The sad thing about the Battle of Britain was that for many of those who had been involved in senior command positions or who had worked behind the scenes to prepare Fighter Command for battle would meet a bitter sweet finale when the fight was over. The pilots who had won the Battle were, thank Heavens, when the end came, the heroes of the day and still remain so. Churchill saw to that with his famous speeches, particularly the one about “The Few”. But the other categories of people who made a contribution which was truly vital, were less lucky and just faded from view.
The first category consisted of Dowding, Keith Park and then Brand and Saul. These were the commanders who actually fought the Battle. They had all gone within a few months of the end of the Battle. The ostensible reason was the apparent disagreement over the “Big Wing” theory led by Squadron Leader Bader of 12 Group with the support of the AOC of that group, Leigh Mallory. But there was more to it than that.
Dowding had run Fighter Command, of which he had been AOC in C, since its formation in 1936, almost as if it had been an air force within an air force. He wasn’t a man of charm and moreover he wasn’t a collegiate colleague. He was just dedicated to a single minded determination to ensure that his command went into the inevitable combat as well prepared as he could possibly make it. He was not a popular figure in the upper echelons of the Service. He had been passed over for the job of Chief of the Air Staff, that is, head of the air force. He was a loner. The top brass were longing to see his back.
Inevitably this meant that his appointees of the group commanders were, of course, totally loyal to him. With just one exception, Leigh Mallory of 12 Group, who had been jealous throughout the Battle of Keith Park, head of 11 Group covering the south of England. They were all destined to be sidelined and fairly soon to be retired. The one exception was Keith Park who had his day, once again in Malta, when he became AOC of the group operating from Luqa.
Could Churchill have saved Dowding or at least ensured that he was made a Marshall of the Royal Air Force as the King had suggested, when he retired? He would have had to run against the collective prejudice of the top brass of the RAF but yes, of course, he could and should have.
To come to the next top individuals who were also overlooked, they were those who were responsible for the five years of preparatory work before the Battle began, ensuring that Fighter Command was furnished with a modern defence system. This included, most importantly, the invention of radar. Henry Tizard was the scientist responsible for this great innovation and Watson Watt was the expert who actually invented radar. Unfortunately, there had been a huge row between Lindeman a fellow scientist and Tizard when the work on radar was just starting. Lindeman had been Churchill’s adviser. The two scientists, Tizard and Lindeman, had known each other well but the relationship had broken down between the two men. This meant that when Churchill came to power, he naturally brought Lindeman with him. That meant the end for Tizard. He moved off to become Master of Magdalene College at Oxford. The new men under Lindeman took over. The old group who had worked on the modernisation of Fighter Command were dispersed.
The third casualty was Chamberlain. He was the politician who ensured that the policy of modernising Fighter Command was adhered to by the pre-war Government. Although he got no thanks for his part in the preparation for war, he nonetheless played an important role in the first few months of Churchill’s administration. It was he, Chamberlain, who prevented Lord Halifax from getting his way and allowing talks with Hitler to take place following the fall of France. He vetoed them. He knew how unreliable any agreement with Hitler was bound to be. At least he played this important part, but certainly, like the others in this unfortunate tale, he got no thanks.
In war the honours often fall unevenly. It was certainly the case following the Battle of Britain. At least Keith Park has been honoured by a new statue in London which has been erected in his memory.
8 comments
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October 31, 2010 at 10:42 am
Philip cowley
This whole series has been interesting day by day. I have known the details of The Battle for many years but to have it tied to contemporaneous dates was novel and more immediate .
many thanks for all your work
October 31, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Richard
Thank you for this blog… I have been following this since week 1, and it has been an almost surreal experience to witness this battle as it took place, 70 years removed.
I would have loved to see this get better exposure- this blog is a gem that needs to be reissued every year, that we may never forget.
November 1, 2010 at 2:25 am
David LaJuett
May I say, first, thank you for the fine action commentary, reading which, day after day, has given us a strong sense of the actual length of time that the Battle lasted, and the stress of the continual German attacks. And you are right to point out the terrible unfairness of the post Battle treatment of Dowding and Park. (the Air Ministry’s official booklet “The Battle of Britain” put out a few months later, did not even mention Dowding or Park!! Even Churchill was shocked by this.)
It should be noted, however, that Dowding himself was too removed from the Park-Leigh Mallory dispute, and allowed it to fester too long, when stronger action might have supported Park, and forced Leigh Mallory into supporting Park more. Dowding’s inaction in this dispute is surprising, since throughout the Battle of Britain Leigh Mallory’s obvious lack of support for Park’s 11 Group contributed materially to the damage that the Luftwaffe was able to inflict on 11 Group’s airfields. Why didnt Dowding see this and act more firmly?
It must be accepted, too, that Churchill not only acquiesced in the forcing out of Dowding and Park, but may have encouraged it. Dowding might have incurred Churchill’s animosity back in May/June 1940, when Dowding warned about sending too many fighters to France, while CHurchill wanted to send many more. Indeed, Churchill’s unreliable memoir Their Finest Hour, does not mention Dowding’s famous 10-Point letter of warning.
And ironically, among the losers, Kesselring, Sperrle and Milch all continued on. And Goering was never really called to account, and remained with the Luftwaffe until war’s end.
History has had the last word, at least.
November 1, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Tony Rudd
Dear David, thank you very much for your interesting and very helpful comment today. Just one thing if I may, we would like to use your comments in the book form of the blog which we hope to be publishing shortly. We have sent you a letter asking for your approval but it has been barred by your email. Can I take it that you would be happy for us to use them or quote from them? Thank you very much. Kindest regards, Tony Rudd.
November 3, 2010 at 2:20 am
David LaJuett
Thanks for your kind words; I am glad to have made comments of interest. As I noted in the email reply to you, you’re welcome to use any of my comments as/where you wish. I based some of the comments on the text of the very readable book Battle of Britain, Len Deighton and Max Hastings, Wordsworth Editions, 1999, specially pages 215-217. This book also followed a day by day format, with extra material on many aspects of strategy, people, aircraft, etc. I think you’d find it of definite interest, if you’re not already aware of it. Thanks again for your blog of the battle, it became addictive reading.
November 2, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Andrew
I agree with you David though I don’t think Dowding could have forced Mallory to act appropriately by leaving him in command. The 18th century Royal Navy had a way of dealing with commanders who failed which would have been appropriate in Mallory’s case. Dowding couldn’t have done as the 18th century Royal Navy but he could (with hindsight) atleast sack Mallory and charge him with failure of duty, thus handicapping him as a political manipulator. Then bring Saul in to 12 Group and after severely reprimanding Bader give him the action he was longing for within 11 Group.
Many thanks Tony for running this snapshot of history. The day by day history has lasted five months, it gives some insight of those involved in the real thing every day knowing a wrong decision on any of those days could lose the battle.
November 2, 2010 at 8:45 am
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August 2, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Dr George Abbott White
Much hard work, a very fine account, and the words about the disrespectful and unfair treatment of Dowding and Park worth repeating again and again. (I’ve just completed a re-reading of several respected Battle of Britain accounts, they are entirely in agreement with this judgment.) But I have to question Chamberlain’s role – wasn’t he supportive of inept even obstructive government policies towards rebuilding the RAF, including high level political appointments? And am I wrong to ask whether it wasn’t Churchill rather than Chamberlain who put a halt to Halifax’s “peace feelers”? Halifax, after all, was for negotiations with Hitler before and after Churchill became Prime Minister.