t even temporary dislocation or waste. The tactical unit of the
Military Wing--the squadron, consisting of three flights, each of four
machines with two in reserve--had the advantage that it was of
sufficient size to act independently, while it was not too unwieldy for
a single command. It was equally suitable for independent or
co-operative action, and the full complement of seven squadrons would,
in addition to a reserve, furnish one squadron for each division of an
Army Expeditionary force of the size then contemplated, though no
definite allotment of aeroplanes to the lower commands was at first
intended. The French and Germans, on the other hand, were building up
their organizations with smaller units, with the result that they found
even greater difficulties than ourselves in obtaining sufficient
experienced officers to command them. It is probable that the consequent
lack of concentration, knowledge and determination to stick to sound
principles of action was one of the causes underlying the non-success of
the German air service in the opening phases of the war.

According to the system employed squadrons were formed, organized,
equipped, and a certain amount of preliminary training carried out, at
Farnborough, when on completion the squadron moved to one of the
stations which I had established or was forming at Netheravon, Montrose,
Gosport, Dover, and Orfordness, Netheravon being the largest. This
dispersion of squadrons did not affect the entity and cohesion, under
Wing headquarters at Farnborough, of the Corps as a whole. No. 3
Squadron, one of the original two referred to, removed to Netheravon
from Larkhill in June.

Similarly, and in order to avoid congestion at Farnborough, to foster a
spirit of self-support and to enable air operations to be carried out
with troops in Scotland, No. 2 Squadron was sent to Montrose. Five of
its machines flew all the way, and it became one of the principles of
training that machines should fly whenever a move was ordered. Thus in
1913 six machines from this squadron were flown from Montrose to
Limerick--a great feat then--to take part in the Irish Command
man[oe]uvres, the crossing of the Irish Channel being successfully
carried out both ways by all machines. Another flight of an experimental
nature was made by Longcroft, with myself as passenger, from Farnborough
to Montrose in a single day with only one landing.

The unavoidable and never-relaxing strain inherent in the