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British Air Forces in France was an RAF Command set up on 15 January 1940 under the command of Air Marshal Arthur Barratt to provide unified control of all RAF units based in France. It had two immediately subordinate formations, with differing tasks.〔Richards (1974), p.108.〕 # The "Air Component" (Royal Air Force Component of the British Expeditionary Force) under Air Vice-Marshal C. H. B. Blount to provide reconnaissance and fighter cover for the BEF. # The AASF (Advanced Air Striking Force) under Air Vice-Marshal P. H. L. Playfair. The AASF consisted of RAF light bomber squadrons based within France (around Rheims) to allow them to bomb Germany should the political decision to do so be taken. No such decision had been taken before the German offensive in the West began on 10 May 1940, and thereafter the AASF bomber force was used against the advancing German Army and its lines of communications. As well as the forces under its command, BAFF could also request RAF Bomber Command to provide support from UK-based medium bombers. The headquarters of BAFF were at Chauny alongside those of the French air commander, to maximise co-operation between the BAFF and the ''Armée de l'Air''.〔The French High Command do not seem to have attempted direct communication with BAFF. General Spears reported on 6 June that Weygand had never met or indeed spoken to Barratt.〕 ==Order of battle== As of 10 May the strength of BAFF was and there was a commitment to reinforce BAFF with a further four Hurricane squadrons when the expected German offensive started. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「British Air Forces in France」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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