The Battle of Britain Five Months That Changed History, May—October 1940 by James Holland (z-lib.org).epub

were earmarked for Norway and four to join the six already in France. In
other words, Dowding actually had twenty fewer squadrons for home
defence than had been promised him. Aircraft production had risen to 177
fighters per month by March and to 256 by April, but that was nothing like
enough to bring Fighter Command up to the strength that had been agreed
would be necessary to keep the Luftwaffe at bay, and make good the losses
that would inevitably occur in France.
Three more squadrons had been sent the moment the offensive began.
On this fourth day of the battle, he had been told that a further thirty-two
pilots and aircraft – the equivalent of two squadrons – were also ordered
over to France. Nor were his home squadrons idle. Four a day were leaving
England for offensive patrols, landing and refuelling in France, and
completing a second patrol before heading home.
For Dowding, who had so single-mindedly and determinedly built up
the home defence of Britain, the loss of each aircraft over the Continent
made him wince in horror. Yes, he understood the political necessity of the
RAF’s contribution in France, but to him the greatest single priority was the
survival of Great Britain, and that could only be achieved with adequate
home defence. ‘The continued existence of the nation and all its services,’
he had written to the Air Ministry back in October, ‘depends upon the
Royal Navy and the Fighter Command.’ The argument that nothing should
be allowed to interfere with the creation of a fifty-squadron Fighter
Command was a line he had consistently taken since the previous July,
when it had first been agreed that fighters should be sent to France in the
event of war. It was a message that had cut no ice with the Chiefs of Staff; if
anything, the more Dowding repeated this heartfelt opinion, the less impact
it had. But Dowding was now beginning to think the worst. Already there
was talk of an invasion. If the Luftwaffe struck any time soon, Britain, he
feared, would not have a chance.
Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding had been born in Moffat, Scotland, in
1882, although his father had been a Wiltshire man. Educated at Winchester
College, he left school and went to the Royal Military College at Woolwich
and from there was commissioned at the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1900.
His early army career took him to India, Ceylon and Hong Kong, but on his
return to Britain he decided to qualify for his private pilot’s certificate. He
gained this in 1913 then undertook a further three-month course with the