LORD TRENCHARD'S AIR FORCE SIR,—" Strat egicas " in his
very interesting article in your issue of March 29th states that Air-Marshal (General) Trenchard had in the Independent Air Force a command of " nearly 350,000 officers and men," and that it carried out raids into Germany for " over a year." If this were indeed so, it would be amazing that the operations did not have more effect than in fact they had. The facts are that the Independent Air Force never consisted of more than ten squadrons (nine bomber and one fighter) out of the 188 operational squadrons of the whole Air Force ; that the total strength of the Air Force in all theatres of war and at home never exceeded 3oo,000 officers and men, and that the Independent Force was in existence only from June to November, 1918. Such a stupendous Force as " Strategicus " attributes to General Trenchard and operating for as long a period as he states would have had a profound influence on
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