Editing Air Ministry (section)

===1918–1921===
In 1919 the RAF and the Air Ministry came under immense political and inter service pressure for their very existence, particularly in a climate of significantly reduced military expenditure. The battle was kickstarted by the resignation in December 1918 of [[William Weir, 1st Viscount Weir|William Weir]] the [[President of the Air Council]] (the governing body of the Royal Air Force), who wished to return to his commercial activities.<ref>John Sweetman 1984: "Crucial Months for Survival: The Royal Air Force 1918–19", ''Journal of Contemporary History'', Vol. 19 No.3 (July 1984) p.529</ref>

This led the Prime Minister, [[Lloyd George]], to create a [[Secretary of State for Air]], but not as a Cabinet position, and on 9 January 1919 offered Winston Churchill the two posts of [[Secretary of State for War]], which was a Cabinet position, and Secretary of State for Air both of which he accepted.

This combination under one person by was criticised in both the press and Parliament. However, Churchill re-iterated that the continued "integrity, the unity, the independence of the Royal Air Force will be sedulously and carefully maintained". During 1919 it was also decided that civil aviation was to be brought into the Air Ministry rather than being dealt with by either the [[Board of Trade]] or the Foreign Office.<ref>John Sweetman 1984: "Crucial Months for Survival: The Royal Air Force 1918–19", ''Journal of Contemporary History'', Vol. 19 No.3 (July 1984) p.531</ref>

The Army and the [[War Office]] had largely agreed to the continued existence of the RAF due, in part, to the enthusiasm for the air service by the Army's political leader Winston Churchill. However, one of the main difficulties for the RAF and Air Ministry in 1919 was the opposition by the [[Royal Navy]] to losing their own air service and subsequent lobbying that personnel for naval air purposes afloat be naval officers and ratings – this would have led to a recreation of the now disbanded [[Royal Naval Air Service]]. This negotiation led to the creation of [[RAF Coastal Area]] the predecessor of [[RAF Coastal Command]] to deal with its relationship with the Navy. Throughout 1919 there were discussions between [[Sir Hugh Trenchard]] [[Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Air Staff]] and Sir [[Rosslyn Wemyss]] [[First Sea Lord]] as to the nature of the relationship between the Air Force and Air Ministry and the Navy and the Admiralty.<ref>John Sweetman 1984: "Crucial Months for Survival: The Royal Air Force 1918–19", ''Journal of Contemporary History'', Vol. 19 No.3 (July 1984) pp.531–33</ref>

In 1919 the Air Ministry formally took control of supply, design and inspection of all aircraft (aeroplanes and airships) from the Ministry of Munitions. This helped put the existence of Air Ministry on a firmer footing.<ref>John Sweetman 1984: "Crucial Months for Survival: The Royal Air Force 1918–19", ''Journal of Contemporary History'', Vol. 19 No.3 (July 1984) p.538</ref>

Throughout 1919 Churchill persistently supported an independent air force. He presented the White Paper, largely written by [[Sir Hugh Trenchard]], on the future of the RAF on 12 December 1919. It was this White Paper that was to be the effective charter for the RAF and Air Ministry in subsequent years.