that we cannot organize ourselves. The making of our air force
was a masterpiece of organization. The men who achieved it have earned a
place in the memory of their country.

When military aviation had outgrown its early pupilage to the Royal
Engineers it came under the immediate control of the War Office. It was
dealt with at first by the small committee, under Brigadier-General
Henderson, which had prepared the plans for the formation of the Flying
Corps, and which was continued in being after the Flying Corps was
formed. In November 1912 Captain E. L. Ellington, of the Royal
Artillery, succeeded Major MacInnes as secretary to this committee; in
June 1913 the committee was dissolved, and its work was taken over by a
newly formed section of the Military Training Directorate, with Captain
Ellington in charge. A little later, on the 1st of September 1913, a
Military Aeronautics Directorate was established in the War Office, and
at once took charge of the military air service. It was independent of
the four great departments of the War Office, and the Director-General
of Military Aeronautics dealt in person with the Secretary of State for
War. There were three sections or branches (officially called
subdivisions) of the directorate. The first of these was responsible for
general policy, administration, and training. The second was responsible
for equipment--the provision and inspection of material. The third had
charge of contracts. It was a new departure to place a contracts branch
under the control of a military director-general, but aviation is a
highly technical business, and the arranging of contracts for aircraft
and air engines could not be profitably separated from the other aspects
of the work. In immediate touch with the directorate, and completing the
original organization of military aeronautics, there were the Central
Flying School at Upavon, the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps
with its eight authorized squadrons, the Royal Aircraft Factory, and the
Aeronautical Inspection Department.

In July 1914 Brigadier-General Sir David Henderson was Director-General
of Military Aeronautics; Captain Godfrey Paine, R.N., was Commandant of
the Central Flying School; and Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Sykes was the
Officer Commanding the Military Wing. When the war broke out Sir David
Henderson was appointed to command the Royal Flying Corps in the field,
with Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Sykes as his Chief of Staff.

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