Guidance for the Middle East commanders from Churchill in September 1941

General Auchinleck had proposed that specialist air units be assigned to protect and cooperate with the Army in the Middle East. Churchill disagreed and sent a letter outlining the policy that he wanted implemented. One step was that Churchill had ordered 250 Bofors 4omm light AA guns sent for the Army, so that they did not need to be so dependent on the RAF for air defence. Also, rather than dispersing aircraft to provide cover over a wide area, aircraft should be concentrated to achieve air superiority over the critical points. Aircraft should also be used to attack enemy rear installations. This is based on the account in Vol.II of the Official History.