National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

112 ai r p o w e r in 20 t H Ce n t u ry do C t r i n e s a n d em p l o y m e n t - nat i o n a l ex p e r i e n C e s
built large numbers of Caproni bombers under licence and used them extensively on
the Western Front. The French were interested in Caproni’s designs right from the
first days and obtained a licence when the CA30 was barely off the drawing board.
In the winter of 1917-18, Caproni paid a long visit to Paris; and towards the end of
the war, Caproni also made an extensive tour of the US. Additionally, in the period
1917-18, large French and US air contingents were based in Italy). I am not necessarily
suggesting that any influence that Caproni had on British airmen could be
rightly compared to his profound influence on US airmen - which is not to say that
any Caproni influence on British airmen can be disregarded.
It is of course possible (though not I think probable) that Caproni did not refer to
Douhet by name in his discussions with British airmen. In any case, they would have
been aware of Douhet’s ideas, which is the important point.
After Italy joined the Allied side in WWI, a British Military Mission was attached
to the Italian Supreme Command (May 1915 to August 1919). The head of the Mission
was Brig.-Gen. Sir Charles Delme-Radcliffe, who had been British Military
Attaché in Rome before the war. Among the many reports he wrote during the war
was one on Douhet’s court-martial. The British Embassy also reported on the courtmartial,
a cause celebre of the day.
The most important of the British airmen and soldiers who served in Italy during
WWI was undoubtedly Hoare. Samuel Hoare (Secretary of State for Air 1922-4,
1924-9 and 1940) headed the Special Intelligence Section of the British Military
Mission from the early summer of 1917 to the beginning of 1919.
Most of Hoare’s papers for the period 1917-19 were closed to public inspection
for many years and I have not had an opportunity to study them. However, the
biography of Hoare by JA Cross does provide a good deal of information about his
wartime service in Italy. Suffice it to say that such evidence as he produces clearly
shows that, during the years 1917-19, Hoare (in addition to his normal duties) learnt
Italian and immersed himself in Italian society, with the dual aim of: 1. fostering
those elements that backed the war; and 2. countering those elements that were neutralist/
pacifist/defeatist. To this end, Hoare cultivated those politicians, industrialists
and journalists who supported the war and its active prosecution. For example, he
became very friendly with Bissolati and he financed Mussolini.
In light of his activities, I consider it very probable that Hoare came into contact
with Caproni whilst in Italy - and quite possibly with Douhet himself. Final judgement
will however have to await study of Hoare’s papers.
Even if we suppose, despite the evidence presented above, that Hoare did not
learn of Douhet and his ideas whilst serving in Italy, we can be all but certain that he
did learn of Douhet and his ideas in the 20s.
In his memoirs, Hoare testified to the great British interest in, and the especially
close ties with, Italian aviation in the 20s. If the primary reason for the great interest
was the growing might and reputation of the Italian air force, the closeness of the ties