Military Service 1939-1941
Dowding (now Air Chief Marshall) was due to retire in June 1939 but was asked to remain in post because of the tense international situation.
When war came he strongly resisted political pressure to deploy more Fighter Aircraft to France, believing that that it would leave the British defence system severely depleted.In the late Summer of 1940 Luftwaffe attacks on RAF bases and then on other targets increased in intensity – the Battle of Britain began.
From inside Bentley Priory – now covered min green and brown camouflage paint and surrounded with sandbags, the Hurricanes and Spitfires of Fighter Command were coordinated in dogfights across England. Dowding would often work for 48 hours at a time. His son, Derek, was a Fighter Pilot with 74 Squadron at this time. Both sides took heavy casualties during the battle. The Luftwaffe lost nearly 1,900 aircraft and more than 2,500 aircrew were killed. Fighter Command lost 544 pilots – about one in six of those who fought. Dowding said every death was like losing a son. But despite the huge sacrifice, this victory was arguably the turning point of the war. As Churchill said: “The odds were great; our margins small; the stakes were infinite.”
Dowding’s strategy, whilst successful, was not universally supported either by the Air Vice-Marshalls commanding operational Groups or those at the Air Ministry. They held that a more effective strategy would be a “knockout blow” where air attack was fought by counterattacks with bombers rather than defence by fighter aircraft. Dowding would not engage in the political battle that swirled around these differences and this, alongside tensions arising from his previous disagreements with powerful people in the RAF and his personality has led some to conclude that he was effectively “sacked” from his role at Fighter Command. However, whilst the Battle of Britain had been won, the nation remained in grave danger and there was a strong argument for change to address the new threats and challenges presented.
In November 1940 Dowding headed a mission to the United States to assist with equipment purchases and to form closer relationships with politicians and the military. Whilst he clashed with the British Ambassador, Lord Halifax, Dowding’s straightforward messages and his obvious operational experiences were welcomed in the US. He retired on 1st October 1941.