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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0396.PDF
APRIL 26, 1917. LEEDS' GIFT TO INDIA. THE battleplane which has been subscribed for by theLeeds Chamber of Commerce and presented to India, was formally handed over at Roundhay Park on Saturday after-noon. The machine, of the latest type, has been built locally, and is to be used on the western front. At the luncheon,Lord Desborough, in proposing the toast of " India and the Imperial Air Fleet," referred to what he described as " thecarping, ill-founded, and mischievous criticism passed on the Air Service at the front." It was depressing to both officersand men concerned. We know our young men there, and they are doing splendidly. Lord Islington, Under Secretary for India, in acknowledgingthe toast, said the gift testified to the desire of the people of Leeds to assist India in her continued and consistent co-operation in the effective prosecution of the war. The war had shown that an efficient Air Service was indispensable toour military and naval success, and they could scarcely set any limit to the extended purposes to which flying mightbe put in the years to come. It was quite certain that a widely developed air organisation would play an essentialpart in the defence system of India. That was particularly so in regard to the North-West Frontier, which, peopled by "ahost of marauding tribes, had always caused anxiety to the Government of India. We had had constant and vehementcriticisms of the flying service at the front, and especially so in connection with the losses we had sustained. Ourlosses had undoubtedly been heavy, and we all deeply deplored them, but it would require a more intimate knowledge on thepart of critics to say that these had been excessive, if their verdict was to be accepted by their fellow countrymen. Hebelieved those who were properly informed would tell them that our present splendid success on our line in France, inco-operation with our gallant Allies the French, had been in no small measure, indeed in large measure, due to the. effectiveorganisation and magnificent personnel of our air fleet. Losses must occur, but if we compared our losses in the air with ourlosses in previous wars that were sustained by our recon- naissance organisation of those days, the cavalry screen, weshould find that in point of numbers our losses were con- siderably less, while the results in point of detailed, accurate,and minute information were from 50 to 100 per cent, better. Sir David Henderson said it was courage that put us intothe war, and it was courage that was going to carry us through. Fortitude was needed at the present time. Fortitude meantthe capacity for looking on the bright side without boasting and the black side without depression. Referring to theofficers and men of the R.F.C., Sir David said :—" I will tell you now that these young flying men are the salt of theearth. They had to take very serious risks and suffer very serious losses in order to enable somebody else to make a success. They had never been found wanting, and had never hesitated. They would go on facing their losses and doing their work as long as the war lasted. " General Sir David Henderson, upon the occasion "ofhis visit to Leeds last week, presented Sergeant Dean, R.F.C., with the^M.M. for^bravery in France. "0.Y0. 0'0 0. 0. 0 W The' presentation of an aeroplane to India by the City of Leeds. Lord DesDorougb Tafter his flight. '•'0. 0. '0. 0. '0. 0X0. '0. 396
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