Somerville, Fiona Royal Air Force Operations 1919 to 1929

How the RAF secured its Independence

The Royal Air Force had been in existence for only eight months when the First World War ended. It subsequently had to fight for its survival, facing immense pressure from the Admiralty and the War Office. The number of squadrons was rapidly reduced to a mere handful, but salvation came through the introduction of "Air Control" in India and the Mandate of Iraq. Furthermore, the Chief of the Air Staff, Lord Trenchard, established a solid foundation by founding the Cadet College, the Staff College, and a training program for aircraft mechanic apprenticesinstitutions that could not easily be dismantled. During its first decadea period that also saw it control the Fleet Air Armthe RAF conducted operations in Somalia, Germany, Iraq, Palestine, Ireland, Russia, India, Turkey, and China, and introduced new aircraft types into service, albeit initially in small numbers. In the Middle East and Africa, it undertook and supported pioneering flights that repeatedly pushed the boundaries of what was possible. *Royal Air Force Operations 1919 to 1920: How the RAF Secured Its Independence* tells the comprehensive story of the RAF in the 1920s, shedding light on its development at home and abroad as well as its global operations. Controversial topics, such as the RAF's alleged use of chemical weapons in Iraq, are examined in detail, while around 350 photographsmany previously unpublishedbring the history to life in a unique way.