Chamberlain’s policy

sir – When Neville Chamberlain became prime minister in 1937, the RAF had just a handful of Hurricane fighters; the first Spitfire squadron did not form until August 1938.

During the Munich negotiations with Adolf Hitler in September 1938, Chamberlain must have known that, following 20 years of underinvestment in defence, Britain was in no state to go to war and he needed above all to buy time. That he only just succeeded in this is demonstrated by the narrowness of our victory in the Battle of Britain in September 1940, when RAF Fighter Command was almost brought to its knees.

I and others have long thought that Chamberlain was unjustly accused of appeasement, partly because of his understandable opposition to war after the experience of 1914-18, but as much due to his appreciation, as prime minister, that Britain was completely unprepared for war in 1938. Many years ago I put this theory to Air Commodore Harry Eeles, who had been a personal staff officer to the Chief of the Air Staff in 1938, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Cyril Newall. He not only agreed wholeheartedly but also told me that Newall would have taken the same view.

I warmly applaud the efforts of Chamberlain’s grandson, James Lloyd, to rehabilitate his grandfather (Features, November 12). A dedicated public servant, Chamberlain continued to serve loyally in government until his death from cancer in November 1940. It may have been of some comfort for him to know that the year’s grace that resulted from his negotiations in 1938 enabled us to win the crucial Battle of Britain two years later – a turning point that led ultimately to the defeat of Nazism in 1945.

Air Commodore Michael Allisstone Chichester, West Sussex