Andy Saunders - Dowdings Despatch: The 1941 Battle of Britain Narrative Examined and Explained

DOWDINGS DESPATCH

THE 1941 BATTLE OF BRITAIN NARRATIVE EXAMINED AND EXPLAINED

ANDY SAUNDERS

GRUB STREET LONDON

FOR SARAH

Published by

Grub Street

4 Rainham Close

London SW11 6SS

Copyright Grub Street 2021

Copyright text Andy Saunders 2021

A CIP record for this title is available from the British library

ISBN-13: 978-1-911621-95-9

eISBN-13: 978-1-911667-66-7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

In September 1946, a despatch was published by the London Gazette which had been authored by Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh C. T. Dowding, the commander-in-chief of RAF Fighter Command during 1940 and across the period of the Battle of Britain. That despatch was, specially, his treatise on that battle.

Whilst instructed to write the despatch in 1941, Dowdings words were not published until after the war for obvious security reasons. However, when the despatch came into the public domain it was the first factually detailed reportage on the Battle of Britain which had been published. In many ways, it became the main plank of the publics initial and more detailed knowledge of the Battle of Britain and almost the very framework around which the subsequent narrative of the battle was constructed.

In total, the despatch comprised 259 numbered paragraphs with a series of appendices covering the work of the 6th AA Division, July to October 1940, and other issues such as the armament of British fighters, orders of battle, losses, victory claims and the disposition of other defences.

Compiled as it was during the war years, its contents obviously had an immediacy in terms of its presentation and retains a very contemporary feel. Naturally, added weight to the veracity of all it contains was given by virtue of the fact it had been written by none other than the C-in-C of RAF Fighter Command during the battle. As such, one might reasonably assume the content to have been unquestionably factual and objective especially given the perceived authority of its author. However, while many of Dowdings views and opinions expressed are both fascinating and revealing, it is necessary to call into question the accuracy of a good many of the statements made within its pages. Some of them are patently incorrect. For example, Dowdings assertion that the He 113 was brought into action by the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.

Additionally, it is interesting to look at the story behind the despatch itself, and to review related private and official correspondence and reports; not least of all the discussion as to what spin might be put on the difficulties with coming clean about exaggerated victory claims and how the British public might react to some difficult revelations of truth.

It was initially intended that this book studying the despatch would be published during the 80th anniversary year of the Battle of Britain, it seeming to be appropriate at that time to examine the despatch and to analyse all that it contains. However, it unfortunately became necessary during that commemorative year to postpone publication due to the COVID pandemic.

In presenting this work, the author examines, section-by-section, each of the detailed statements which Dowding made in his despatch. In some instances, these are statements which are debunked with the aid of retrospective knowledge and the availability of accurate facts and historical research. In other cases, more flesh is put onto the bones of the details which Dowding outlined. Additionally, supplementary information is added to bolster the content of the despatch and a range of fascinating illustrations also accompany the text.

Through this study, the author hopes to provide the reader with insights into what Dowding believed to have been a document covering all the salient points of the Battle of Britain. In doing so, this author has objectively presented facts and evidence which support or sometimes contradict Dowdings varied assertions. Additionally, explanations are offered in relation to some of the statements made within the despatch by adding context or examples to illustrate some of the points made. It also provides an opportunity to explain some of the more technical features as to how the battle was fought, together with descriptions of technical equipment, systems etc. to which Dowding makes reference.

Generally, the author has attempted to not only explain and elaborate on the points Dowding raises but also to offer interpretation and opinion. The opinions expressed in this work are solely those of the author and no other party.

Andy Saunders

Eton, Berkshire

April 2021

NOTES ON SOURCES

Throughout this publication, the two main reference sources have been the documents contained with AIR 2/7771: Battle of Britain Sir Hugh Dowdings Despatch and the despatch itself. Where other sources have been used, these are referenced throughout the body of the text.

The spellings, abbreviations and terminology used by Dowding in his original despatch have not been altered in the parts of that document reproduced as part of this book. (e.g. M.E 109 for Messerschmitt 109/ Me 109.)

CECIL DAY-LEWIS

What did we earth-bound make of it? A tangle

Of vapour trails, a vertiginously high

Swarming of midges, at most a fiery angel

Hurled out of heaven, was all we could descry.

How could we know the agony and pride

That scrawled those fading signatures up there,

And the cool expertise of those who died

Or lived through that delirium of the air?

Grounded on history now, we re-enact

Such lives, such deaths.

Time, laughing out of court

The newspaper heroics and the faked

Statistics, leaves us only to record.

What was, what might have been: fighter and bomber,

The tilting sky, tense moves and counterings;

Those who outlived that legendary summer;

Those who went down, its sunlight on their wings.

And you, unborn then, what will you make of it

This shadow-play of battles long ago?

Be sure of this: they pushed to the uttermost limit

Their luck, skill, nerve. And they were young like you.

Taken from The Complete Poems by Cecil Day-Lewis.

With thanks to Vintage/Penguin Random House.

On the morning of 25 November 1940, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding looked up from his desk at RAF Bentley Priory from where he had been working on his papers and acknowledged the arrival in his office of Air Marshal William Sholto Douglas. He offered a polite Good morning, rose quietly from his chair and was gone. Douglas, meanwhile, the incoming commander of RAF Fighter Command, settled into the still warm chair of his predecessor and set about the challenging work of rebuilding the commands strength after its attrition during the Battle of Britain. He also had another pressing task: overseeing the work begun by Dowding in dealing with the pervasive threat of the night bomber.

Dowdings successor as Air Officer Commanding RAF Fighter Command was Air Marshal William Sholto Douglas.

Notwithstanding all that had surrounded the somewhat Machiavellian manoeuvrings resulting in the removal from office of Dowding, the Battle of Britain had surely been his own finest hour, just as much as it was the nations. Despite all the outgoing leaders foibles, fallibilities and eccentricities, the shoes of Stuffy would be exceedingly big ones to fill.