The Birth of the RAF, 1918

by Richard Overy

The dizzying pace of technological change in the early 20th century meant that it took only a little over ten years from the first flight by the Wright Brothers to the clash of fighter planes in the Great War. A period of terrible, rapid experiment followed to gain a brief technological edge. By the end of the war the British had lost an extraordinary 36,000 aircraft and 16,600 airmen.

The RAF was created in 1918 as a revolutionary response to this new form of warfare - a highly contentious decision (resisted fiercely by both the army and navy, who had until then controlled all aircraft) but one which had the most profound impact, for good and ill, on the future of warfare.

Richard Overy's superb new book shows how this happened, against the backdrop of the first bombing raids against London and the constant emergency of the Western Front. The RAF's origins were as much political as military and throughout the 1920s still provoked bitter criticism.

Published to mark the centenary of its founding this is an invaluable book, filled with new and surprising material on this unique organization.

Genres: History, Audiobook, Nonfiction, World War I, War

160 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Richard James Overy is a British historian who has published extensively on the history of World War II and the Third Reich.

Educated at Caius College, Cambridge and awarded a research fellowship at Churchill College, Professor Overy taught history at Cambridge from 1972 to 1979, as a fellow of Queens' College and from 1976 as a university assistant lecturer. In 1980 he moved to King's College London, where he became professor of modern history in 1994. He was appointed to a professorship at the University of Exeter in 2004.

His work on World War II has been praised as "highly effective in the ruthless dispelling of myths" (A. J. P. Taylor), "original and important" (New York Review of Books) and "at the cutting edge" (Times Literary Supplement.)[

Reviews

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in a weekend.
Very interesting and with plenty to looking further.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short book, only 114 pages of text plus notes and index. It attracted me as an ex RAF regular but left me wondering what could have been. Written by an eminent history professor it nevertheless came over as more a primer than a definitive work on the founding of the service. It did convey the age old problems of infighting and taking for ever to finally make a decision and then remaining unsure and how it might all change again. A bit like Brexit really.

Interesting enough but nothing much that is not already known.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published to mark the centenary of the founding of the RAF, this is a short book that is packed with interesting information about the early days of the organisation from what it should be called to the design of the flag and how long it took to decide upon the ranks (should they be based on Army/Navy or be entirely new? Air Marshall? Air Warden? Ardian?).
I hadn’t previously realised how much the formation of the RAF was resisted so much by both the army and navy, that the women’s section was incorporated right from the start or that people only signed on for 4 years initially as nobody really knew if the organisation would be disbanded after the war. The book also explores the way that conflict was changing, from the first bombing raids to homeland defence and intelligence gathering.

Overall this is a well-researched book that gives an excellent introduction to the origins of the RAF, but it barely scratches the surface of the last 100 years!

[Philip Talmage · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise, detailed account of how the RAF emerged towards the end of WW1, against entrenched opposition from the army and navy. It outlines how the RFC had become by 1918 a formidable force, unlike the ineffective RNAS, emphasising how the RAF's doctrines of bombing and homeland defence were formed at its inception - indeed, were its raison d'être - and not invented for WW2.
Would have been improved by more extensive illustration.

[Jack Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but sweet introduction to the origins of the Royal Air Force. Published in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of its formation, Overy offers a bite-sized critique of the initial years. From the early Zeppelin attacks on London which energised its creation to the later inter-service rivalry that almost killed its independence. At just over 100 pages it makes for an interesting prologue to the more in-depth historiography.

[Lysergius · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief account of the founding of the Royal Air Force, the first independent air force from the RFC and the NAS in 1918. Concise and informative, but lacking a bibliography. Contains extensive notes with sources.

[Harry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite dry and not as dramatic as advertised. Also repetitive and prolixed. Regardless, a somewhat quick account of the RAF's genesis, its precarious birth, and how it overcame its challenges in the early inter-war period between the world wars.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook, it was ok, only a short book but was very monotone in its delivery. I would’ve liked more detail about the formation and the problems and successes and the way strategies and tactics were worked out.
Not a total waste as it’s a basic knowledge but it felt rushed and lacking.

[Stuart]

Pretty much about the forming of the bureaucratic structure with a bit about the forming of strategy and justification for a separate Air Force. I would have preferred some content on the development of technology and experience of pilots etc during the period.

[Stuart Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely judged synopsis of the establishment of the RAF as a separate service. I did not realise that Churchill was a prime mover in ensuring the independence of the RAF from its early beginnings.

[Elizabeth Mabrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love nonfiction, but this put me to sleep.

[Jim Dudley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of interesting facts but little character this book was just short enough to keep my attention.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and readable, though dense with facts.

[J. M. Simmonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting Historical record of the RAF. Any History buff will appreciate it.