record straight about
the crucial importance of the Strategic Bombing Offensive.
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Charles Portal may be
the most overlooked high-ranking officer of the Second World War.
Wing Commander Rich Milburn, however, shows that Churchill
himself thought Portal the most capable. Air Chief Marshal Sir Rob-
ert Brooke-Popham, by contrast, is now all but forgotten due to his
mixed record, which W. Mark Hamilton surveys in a review of a new
biography.
Did Churchill really use a Walt Disney film to win over
President Roosevelt on a major air-policy initiative? Perhaps. Paul
F. Anderson sifts through the evidence. Finally, Paul H. Courtenay
explains that RAF uniform Churchill was so frequently photographed
wearing. Fasten your seatbelts. It’s time for take off.David Freeman, July 2019 (^) ,
Founded in 1968 by
Richard M. Langworth CBE
Third Quarter 2019 • Number 185
ISSN 0882-
http://www.winstonchurchill.org
TheInternationalChurchillSociety,Publisher
[email protected]
DavidFreeman,Editor
[email protected]
Department of History
California State University
Fullerton, CA 92834-
Deputy Editor
Justin Reash
Senior Editors
Paul H. Courtenay, James W. Muller
Contributing Editors
Ronald I. Cohen
Michael McMenamin
Timothy Riley
Contributors
Roddy MacKenzie Canada
Katherine Carter, Sir Michael Graydon,
A. P. N. Lambert, Richard Milburn
United Kingdom
Paul F. Anderson, Fred Glueckstein, W. Mark
Hamilton, John H. Maurer, Richard A. McConnell
United States
Address changes: Please update us when you move
by contacting [email protected]
Finest Hour is made possible in part through the generous
support of members of the International Churchill Society.
Published quarterly by the International Churchill Society
with subscriptions from offices on pages 2 and 51.
Permission to mail at nonprofit rates in USA
granted by the United States Postal Service.
Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.
From The Editor
ChurchillandtheRAF
This issue completes a triptych that we started two years ago
about Winston Churchill’s relationship with the armed forces. We be-
gan with the Royal Navy, the “senior service,” in 2017 and continued
with the British Army last year. Now we examine Churchill’s associa-
tionwiththeRoyalAirForce,andwearehonoredtohaveAirChief
MarshalSirMichaelGraydonintroducethisissue.
Churchill was one of the first major office holders in any
nation to recognize the importance of air power. As First Lord of the
Admiralty before the First World War, he routinely inspected the
Fleet for which he was responsible and to this end had an airplane
custombuiltforhisuse.FredGluecksteintellsthelittle-known
storyofthe“SopwithChurchill.”
Between the two world wars, Churchill worked in and out
of office to preserve the RAF, define its mission, and strengthen its
capabilities.JohnMaurerexplainshowChurchill’ssupporthelpedto
ensuretheRAFwasinplaceandpreparedtofaceHitler’sLuftwaffe.
When the war came, the RAF combined with the Royal Navy
to form Britain’s first line of defense against invasion. The ensu-
ing Battle of Britain saved the day, and Air Commodore A. P. N.
Lambert takes us through Churchill’s dealings with the “Dowding
System.” Churchill’s famous “Few,” however, referred not only to the
crew of Fighter Command but also to the courageous men of Bomber
Command, who suffered unimaginably high casualties in pursuit of
Alliedvictory.RoddyMacKenziehelpssettherecordstraightabout
thecrucialimportanceoftheStrategicBombingOffensive.
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Charles Portal may be
the most overlooked high-ranking officer of the Second World War.
Wing Commander Rich Milburn, however, shows that Churchill
himself thought Portal the most capable. Air Chief Marshal Sir Rob-
ert Brooke-Popham, by contrast, is now all but forgotten due to his
mixedrecord,whichW.MarkHamiltonsurveysina reviewofa new
biography.
Did Churchill really use a Walt Disney film to win over
President Roosevelt on a major air-policy initiative? Perhaps. Paul
F. Anderson sifts through the evidence. Finally, Paul H. Courtenay
explains that RAF uniform Churchill was so frequently photographed
wearing. Fasten your seatbelts. It’stimefortakeoff.
David Freeman, July 2019 (^) ,