, ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁problems ▁of ▁inter - service ▁competition ▁were ▁avoided . ▁ ▁Est ab lish ment ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Ministry ▁Despite ▁attempts ▁at ▁re organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Board , ▁the ▁earlier ▁problems ▁failed ▁to ▁be ▁completely ▁resolved . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁growing ▁number ▁of ▁German ▁air ▁ra ids ▁against ▁Great ▁Britain ▁led ▁to ▁public ▁dis qu iet ▁and ▁increasing ▁dem ands ▁for ▁something ▁to ▁be ▁done . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Lloyd ▁George , ▁the ▁British ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁established ▁a ▁committee ▁composed ▁of ▁himself ▁and ▁General ▁Jan ▁Sm uts , ▁which ▁was ▁task ed ▁with ▁investig ating ▁the ▁problems ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁air ▁def ences ▁and ▁organiz ational ▁difficulties ▁which ▁had ▁bes et ▁the ▁Air ▁Board . ▁ ▁Tow ards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁General ▁Sm uts ▁presented ▁a ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁Council ▁on ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁air ▁power . ▁Because ▁of ▁its ▁potential ▁for ▁the ▁' dev ast ation ▁of ▁enemy ▁lands ▁and ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁industrial ▁and ▁popul ous ▁cent res ▁on ▁a ▁vast ▁scale ', ▁he ▁recommended ▁a ▁new ▁air ▁service ▁be ▁formed ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁on ▁a ▁level ▁with ▁the ▁Army ▁and ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁air ▁service ▁was ▁to ▁receive ▁direction ▁from ▁a ▁new ▁min istry ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Bill ▁received ▁Royal ▁Ass ent ▁and ▁the ▁Air ▁Ministry ▁was ▁formed ▁just