formation royal_air_force raf founded raf maritime arm fleet air arm transferred royal_navy naval aviation neglected inter war period raf having control aircraft flying royal_navy carriers consequence receive resources needed develop properly efficiently continued outbreak second world war came prominence owing concentration referred phrase lord admiralty time alexander primary task protection allied convoys attacks groups known protected allied shipping aerial attacks luftwaffe main operations defensive defending supply lines theatres war notably mediterranean middle_east african battle atlantic offensive capacity mediterranean theatre baltic sea attacked german shipping carrying war materials italy north_africa scandinavia germany finally received sufficient aircraft needed operations proved decisive victory boats aircraft early aircraft fitted air surface vessel radar latest depth charges including torpedoes officially classed mines nicknamed wandering annie wandering rockets command saw action day hostilities day second world war completed million flying hours operations destroyed boats casualties amounted aircraft causes sank german transport vessels damaged total sunk tons tons damaged persons rescued command comprising allied crew members enemy personnel non personnel killed action war command continued warfare duties cold war combat threat posed fleets warsaw pact ceased exist newly formed absorbed bomber later absorbed formation neglect years end world war major change command structure raf heading pace arm british military face nazi threat area formations called commands fighter bomber areas fighter renamed headquarters located lee air marshal sir raf coastal area oversaw renaming handed command air marshal philip august march threat nazi_germany prompted series expansion schemes pushed number squadrons expansion scheme outbreak war number aircraft fully implemented scheme squadrons aircraft scheme ran course produce modern aircraft adequate provision reserves percent bomber forces received percent averaged percent schemes maritime air units cent british air strength pre expansion strength squadrons flying boats figure maritime squadrons rose september strength aircraft allocated trade defence given policy place retirement developing bombers maritime arm bolster air offensive specialised aircraft thoroughly aircraft fell outside bomber function highly critical attitude service exercises carried operation submarines home_fleet judge surface fleet defence submarine air attack despite experiences world war attention paid problem attacking submarines air trade protection measures owing imperfect invention appeared royal_navy longer considered boats threat britain sea lanes keen concentrate strategic air forces dispute admiralty conclusions receive guidance saving grace services construction combined headquarters enabled rapid collaboration maritime operations successes organisation preparation outbreak war review role play war assessed sir informed senior air staff officer commands bomber fighter clear mission objectives given clear mandate assumed sea communications open merchant shipping prevent raids british coastlines ports mention man assumed aircraft surface raiders presented greater threat british waters followed admiralty line boats longer danger admiral sir aerial assets trade commerce defence chief air staff 1st baron replied jam resources stated risk losses trade routes weaken raf ability protect britain air attack bomb enemies march director captain complained role war supporting bomber offensive second support naval forces british coastline limited danger command main concern october deputy chief air staff air vice marshal confirmed formal role service location units reverse decision strategic bombing support primary function changed trade defence purposes trade routes suffering little interference intensity air attack britain air attacks enemy targets required available air units purposes december naval met changed priority north_sea reconnaissance naval staff insisted commerce raiders presented greatest danger aircraft prove decisive locating enemy warships remained place direct operation surface fleets december changed moved second priority august moved priority went war task operate navy prevent enemy vessels escaping north_sea atlantic oceans secondly provide support steps significant language indicates change passive reconnaissance enemy warships submarines active directive involved attack vessels aircraft late 1920s tension air naval services declined arose briefly question operational control arose occasion sided admiralty despite spirited defence asset minister coordination defence sir decided transfer arm content let matter rest threat existence long passed budgetary reluctance engage battle waste resources factors decision contest issue inter service assured maritime aviation especially shore based elements virtually operation existed area research development case continued come list priorities fighter bomber commands late 1930s second world war early war formation receive support required effective naval air service september nazi_germany invaded poland beginning war europe command position comfortable months war period known war german submarines able reach atlantic undertook dangerous transit journey north_sea britain northern waters english channel guarded royal french navies powerful french_navy responsible covering half atlantic shipping routes contributed half allied forces available events april june overturned balance naval air power germans conquered denmark norway netherlands belgium france occupation countries permitted luftwaffe kriegsmarine operate french ports atlantic coast hundreds miles closer atlantic shipping lanes german medium bombers reach british ports country westernmost northernmost coasts advantage enjoyed germans allowed merchant shipping supplying food war materials britain effectively potential britain merchant shipping suffering losses proven ineffective german air sea attacks shipping particular ineffective protecting english channel convoys forced abandon operations months starting july given task enjoyed majority raf resources time objectives strategic air attack defence raf despite warning signs boats threat experience aircraft suitable counter operations result service