Papers by Matthew Powell
The University Press of Kentucky eBooks, Jan 4, 2021
Defense and Security Analysis, 2023
Defence procurement in the UK has drawn a large degree of political and academic attention due to... more Defence procurement in the UK has drawn a large degree of political and academic attention due to large-scale projects regularly being delayed and costing significantly more than the original estimate. The focus on contemporary defence procurement, however, suffers from one major drawback: a lack of historical contexualistation. This article redresses this imbalance between the focus on contemporary defence procurement and the problems faced purchasing military equipment in the past. The defence industry most representative of the contemporary procurement environment is the British aircraft industry in the inter-war period. This was an industry that was not publicly owned and presented dynamics that are comparable to today. This article explores the problems associated with twenty-first century defence procurement through this historical lens, demonstrating that many of the problems faced, and solutions proposed are not necessarily as new or innovative as has been claimed.
War in History, 2019
This article investigates the work conducted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the development of t... more This article investigates the work conducted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the development of tactical air power in the interwar period. It analyses the RAF’s theoretical doctrinal thinking during the period along with exercises conducted on a joint Service basis to further develop these ideas in practice. It will argue that, rather than neglecting tactical air power during this period as is the accepted view, much good theoretical work was done that formed a theoretical and intellectual basis for the further development of tactical air power in the light of operational experience during the Second World War.
Canadian Military History, 2015
This article looks at the development of the A ir Observation Post during the inter-war period an... more This article looks at the development of the A ir Observation Post during the inter-war period and the Second World War. It places these developments within the context of the procedures that had emerged from the First World War. Further to this it analyses the role played in this process by Army Cooperation Command and its commander, A ir Marshal Sir Arthur Barratt, who it has been claimed previously did all he could to prevent the development of the A ir Observation Post concept. Evidence will show Barratt's actions in a new light especially against his experiences in the Battle of France.
This article investigates the impact of the Battle of France, 1940 on the British Army's ... more This article investigates the impact of the Battle of France, 1940 on the British Army's subsequent investigations in the fighting impacted on the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the development of tactical air power in Britain. The investigations by the British Army placed the RAF in a difficult position with regards the provision of air support in Britain. This investigation was severely flawed from the outset with its being chaired by a senior officer who was well known to have a hatred of the RAF and joint-service solutions and blamed the failure of the British Expeditionary Force on a lack of air support from the RAF. It fundamentally misread German tactical and operational doctrine, particularly the application of air power. It will highlight the position of the RAF after the Battle of France and the discussions between the Air Ministry and War Office over the creation of an Army Co-operation Command. Through analysing how Army Co-operation Command was created by the RAF, the RAF's attitude towards tactical air support will be made clear. Army Co-operation Command was created to appear to be a solution to the problem of RAF-Army relations on the surface but as the Army began to work with Army Co-operation Command they realised it had been created to achieve very little in practice.
The RUSI Journal
This article explores the relationship between the Air Ministry and the British airframe industry... more This article explores the relationship between the Air Ministry and the British airframe industry in the 1920s and the efforts undertaken to increase the capacity of the industry to increase output in the event of a national emergency. It charts the negotiations between the Society of British Aircraft Constructors (SBAC) and Air Commodore L.E.O. Charlton in
T Battle of France in 1940 was effectively decided in the favour of Germany after their successfu... more T Battle of France in 1940 was effectively decided in the favour of Germany after their successful crossing of the Meuse River in the Ardennes region of France and Belgium. This was a strategically vital point both to the defence of France and the overall German operational plan as success in crossing the Meuse would allow the Wehrmacht to advance quickly to the Channel coast of France. It was at this point that the Wehrmacht concentrated their forces in order to force a breakthrough and sow confusion and disorganisation within the Allied command, control and communications structure. The crossing of the Meuse was the only major example of relatively organised resistance faced by the Wehrmacht until Hitler’s infamous stop order when the Germans had reached the outskirts of Dunkirk. When attempting to cross the Meuse, the Germans faced poorly trained, led and motivated third-rate conscripts whose resistance quickly collapsed in the face of the German onslaught and a very short period...
