Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 2 Civil Air Navigation School/Air Observer Navigation School - Personnel and locations
Personnel Movements: Sep 1939 - Dec 1940
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Mr (Fg Off, RAFO) | T W Campbell | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Chief Flying Instructor (also CFI, No 10 E & RFTS) |
| Mr (Flt Lt, RAFO) | N W Raeburn | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Chief Pilot |
| Mr (Flt Lt, RAFO) | D W Lucke | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Pilot |
| Mr (Fg Off, RAFVR) | G G Lannahan | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Pilot, transferred from No 10 E & RFTS |
| Mr (Fg Off, RAFVR) | D A Messiter | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Pilot |
| Mr (Flt Lt, Ret'd) | P J Clayson | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Chief Ground Instructor |
| Capt | J P Saul | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Navigation Instructor |
| Capt | E B Green | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Navigation Instructor |
| Capt | N P Finch | 26 Sep 1938 | Appointed Navigation Instructor |
| Mr (Flt Lt, RAFO) | N W Raeburn | 1 Jan 1940 | Mobilised with the rank of Act Sqn Ldr |
| Act Sqn Ldr | N W Raeburn | 1 Jan 1940 | Assumed command of No 2 Air Observer Navigation School |
| Mr (Fg Off, RAFVR) | G G Lannahan | 1 Jan 1940 | Mobilised with the rank of Fg Off |
| Mr (Fg Off, RAFVR) | D A Messiter | 1 Jan 1940 | Mobilised with the rank of Fg Off |
| Act Sqn Ldr | N W Raeburn | 1 Jun 1940 | Promoted to Sqn Ldr |
| Fg Off | D A Messiter | 1 Jun 1940 | Promoted to Flt Lt, wef 3 Sep 1939 |
| Capt | J P Saul | 1 Sep 1940 | Appointed Chief Ground Instructor |
| Plt Off | H Garnell | 5 Sep 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Act Sqn Ldr | T W Campbell | 7 Sep 1940 | Chief Flying Instructor, posted with No 10 EFTS to Weston-super-Mare |
| Flt Lt | P J Clayson | 7 Sep 1940 | Chief Ground Instructor, posted with No 10 EFTS to Weston-super-Mare |
| Flt Lt | B W Noble | 7 Sep 1940 | Transferred from Station strength to No 2 AONS for Defence duties |
| Fg Off | Fraser | 7 Sep 1940 | Transferred from No 10 EFTS for duty as Medical Officer |
| Sgt | G A McMahon | 7 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Fg Off | Fraser | 8 Sep 1940 | Ceased duty as Medical Officer on posting |
| Sgt | Hewson | 9 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for photographic duties |
| Flt Lt | N W Creasy | 7 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Sgt | Hewson | 16 Sep 1940 | Ceased photographic duties on posting |
| Flt Lt | T J Davidson | 16 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Fg Off | B J Frankenberg | 16 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Medical Officer |
| Flt Lt | B W Noble | 16 Sep 1940 | Ceased duty as Defence Officer on posting |
| Plt Off | D Nicholson | 19 Sep 1940 | Attached for duty as PT Instructor |
| Plt Off | D Nicholson | 21 Sep 1940 | Ceased to be attached for duty as PT Instructor |
| Flt Lt | T J Davidson | 22 Sep 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Fg Off | S F Woods | 22 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Fg Off | W R D Lewis | 24 Sep 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Fg Off | S F Woods | 30 Sep 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Plt Off | G A Reston | 2 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Plt Off | C H Rimington | 7 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting for Aerodrome Defence duties |
| Flt Lt | F C Phipps | 11 Oct 1940 | Attached for Aircraft Recognition Instructor duties |
| Flt Lt | F C Phipps | 12 Oct 1940 | Ceased to be attached for Aircraft Recognition Instructor duties |
| Sqn Ldr | N W Raeburn | 13 Oct 1940 | Promoted to Act Wg Cdr |
| Fg Off | G G Lannahan | 13 Oct 1940 | Promoted to Flt Lt |
| Sgt | G Land | 25 Oct 1940 | Arrived on posting for duty as Anson pilot |
| Flt Lt | N W Creasy | 26 Oct 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Plt Off | J Rush | 26 Oct 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Capt | J P Saul | 1 Nov 1940 | Appointed to a commission in the rank of Fg Off for duty as Navigation Instructor |
