▁History ▁– ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁▁ 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 2 1 ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁the ▁R AF ▁and ▁the ▁Air ▁Ministry ▁came ▁under ▁immense ▁political ▁and ▁inter ▁service ▁pressure ▁for ▁their ▁very ▁existence , ▁particularly ▁in ▁a ▁climate ▁of ▁significantly ▁reduced ▁military ▁exp end iture . ▁The ▁battle ▁was ▁kick start ed ▁by ▁the ▁res ignation ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁of ▁William ▁We ir ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Council ▁( the ▁gover ning ▁body ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ), ▁who ▁wished ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁his ▁commercial ▁activities . ▁ ▁This ▁led ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁Lloyd ▁George , ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Air , ▁but ▁not ▁as ▁a ▁Cab inet ▁position , ▁and ▁on ▁ 9 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁offered ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ▁the ▁two ▁posts ▁of ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁War , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁Cab inet ▁position , ▁and ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Air ▁both ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁accepted . ▁ ▁This ▁combination ▁under ▁one ▁person ▁by ▁was ▁critic ised ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁press ▁and ▁Parliament . ▁However , ▁Church ill ▁re - iter ated ▁that ▁the ▁continued ▁" integr ity , ▁the ▁unity , ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁will ▁be ▁sed ul ously ▁and ▁carefully ▁maintained ". ▁During ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁it ▁was ▁also ▁decided ▁that ▁civil ▁av iation ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁brought ▁into ▁the ▁Air ▁Ministry ▁rather ▁than ▁being ▁de alt