Page 131 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

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royal HelleniC air forCe (rHaf) during world war ii. organization and operations

Figure 6: Bristol Blenheim MK IV aircraft (Archive of the History Museum, HAF).

day of the invasion. Anti- aircraft artillery also contributed significantly by shooting
down a considerable number of enemy aircraft.
Due to the overwhelming might of the German military machine, a retreat was
deemed necessary in order to reorganise the RHAF and carry out the war from Crete
and the Middle East. Nevertheless, the situation became desperate when the Early
Warning System, set up in Larissa according to British standards and advice, ceased
to offer information on enemy sorties. As a result, Germans could easily catch RHAF,
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RAF and JURV aeroplanes on the ground and destroy them.
General Headquarters planning aimed at primarily ensuring the safe escape of
personnel. The RHAF Flying Training Centre was high up in the list of priorities
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and the Commanding Officer of the Centre was ordered to take every precaution
during the transfer of cadets to Crete. To this end, the Royal Hellenic Navy com-
missioned the steamship “Alberta”, which, eventually sailed from Nafplion on early
afternoon of April 20, 1941.

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Yugoslavian Air Force.
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The centre was established when the operation of the School of Aviation was suspended, now the Air
Force Academy. Binding Law 2703/1940. Archive of the History Museum, HAF.