| Capt | E B Green | 1 Nov 1940 | Appointed to a commission in the rank of Fg Off for duty as Navigation Instructor |
| Capt | N P Finch | 1 Nov 1940 | Appointed to a commission in the rank of Fg Off for duty as Navigation Instructor |
| Fg Off | S R Millard | 11 Oct 1940 | Ceased duty as Navigation Instructor on posting |
| Plt Off | H T Molloy | 12 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting for Aerodrome Defence duties |
| Plt Off | H H G Boal | 12 Nov 1940 | Ceased duty as Aerodrome Defence Officer on posting |
| Plt Off | C Illingworth | 15 Nov 1940 | Arrived on posting for Administrative duties |
| Fg Off | E B Green | 22 Nov 1940 | Ceased duty as Navigation Instructor on posting |
| Plt Off | H E Collier | 5 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Aerodrome Defence Officer on posting |
| Plt Off | F Sabatella | 5 Dec 1940 | Arrived on posting for Aerodrome Defence duties |
| Fg Off | W R D Lewis | 9 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Fg Off | B J Frankenberg | 11 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Medical Officer on posting |
| Plt Off | C Illingworth | 13 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Administrative Officer on posting |
| Flt Lt | G G Lannahan | 13 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Sgt | G Land | 13 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Sgt | G A McMahon | 13 Dec 1940 | Ceased duty as Anson pilot on posting |
| Fg Off | J P Saul | 14 Dec 1940 | Relinquished duties of Chief Ground Instructor on posting |
| Act Wg Cdr | N W Raeburn | 14 Dec 1940 | Relinquished command of No 2 AONS and posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
| Flt Lt | D A Messiter | 14 Dec 1940 | Posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
| Fg Off | T W Collins | 14 Dec 1940 | Administrative Officer, Posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
| Plt Off | G A Reston | 14 Dec 1940 | Posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
| Plt Off | C H Rimington | 14 Dec 1940 | Aerodrome Defence Officer, Posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
| Plt Off | H T Molloy | 14 Dec 1940 | Aerodrome Defence Officer, Posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
| Plt Off | F Sabatella | 14 Dec 1940 | Aerodrome Defence Officer, Posted to No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury |
Source - No 2 Air Observer Navigation School ORB (AIR 29/598)
Organisational Movements: Sep 1939 - Dec 1940
| Date | Notes |
| 26 Sep 1938 | Formed as No 2 Civil Air Navigation School at Yatesbury, operated by the Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd, alongside No 10 E & RFTS |
| 26 Sep 1938 | No 1 Air Observer Course commenced (29 x pupils) |
| 17 Dec 1938 | No 1 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 19 Dec 1938 | No 2 Air Observer Course commenced (30 x pupils) |
| 18 Mar 1939 | No 2 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 20 Mar 1939 | No 3 Air Observer Course commenced (31 x pupils) |
| 10 Jun 1939 | No 3 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 26 Jun 1939 | No 4 Air Observer Course commenced (31 x pupils) |
| 30 Sep 1939 | No 4 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 3 Oct 1939 | No 5 Air Observer Course commenced (30 x pupils) |
| 1 Nov 1939 | No 2 Civil Air Navigation School redesignated No 2 Air Observer Navigation School |
| 28 Dec 1939 | No 5 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 2 Jan 1940 | No 6 Air Observer Course commenced (30 x pupils) |
| 4 May 1939 | No 6 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 7 May 1940 | No 7 Air Observer Course commenced (30 x pupils) |
| 30 Aug 1940 | No 7 Air Observer Course terminated |
| 2 Sep 1940 | No 8 Air Observer Course commenced (30 x pupils) |
| 7 Sep 1940 | No 10 EFTS moved from RAF Yatesbury to RAF Weston-super-Mare |
| 7 Sep 1940 | Station Defence Force, transferred to the strength of No 2 AONS |
| 30 Nov 1940 | No 8B Air Observer Course terminated |
| 14 Dec 1940 | No 8A Air Observer Course terminated |
| 14 Dec 1940 | No 2 Air Observer Navigation School disbanded |
Source - No 2 Air Observer Navigation School ORB (AIR 29/598)
This page was last updated on 17/10/23