Page 111 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

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tHe plaCe of douHet: a reassessment

time - either at first hand, or through Italian airmen, or in written form. In any case, it
would be strange indeed if British airmen serving in Italy were not greatly impressed
by both the Italian’s strategic bombing campaign and by the enemy bombing of Ital-
ian cities: all the evidence does in fact show that, just like the US Bolling Mission,
British airmen were greatly impressed by what they saw and heard in Italy. And
what of Caproni? All the evidence, not least Caproni’s diaries, shows clearly that he
had a very close relationship with the British air contingents in Italy; both of which
participated in the Italian strategic bombing campaign. Moreover, a squadron of his
giant CA42 triplanes was expressly built for, and operated by, the RNAS contingent.
Caproni was later awarded the OBE by a grateful Britain in recognition of his many
wartime services. In view of the above, I believe there is a need for a full examina-
tion of Joubert’s role at the Staff College in the 20s and 30s. There is clear evidence
that records relating both to the RFC contingent in Italy and to Italian aviation during
the war were supplied by the old AHB to the Staff College in the 20s, many at Jou-
bert’s request. In 1927 the Staff College obtained an original copy of “The Command
of the Air.”
Joubert’s adjutant in Italy was William Wedgewood Benn (later Secretary of State
for Air). Benn, who spoke Italian very well, devoted a large portion of his wartime
memoirs “In the Side Shows” to his service in Italy. He writes, admiringly, of the
Italian’s use of Caproni bombers against Austria. Referring to his strong belief in
large, multi-engined aircraft of “untold possibilities”, he writes: “under the influence
of Caproni in Italy, this partisanship became a definite part of my aerial faith”. Benn
was a tireless and influential lobbyist in Parliament and in the press for the cause of
independent airpower in the inter-war period. He was intimately associated with the
Air Service Parliamentary Committee and was a fierce critic of the Navy’s attitude
towards the RAF, championing Trenchard’s famous December 1919 air policy state-
ment, and appearing before the Salisbury investigation into the RN/RAF controversy
in July 1923. He revisited Italy in 1927, when he met leading Fascists.
The first commander of the RNAS contingent was Murray Sueter. (Benn had
also served with the RNAS contingent in Italy; the two men were friends). During
his time in Italy, Sueter was much concerned with the development of the RNAS
Caproni squadron. Like Benn, after the war Sueter was a tireless and influential lob-
byist in Parliament (having been elected in 1922) and in the press for the cause of
independent airpower, was likewise intimately connected with the Air Service Par-
liamentary Committee, and also appeared before the Salisbury investigation. When
serving in Italy he would no doubt have been drawn to such like-minded men as
Douhet and Caproni.
The evidence presented above is crystal clear that Caproni’s many and varied
contacts extended to British airmen. Was Benn the only British airman influenced by
him? I think it is highly improbable. I believe it is highly probable that he had some
influence on a number of British airmen - directly, and not just via the French and
American airmen with whom he was closely associated. (Both France and the US