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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0875.PDF
FLIGHT, 28 June 1957 881 FAR EAST AIR FORCE TN the fight against Communism in South East Asia, the Far East Air Force plays A a vital and indispensable part. There are two main facets of our activities in this area: first, the provision of air support for the emergency operations against the Communist terrorists in the Federation of Malaya, and secondly, the contri- bution towards the overall defence effort of the allied treaty organizations of SEATO and ANZAM. The most active role of the Far East Air Force is in operations against the Communist terrorists in Malaya. Since the emergency began eight years ago, we have achieved considerable success by a direct offensive with bombers and ground- attack aircraft. However, our main task continues to be that of air support and air supply to the ground forces. Without this support, they would be unable to operate effectively against the enemy in the deep jungles of Malaya. The task of air supply in the difficult conditions of terrain and weather in Malaya is a highly specialized one. Our transport aircraft are required to maintain garrisons in jungle forts which are inaccessible except by air. Troops must be flown into and out of advanced bases deep in the interior; supplies must be dropped under all weather conditions, and casualties evacuated. Specially equipped "voice" and leaflet-dropping aircraft are employed in the psychological warfare against terrorists. All these tasks must be carried out with the highest degree of efficiency if our ground forces are to maintain the pressure against the enemy which has produced such good results during the past two or three years. In the spheres of SEATO and ANZAM, Allied policy has halted the expansion of Communism and is doing much to bring about a more stable situation in South East Asia. The Far East Air Force, by the air power it contributes to the defence forces of these organizations, is helping to ensure continued success to SEATO and ANZAM in the future. In addition, the United Kingdom Government has agreed to assist in the external defence of Malaya after she obtains her independence in August, pledging ourselves, with our Commonwealth neighbours, to maintain watch and ward over this vulnerable peninsula. The Far East Air Force will provide the air defence for this vital area and will continue to make an important contribution to the peace of South East Asia. — A- From Air Marshal Sir Francis Fressanges, K.B.E., C.B., Command er-in-Chief AT the R.A.F. flying-boat base at Seletar, on the north coast£\ of Singapore island, several concrete piles of varied height J- A. stand starkly out of the water at low tide. These are allthat remain of a thatch-covered building which some twenty-four years ago became the headquarters of the R.A.F.'s Far East Flight—forerunner of the present Far East Air Force, whose activities extend from Gan in the Maldive Islands south of India to as fareast as Hong Kong on the coast of Communist China. To the average Englishman or Scotsman or Welshman, in hissuburban villa at Streatham, on Clydeside or among the coal valleys and steelworks of South Wales, the Far East Air Forcemust seem something very far away indeed. He may have been "out East" with one of the Services during the war and havesome familiarity with the area, but more likely names like Kuala Lumpur or Negombo or Tengah mean nothing to him apart fromwhat he may occasionally read in the newspapers or hear on the radio.The fact is, however, that F.E.A.F. is the only part of the R.A.F. at present engaged in full-scale air operations—thoughconducted over friendly territory; and its activities are more diverse than those of any other comparable Command, rangingfrom bomber/fighter attacks on Communist terrorists to the main- tenance of jungle forts by air supply and the operation of a trans-port service whose routes range from Ceylon to Japan. At the same time the future of the Far East Air Force largely dependson imponderable political factors and local goodwill, and all its activities are being carried out against a background of constantchange and future uncertainties. F.E.A.F. is controlled by a Commander-in-Chief with head-quarters at Changi R.A.F. station on Singapore island. Since November 1954 Air Marshal Sir Francis Fressanges has beenC-in-C. and in a message to Flight readers (above) he has out- lined broadly the purposes and policy of F.E.A.F. It is worth-while at the outset to amplify his necessarily brief description so that the highly varied work of F.E.A.F. may be clearly understood. The R.A.F.'s main task in the Far East is to defend Britishinterests at key points which are still under our direct control. Secondly, our air and shipping routes through the Indian Oceanand the Pacific must be protected, and assistance by air search and rescue (not, of course, confined to British ships and aircraftin distress) given when necessary. Thirdly, our air contribu- tion to SEATO and the Commonwealth strategic reserve in theFar East is made by F.E.A.F. Fourthly, active support has been and is being given to the Police forces in Malaya in their cam-paign against Communist terrorists which has been going on since 1948. Fifthly, training is carried out of Malays and Chinese andIndians who join either the R.A.F. or the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force. Finally, the integration of R.A.A.F. and R.N.Z.A.F. com-manders, squadrons and units within F.E.A.F. should be stressed —for this co-operation benefits both Australia and New Zealandin their national defence and also Britain, with its world-wide commitments. There is one R.A.A.F. Sqn. (No. 1) in F.E.A.F.and an R.A.A.F. airfield construction unit on detachment at Butterworth on the west coast of Malaya; and there are twoR.N.Z.A.F. Sqns., Nos. 14 and 41. Air Marshal Fressanges is shortly handing over his command tothe new C-in-C, Air Marshal the Earl of Bandon, who comes from 2nd T.A.F. to a Far Eastern sphere which he will find noless interesting and probably far more complex. For however difficult the R.A.F.'s problems in Germany—as will be seen fromanother part of this issue—they are comparatively clear-cut by contrast with the chequerboard of Far East political issues. Before discussing these, however, one other change of commandin F.E.A.F. should be mentioned. Until recently the A.O.C. Malaya has been an Australian in the R.A.F., A.V-M. W. H.Kyle. He has been succeeded by another Australian, A.V-M. V. E. Hancock, who is in the R.A.A.F. but on loan to the R.A.F.,and the change is significant of the increasing part being played by Australia in F.E.A.F. Nowhere in the Far East Air Force at present is thereany real certainty about the future. Hong Kong remains a Crown Colony by the grace of the Pekin Government, who couldpresumably at any time since they came to power have persuaded [Continued on p. 884, after two pages of sketches by Gordon Homer.]
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