FLYING CORPS

oz, as it is now called, the Royal Air Force, is a separate branch of the armed forces of the State under a Secretary of State for Air. In the years immediately preceeding the war two more or le experimental forces were in existence, known respectively as the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Of these the R.F.C. formed a branch of the army, and the R.N.A.S. of the navy, and the personnel was drawn from those services, i.e. officers were seconded from the army or navy for service in one or the other. In Avg., 1914, the total strength of the two ilying services was 285 officers and 1,835 other ranks. During the next three years the two services, still working separately, increased to such an extent that by Dec., 1917, their total combined strength had reached 20,287 officers and 147,289 other ranks. Wxperiments had also been made with a view to co-ordinate the activities of the two services by the formation of an Air Board (May, 1916), and the appointment of a Director General of Air Services. On 2nd Jan., 1918, the status of the Air Board was changed to that of an Air Council under a Secretary of State (Lord Rother mere), and a Chief of the Air Staff (Major-General Trenchard). This was followed three months later by the final amalgamation of the two services under the title of the Royal Air Force (1st April, 1918). By October of that year the strength of the reorganized service had reached 27,906 officers and 263,842 other ranks. In 1931 the total strength of the force was 32,000 officers and men and 4,234 machines, of which 706 were first-cla . The distinctions given to airmen are the Air Force Cro and the Air Force Medal. The former is given to officers and warrant officers and the latter to non-commi ioned officers and men. <A return i ued in 1932 showed that Great Britain was the fifth air power in the world, the four with stronger forces being France, United States, Japan and Italy. The full-dre uniform of the R.A.F. is light blue. The com i mi ioned officers rank as_ follows: marshal of the air, air chief marshal, air marshal, air vice-marshal, air commodore, group captain, wing commander, squadron leader, flight lieutenant, flying officer, or observer, and pilot officer. The non-commi ioned officers are flight sergeant, sergeant and corporal. The rank and file are uircraftsmen, who enter the service apprentices. Officers enter after competitive examination, and a course ot Cran well. Air forces are organized in groups, wings and squadrons. A Cadet College for the training of applicants for commi ions as pilot officers was opened at Cran well in Feb., 1920. THE AIR FORCE A3 A CAREER, The Air Force offers a permanent career which is in general no le advantageous than either the Navy or the Army, and the inclusive cost, including the provision of uniform, at Cran well, is at a maximum £250 for the two-year course. The curriculum comprises a wide variety of subjects, and a satisfactory standard of educational attainments coupled with a high degree of physical fitne are e ential to succe . Boys enter the R.A.F. College as Flight Cadets at the age of 174-194, the nece ary qualifications being succe in the examination for admi ion thereto which is open to boys po e ing the Schools Certificate or equivalent education qualifications, or who are nominated to take the entrance examination by the Headmaster of an approved school. Permanent Commi ions may also be obtained through a recognized university by graduates between 20 and 25 years of age, and a limited number of exceptionally able men are promoted from Short Service Commi ions or from the ranks. In the ranks of the Air Force, which embrace many skilled trades, facilities are always offered for further education and for training to enter a civil career.