Brig.-General Henderson, Major MacInnes of the
directorate of Military Training at the War Office, a splendid officer,
who died during the war, and myself, to draft the new scheme. The
objects kept in view in framing our peace organization were to suit it
to war conditions, as far as they could be foreseen, to base it on an
efficient self-contained unit, and, while allowing for the wide
differences between naval and military requirements, to ensure the
maximum co-operation between the two branches of the Service. Success
beyond expectation was achieved in the first two objects, but, as will
be seen, the naval and military branches tended for unforeseen but good
reasons to diverge, until they joined hands again in 1918 as the Royal
Air Force. The bases of the military organization were, a headquarters,
the squadron, and the flying depot. These proved their value during the
war and have remained the units of our air forces to this day. The
Military Wing was to form a single and complete organization and contain
a headquarters, seven aeroplane squadrons, each to consist of twelve
active machines and six in reserve, one airship and kite squadron, and a
flying depot. All pilots, whether of the Naval or the Military Wing,
were eventually to graduate at the Central Flying School, whence they
could join either the Naval Wing at Eastchurch or one of the Military
Squadrons. In time of war each branch of the Service was to form a
reserve for the other if required.

_The Military Wing._

In accordance with this scheme I received instructions to organize,
recruit, train and command the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps.
The functions of the Military Wing were quite clear: it was to meet the
air requirements of the Expeditionary Force primarily for reconnaissance
purposes, but its organization was framed so that it could easily be
expanded and the scope of its duties widened. Headquarters were
established at Farnborough on May 13th, 1912: Barrington-Kennett, an
officer of the Grenadier Guards who had been attached to the Air
Battalion, was appointed, and made the best of all possible adjutants;
and the nucleus of the Corps, consisting at first of the cadres of an
airship squadron under Edward Maitland, of two aeroplane squadrons under
Burke and Brooke-Popham, and a flying depot (later the aircraft park)
under Carden, who was a little later greatly assisted in the complex
matter of technical stores by Beatty, came into exist