British Journal for Military History, 2015
This article investigates the role played by the Royal Air Force’s Army Co- operation Command in ... more This article investigates the role played by the Royal Air Force’s Army Co- operation Command in the development of tactical air power thinking in Britain during the Second World War and how far it was able to demonstrate to the army the impact of tactical air power at the operational level. In this it was relatively successful. Army Co-operation Command demonstrated this to the lower-level formations of the army through training exercises. They were unable to convince senior commanders such as General Sir Alan Brooke whose thoughts on tactical air power centred on close air support and resolving the tactical-level problems ground forces faced when in close contact with the enemy.
Twentieth Century British History
The Development of British Tactical Air Power, 1940-1943, 2016
This article explores the relationship between the Air Ministry and the British airframe industry... more This article explores the relationship between the Air Ministry and the British airframe industry in the 1920s and the efforts undertaken to increase the capacity of the industry to increase output in the event of a national emergency. It charts the negotiations between the Society of British Aircraft Constructors (SBAC) and Air Commodore Lionel Evelyn Oswald Charlton in 1925. It argues that the Air Ministry was looking at the strategic problems that would be faced if the industry were not able to increase production while the SBAC was only concerned with its survival and looked to exploit the Air Ministry’s concerns.
This article investigates the role played by the Royal Air Force's Army Cooperation Command in th... more This article investigates the role played by the Royal Air Force's Army Cooperation Command in the development of tactical air power thinking in Britain during the Second World War and how far it was able to demonstrate to the army the impact of tactical air power at the operational level. In this it was relatively successful. Army Cooperation Command demonstrated this to the lower-level formations of the army through training exercises. They were unable to convince senior commanders such as General Sir Alan Brooke whose thoughts on tactical air power centred on close air support and resolving the tactical-level problems ground forces faced when in close contact with the enemy.
This article looks at the development of the Air Observation Post during the inter-war period and... more This article looks at the development of the Air Observation Post during the inter-war period and the Second World War. It places these developments within the context of the procedures that had emerged from the First World War. Further to this it analyses the role played in this process by Army Co-operation Command and its commander, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Barratt, who it was claimed previously did all he could to prevent the development of the Air Observation Post concept. Evidence will show Barratt's actions in a new light especially against his experiences in the Battle of France.
This article investigates the impact of the Battle of France, 1940 on the British Army's subseque... more This article investigates the impact of the Battle of France, 1940 on the British Army's subsequent investigations in the fighting impacted on the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the development of tactical air power in Britain. The investigations by the British Army placed the RAF in a difficult position with regards the provision of air support in Britain. This investigation was severely flawed from the outset with its being chaired by a senior officer who was well known to have a hatred of the RAF and joint-service solutions and blamed the failure of the British Expeditionary Force on a lack of air support from the RAF. It fundamentally misread German tactical and operational doctrine, particularly the application of air power. It will highlight the position of the RAF after the Battle of France and the discussions between the Air Ministry and War Office over the creation of an Army Co-operation Command. Through analysing how Army Co-operation Command was created by the RAF, the RAF's attitude towards tactical air support will be made clear. Army Co-operation Command was created to appear to be a solution to the problem of RAF-Army relations on the surface but as the Army began to work with Army Co-operation Command they realised it had been created to achieve very little in practice.
This paper looks at how the army's interpretation of tactical air power during the Battle of Fran... more This paper looks at how the army's interpretation of tactical air power during the Battle of France in 1940 impacted on its subsequent development in Britain until 1943.
Books by Matthew Powell
British Journal for Military History - OA journal by Matthew Powell
British Journal for Military History
The BJMH is a pioneering Open Access, peer-reviewed journal that brings high quality scholarship ... more The BJMH is a pioneering Open Access, peer-reviewed journal that brings high quality scholarship in military history to an audience beyond academia.
"The birth of the British Journal for Military History will be as welcome as it is long overdue" - Professor Sir Michael Howard
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Papers by Matthew Powell
Books by Matthew Powell
British Journal for Military History - OA journal by Matthew Powell
"The birth of the British Journal for Military History will be as welcome as it is long overdue" - Professor Sir Michael Howard
"The birth of the British Journal for Military History will be as welcome as it is long overdue" - Professor Sir Michael Howard