The R.A.F. in Russia
The arrival on Soviet territory of a wing of the Royal Air Force, complete with fighting personnel, ground-staff, spare parts and ammunition, is a further instalment of that direct aid to Russia which Mr. Churchill spoke of in his recent speech in the House of Commons. The British public has been much exercised in its mind as to what can be done speedily to relieve the pressure on our splendidly resisting ally by fighting activities of our own. Granted that our bombing achievements on the western front have been no mean assist- ance, that at any moment we may be called on to engage Germans in Libya, and that our naval and air attacks on Nazi supply ships are a great contribution to the common effort, even so there is a widespread feeling that by some means we ought to identify ourselves more closely with the terrific struggle in which the Russians are engaged against the bulk of the German army. The despatch of air-squadrons to Russia, even though at this stage they may be few, is an earnest of our intention to identify ourselves with the supreme effort the Soviet armies are now making on land. It can be assumed that more are to follow, and that this is not merely a symbolic gesture. From our own point of view it is just as helpful to destroy German forces in Russia as to destroy them in the west. Indeed, it is an obvious advantage to destroy the enemy at a distance from our own shores.
Previous page