situation improve meantime operate effect alongside disrupting enemy shipping attacked shipping mined waters invasion ports german invasion britain eventually cancelled owing german defeat years second world war admiralty fought continuous battle raf trade defence relation bomber effort mainland germany strategic cost air staff enjoyed backing churchill maritime air effort struggled receive recognition needed outbreak war order battle listed aircraft operational february placed operational control admiralty instrumental improving strike rate submarines scientific advisor assistant director research applied scientific analysis logistical problems great effect present meetings cabinet anti boat committee downing street prime minister owing starvation resources late march atlantic supply lines threatened situation arose direct result lack long range aircraft despite enormous losses disastrous period known germans second happy time refused invest trade defence delays resource led german success defeated britain forced war caused allied landings french operation overlord landing france respectively research indicates losses affected build operation neptune naval phase landings europe mid later war eventually command given investment needed radar long range aircraft enabled command hunt destroy boats growing efficiency german submarines sinking large number allied ships stretch water central atlantic range allied aircraft covering gap long range aircraft equipped radar helped reduce effectiveness campaign reached peak large number boats sunk little loss allied shipping time gained initiative known germans black suppression german submarines effective atlantic transit routes june normandy landings subsequent operation overlord liberated france cost germans air submarine bases won boats forced relocate norway germany august restoring difficulties faced kriegsmarine early entire strategic position foundation boat war june undermined years war sank boats service continued hold technological advantage onwards brief threat shape submarine emerged late alter course events event technological answers type available form radar magnetic aircraft midnight june official wartime operations ceased mission flown wing commander commanding officer squadron raf time decorations awarded included survived war distinguished service orders cold war beginnings capitulation germany followed rapid immediate disbandment combat units transfer aircraft commonwealth personnel sent home powerful wings reduced command maintained strong air sea rescue reconnaissance forces exceptions handful squadrons aircraft remained january command retained minimum peacetime force intention maintaining fleet reduced suffered problems short short rejected replacements maritime version promising lincoln ordered time lend lease programme ended august short forced continue main operational type end aircraft operated command second world war types lancaster command kept busy late 1940s units sent middle_east palestine air policy operation prevent conflict countries owing formation state israel undertook major operation prevent floods illegal jewish immigrants coming israel variety aircraft reduced despite increasing demand operations palestinian terrorists supporters began attacking british military installations region largest british post war action operation dawn launched support june involved berlin soviet_union attempted cut aid city jointly occupied major powers soviets east americans french british west joint american british operation continued year aircraft involved flying boats aircraft internal anti treatment allowing bulk salt transported command operations grew intensity july daily sorties risen october sorties flying supplies flying boats flight river operations came close december hazard wreckage cases deliberately placed soviets prevent supplying city operations impractical sorties tons supplies flown people mainly children evacuated soviet threat nato north atlantic treaty organisation began preparations military defence western_europe incorporating west european nations defence pact soviet aggression april led west_germany met soon merger warsaw pact alliance soviet_union purpose help bolster defence guard potential soviet naval threat atlantic european waters main concern atlantic march lost photo reconnaissance units transfer complete north_korea invaded south_korea beginning korean war hastily modified ready operations sent owing need aircraft main operational aircraft 1950s replacing wartime neptune end august squadron raf unit complete training type order battle consisted squadrons gibraltar covering south western approaches atlantic covering force numbered aircraft squadrons totalling aircraft split south western approaches numbering aircraft squadrons covered helicopter joined entered service aircraft dispersed britain march finally phased service command expensive maintain cost cuts 1950s caused reduction strength command cut aircraft dominated core force numbering aircraft neptune cut service altogether beginning august little operational action command point british_army forces egypt crisis major action period lack funds active conventional military role saw command struggle line strength high brief alert october cuban missile crisis squadrons possessed high alert came crisis squadrons sent known soviet target list early 1960s soviet navy fishing fleets began operating british isles increasing numbers british public began taking interest operations civilian fisherman began complaining presence operation began began monitoring movements particular vessels areas covering arrival departure routes royal_navy nuclear submarine forces soon counter operations carried aimed searching soviet submarines main threat soviets atlantic came early command units concentrated group raf based scotland monitor activities recorded confrontation took place soviet naval forces time frigates operating soviet submarines carrying surveillance mouth instance based lost making mock attack russian sub special purpose based introduced raf service duties passed general squadrons replacement began october weeks later disbanded ceased exist november organisation commanders chief following officers commanded service depiction film work wartime propaganda documentary named score
RAF Coastal Command