Air Ministry
British Government Department

The Air Ministry was established in January 1918 to plan for the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 and to administer the new service.

In 1919, the Air Ministry also took over the control of civil aviation, which was the responsibility of the Home Office before 1914. In January 1920, the ministry takes over aircraft production from the Ministry of Munitions. By 1922, the ministry has taken over the Meteorological Office from HM Treasury, the three service meteorological departments being absorbed into it. In October 1921, the ministry takes over control of RAF pensions, with the exception of war pensions, from the Ministry of Pensions. In April 1927, responsibility for research into atmospheric pollution is transferred from the Meteorological Office to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. In January 1929, the Air Ministry takes over the Observer Corps from the War Office. The administration of RAF lands is handled by the War Office until 1930.

Relations with the Admiralty and the War Office are uneasy. The Admiralty particularly dislikes RAF control of the Fleet Air Arm. The Trenchard/Keyes Agreement of 1924 partially resolves these differences, but in 1925 the principle of a unified air service is reaffirmed by the Colwyn Committee.

The Air Council: The Air Council runs the ministry and the RAF. Its membership includes the secretary of state (who is its president), the parliamentary under-secretary, the chief of the Air Staff, the deputy chief of the Air Staff (intermittently), the director-general of supply and research (air member for supply and research from June 1922), the air member for personnel (from June 1922), and the controller-general of civil aviation (until 1922).

Personnel: On 1 April 1920, the Air Ministry employs 2,839 civilian staff, shrinking to 1,704 by 1 April 1930.

Inspectorate of Accidents/Accidents Branch:The Inspectorate of Accidents is part of the Civil Aviation Department until 1927, when a separate Accidents Branch is established. It is responsible for investigating all air accidents in Britain, civil and military.

Air Staff: The professional head of the Royal Air Force, the chief of the Air Staff is also responsible for policy (especially questions relating to the formation, armament, equipment, manning, training, maintenance, disposition and accommodation of RAF units), air operations, the fighting efficiency of the RAF, intelligence, communications, and staff duties.
Chiefs of the Air Staff: Air (Chief) Marshal (Marshal of the RAF) Sir Hugh Trenchard, 1918-1929.

• Directorate of Operations and Intelligence
  Deputy Directors of Operations and Intelligence: Group Captain Charles Burnett, 1924-1927.
• Directorate of Organisation and Staff Duties: Briefly transferred to the control of the air member for personnel from 1922 to 1923.
  Directors of Organisation and Staff Duties: Major-General Sir Ivo Vesey, 1923-1929.
  Deputy Directors of Staff Duties: Group Captain Leslie Gossage, 1928-1930.

Civil Aviation Department/Directorate of Civil Aviation: Headed by the controller-general of civil aviation until 1922, when the department is reduced to the status of a directorate and comes under the control of the parliamentary under-secretary. In 1924, the department is transferred to the direct control of the secretary of state. The Meteorological Office is part of the department until 1922, when it becomes an independent part of the Air Ministry.
Directors of Civil Aviation: Major-General (Air Vice-Marshal) Sir Sefton Brancker, May 1922-1930.

Equipment Department/Directorate of Equipment: Headed by the controller-general of equipment until 1920, when it is reduced to the status of a directorate and placed under the authority of the chief of the Air Staff. The directorate is transferred to the air member for supply and research in June 1922.

Inspectorate-General of the Royal Air Force: Responsible for the investigation of anything which the Air Council considers requires investigation and also for the regular inspection of units to report on training and efficiency. The inspector-general, usually an air marshal or air chief marshal on his last tour before retirement, does not actually report to anyone, but is under the broad supervision of the chief of the Air Staff.

Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary: The parliamentary under-secretary is a non-Cabinet minister.
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for Air: George Tryon MP (Con), 1919-2 Apr 1920; Lord Londonderry (Con), 2 Apr 1920-18 Jul 1921; Lord Gorell (Lib), 18 Jul 1921-19 Oct 1922; Duke of Sutherland (Con), 31 Oct 1922-22 Jan 1924; William Leach MP (Lab), 23 Jan-3 Nov 1924; Sir Philip Sassoon MP (Con), 11 Nov 1924-4 Jun 1929; Frederick Montague MP (Lab), 11 Jun 1929-1931.

Directorate of Personnel/Department of the Air Member for Personnel: A directorate under the chief of the Air Staff until June 1922, when it becomes a separate department.

• Directorate of RAF Medical Services: Under the chief of the Air Staff until 1922, when it is transferred to the air member for personnel.
• Directorate of Training: Under the chief of the Air Staff until 1924, when it is transferred to the air member for personnel.

Department of the Secretary: Responsible for finance, establishments, organisation, the Secretariat, the Central Statistical Branch, the Information Division, the Air Historical Branch, and (from 1922) for the supervision of the Meteorological Office. The secretary is the senior civil servant of the Air Ministry.
Secretaries to the Air Ministry: Sir Arthur Robinson, 1917-1920; (Sir) Walter Nicholson, 1920-1931.
Assistant Secretary to the Air Ministry: Walter Nicholson, 1918-1920.

Office of the Secretary of State: The secretary of state for air is the Cabinet minister who runs the Air Ministry.
Secretaries of State for Air: Winston Churchill MP (Lib), 1919-1 Apr 1921; Freddie Guest MP (Lib), 1 Apr 1921-19 Oct 1922; Sir Samuel Hoare MP (Con), 31 Oct 1922-22 Jan 1924; Lord Thomson (Lab), 22 Jan-3 Nov 1924; Sir Samuel Hoare MP (Con), 6 Nov 1924-4 Jun 1929; Lord Thomson (Lab), 7 Jun 1929-1930.

Directorate-General of Supply and Research/Department of the Air Member for Supply and Research: In January 1920, the director-general acquires responsibility for aircraft design and production from the Ministry of Munitions. In June 1922, the director-general is renamed the air member for supply and research.
Air Members for Supply and Research: Air (Vice-)Marshal John Higgins, 1926-1930.

• Directorate of Research/Directorate of Research and Technical Development: Established as the Directorate of Research in 1919 and renamed the Directorate of Research and Technical Development in April 1924. It then acquires separate directors of scientific research and technical development, the latter also responsible for radio and armament research.