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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0222.PDF
the war cannot continue after next August, because by that time the Hun will have been defeated as much by the failure of his own resources as by the relentless pressure of the military power of the Allies. We may still be permitted to indulge the hope that things may in fact turn out this way, but we agree whole- heartedly with Lord Selborne that the present indica- tions do not justify even the hope, let alone the belief. Rather do they point to still greater effort and still deeper sacrifice on the part of the peoples who have allied themselves in the task of hunting down and destroying the wild beast of Prussian militarism. That noxious animal is a long way from being dead— he is as full of life as ever—and we have a long and bitter struggle to go through before we shall have the satisfaction of seeing him in his death agony. The unforeseen and unexpected may happen, but the opportunism, the fatuous optimism, that would have us slacken a single effort in the hope of the unexpected turning up is closely akin to criminal madness. <•> • <•> Speaking in the House of Commons last The week, Mr. Forster, Financial Secretary Air Services to the War Office, referred at some length Parliament, to the Air Services. His remarks are well worth studying, both for their general interest and for the light they throw upon the difficulties which have had to be contended with in bringing those services to the undoubtedly high state of efficiency to which they have attained. His statement will be found in our usual report of Parlia- mentary procedure, and in this the very well-deserved tribute to the gallantry of the officers and men of the flying services will be welcomed by all who have followed the magnificent work they have done in every- theatre of the war. Where all have behaved with the most self-sacrificing devotion it seems almost invidious to single out any one branch of the Services for special commendation, but if there is one arm of the MARCH 8, 1917. fighting forces of the Crown that has deserved such special differentiation as that implied, it is surely the flying branch. We also welcome the admission that there has been difficulty in obtaining a sufficient number of aircraft to keep our squadrons at the various fronts up to the requisite strength. There is nothing for anyone to feel particularly pleased about in the admission that we have been found wanting, but we are sufficiently familiar with official ways to knoWg that when a responsible Minister spontaneously confesses that there have been difficulties and delays which have now been overcome, it argues that they are really a thing of the past. This unrequested admission is a totally different thing to the halting confession extorted under pressure from a Minister whose only aim is to suppress the facts of a case. We may therefore take leave to hope that in the future there will be neither delay nor difficulty in obtaining all the aircraft we need to retain that mastery of the air that we believe we hold for the present. If we are now in the happy position of being able to get all we need, it is up to the Government and the Air Board to see that matters do not stand still. Having arrived at the point for which we have been aiming ever since the outbreak of war, it will not do to mark time. Production must still further be speeded up, and design must not be allowed to stagnate. The last is the chief danger to be apprehended where quantity is one of the governing considerations, and it is a very grave danger indeed because it is so obviously the line of least resistance. However, we may have every confidence that the new Air Board will be found to be very much alive to this, and that they will see to it that production and progress in design go forward hand in hand. Alto- gether, the right, hon. gentleman's utterances con- stitute about the most reassuring statement regarding the immediate future of the air services we have heard since the beginning of the war. THE ROLL REPORTED by the Admiralty:— Killed. Flight Sub-Lieut. J. E. Northrop, R.N. Flight Lieut. E. L. Pulling, D.S.O., R.N. Accidentally Killed. Flight Sub-Lieut. G. R. G. Daglish, R.N. [Missing. Flight Sub-Lieut. G. T. Bysshe, R.N. Flight Sub-Lieut. L. E. Smith, R.N. F. 7815 2nd Grade Air Mechanic R. S. Portsmouth. Wounded. Actg. Flight-Coin. C. C. R. Edwards, R.N. Flight Sub-Lieut. Leslie A. Powell, R.N. Seriously Injured. Flight Sub-Lieut. A. F. Marlowe, R.N. Slightly Injured. Prob. Flight Sub-Lieut. G. F. Creaghan, R.N. Flight Sub-Lieut. S. F. Ingrain, R.N. Previously reported Missing, now reported to be Prisoners of War. Flight-Lieut. J. C. Croft, R.N. Lieut. S. R. Hibbard, R.N.V.R. Flight-Lieut. H. C. Vereker, R.N. OF HONOUR. Reported by the War Office:— Killed. Lieut. J. G. B. Baines, R. Warwicfcs, attd. R.F.C. 2nd Lieut. A. Ball, K.O. (R. Lanes.), attd. R.F.C. Died of Wounds. 2nd Lieut. R. L. M. Jack, Gordon Hdrs. and R.F.C. Accidentally Killed. 3363 Sergt. J. V. Barnard, R.F.C. Previously reported Missing, now reported Killed. 14454 Corpl. R. D. Fleming, R.F.C. 191 Flight-Sergt. W. G. Webb. Wounded. Lieut. H. E. Bagot, R.F.C. 2nd Lieut. L. L. Brown, R.F.C. 2nd Lieut. L. L. Carter, R.F.C. Lieut. J. F. Ferguson, Can. Pioneers, attd. R.F.C. ' Lieut. R. Lund, R. Berks, attd. R.F.C. 2nd Lieut. A. M. Morgan, R.E., attd. R.F.C. Missing. 2nd Lieut. J. Fairbairn, R.F.C. 2nd Lieut. E. W. Lindley, Manchester and R.F.C. Missing, believed Prisoner of War in Bulgarian hands. Lieut. J. C. F. Owen, Can. A.S.C., attd. R.F.C. Flax for Aircraft Work. AN order has been made by the Army Council requiring all persons engaged in the purchase or sale of raw flax to furnish such particulars of their business as may be required by or on behalf of the Director of Aircraft Equipment at any time. It is further announced with reference to the Army Council order^dated December 30th, 1916, in which" the'price was fixed based upon the price ruling during the fortnight ending December 16th, 1916, that the price of the best grade of fine Irish flax will be taken at 27s. 6d. per stone, with propor- tionate variations for the lower grades. All communications should be sent to D.A.E.4.S.3, Air Board Office Strand, W.C. 222
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