A Message from your Commander-in-Chief
Title
A Message from your Commander-in-Chief
Description
A letter of encouragement to RAF trainees from the Air Marshall of Flight Training Command, P Babington.
Coverage
Language
Format
One printed sheet
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
MStavesME203137-160226-41
Transcription
A Message from your Commander-in-Chief
The object of all our training is to give you skill and confidence to perform any task which may be allotted to you. You must train yourself to think quickly and accurately and act with vigour and resolution; you must furbish your mind and toughen your body. You must be keen and alert at all times, always thinking about and living your job. You must cultivate a thirst for knowledge, the kind which enables you to perform your task most effectively and to help others, too, to be most effective. You must ensure that all your gear is in first-class condition. Nothing less is good enough. There is no room for slackness or inefficiency, for upon your efficiency depends not only your own safety but that of others. You are up against a ruthless barbarian enemy, whether german or japanese, who has no code of honour or sportsmanship. He is a trained and capable killer in perfect condition, who must be beaten in his own style. There is no room for half measures or any slacking off after your earlier training is over. You must always keep yourself up to date and in first rate condition mentally and physically. Remember then that in order to play our part in this war we must have a burning keenness backed by essential knowledge, good discipline and a defiant spirit. Never forget, however, that in addition to your task of becoming a cool, efficient aggressive fighter you also have great responsibilities whether as an officer or N.C.O. in looking after your men, without whose efforts the success of the R.A.F. would not be possible. Their share in any success you may attain is probably far greater than you readily imagine, so see it that they do receive from you full credit for their work. Your appreciation can best be shown by looking after their interests in every way and by good airmanship eliminating all the unnecessary work which results from thoughtless handling.
[facsimile signature] P.Babington [/facsimile signature]
Air Marshal,
Commander-in-Chief,
Flying Training Command.
(61936) Wt. 42175/M2768 90,000 1/43 Hw. G.371
The object of all our training is to give you skill and confidence to perform any task which may be allotted to you. You must train yourself to think quickly and accurately and act with vigour and resolution; you must furbish your mind and toughen your body. You must be keen and alert at all times, always thinking about and living your job. You must cultivate a thirst for knowledge, the kind which enables you to perform your task most effectively and to help others, too, to be most effective. You must ensure that all your gear is in first-class condition. Nothing less is good enough. There is no room for slackness or inefficiency, for upon your efficiency depends not only your own safety but that of others. You are up against a ruthless barbarian enemy, whether german or japanese, who has no code of honour or sportsmanship. He is a trained and capable killer in perfect condition, who must be beaten in his own style. There is no room for half measures or any slacking off after your earlier training is over. You must always keep yourself up to date and in first rate condition mentally and physically. Remember then that in order to play our part in this war we must have a burning keenness backed by essential knowledge, good discipline and a defiant spirit. Never forget, however, that in addition to your task of becoming a cool, efficient aggressive fighter you also have great responsibilities whether as an officer or N.C.O. in looking after your men, without whose efforts the success of the R.A.F. would not be possible. Their share in any success you may attain is probably far greater than you readily imagine, so see it that they do receive from you full credit for their work. Your appreciation can best be shown by looking after their interests in every way and by good airmanship eliminating all the unnecessary work which results from thoughtless handling.
[facsimile signature] P.Babington [/facsimile signature]
Air Marshal,
Commander-in-Chief,
Flying Training Command.
(61936) Wt. 42175/M2768 90,000 1/43 Hw. G.371
Collection
Citation
Great Britain. Royal Air Force and Air Marshal Sir Philip Babington, “A Message from your Commander-in-Chief,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 23, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/11574.
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