Independent Air Force
| Independent Air Force Inter-Allied Independent Air Force from 26 October 1918 |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 6 June – 14 November 1918 |
| Allegiance |
 United KingdomAllies of World War I from 26 October 1918 |
| Engagements | First World War |
| Commanders | |
| GOC | Sir Hugh Trenchard |
| Commander-in-Chief | Sir Hugh Trenchard |
| GOC | C L Courtney |
The Independent Air Force (IAF), also known as the Independent Force or the Independent Bombing Force and later known as the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force, was a First World War strategic bombing force which was part of the British Royal Air Force and was used to strike against German railways, aerodromes, and industrial centres without co-ordination with the Army or Navy.
From late 1916 to early 1917 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) had attempted a co-ordinated series of bombing raids on German-held targets. Whilst the attacks were generally unsuccessful the principle of deep penetration bombing raids against strategic targets was established. General Jan Smuts, a member of the War Cabinet, prepared the Smuts Report which recommended that a separate Air Ministry and Air Force should be set up, independent of the Army and Navy and that a strategic bomber force should be formed whose sole purpose was to attack Germany.
Following the perceived success in bombing Germany of the VIII Brigade and its antecedent formation the 41st Wing, the British Government decided that it should be expanded into an independent force. Before the creation of the Independent Air Force, the VIII Brigade was under the tactical command of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig.
After Parliamentary approval in November 1917, the Royal Air Force was born on 1 April 1918 and the forthcoming creation of the Independent Air Force was announced on 13 May 1918. The General Officer Commanding was to be Major-General Trenchard who had recently stepped down as Chief of the Air Staff. Trenchard had only agreed to serve as GOC after he received criticism for resigning his position as professional head of the RAF during a time of war. The deputy commander was Brigadier-General Cyril Newall who had previously been the commander of the VIII Brigade.
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