974 Sqn

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
April
Sqn Ldr	W G T Summers MC, DCM, MM	2 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting and assumed command of No 974 Sqn
Flt Lt	G P Taylor	2 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Admin duties
Plt Off	J E W Arthur	2 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Admin duties
Flt Lt	H Sutherland	3 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Flt Lt	W A Dunn	3 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Flt Lt	J le Frenais	3 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Medical Officer
Fg Off	O Taylor	3 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Equipment Officer
Plt Off	F K Pease	3 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	R Fortuyn-Droogleever	3 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Flt Lt	P P Butters	4 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Barrage Control Officer
Flt Lt	B W B Chapman	4 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	L R Rust	4 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	W Pritchard	4 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	R H L Oakes	5 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	R H Wills	7 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Accountant Officer
Plt Off	G S Hoyle	10 Apr 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	R Fortuyn-Droogleever	11 Apr 1941	Balloon Officer, posted back to No 948 Sqn
May
There were no personnel movements as the squadron spent most of this month at sea en-route to South Africa
June
Fg Off	O Taylor	21 Jun 1941	Equipment Officer, proceeded to Chalouf Canal Station
Flt Lt	G P Taylor	23 Jun 1941	Admin Officer, proceeded to Chalouf Canal Station
Flt Lt	B W B Chapman	23 Jun 1941	OC, 'C' Flight, proceeded to Chalouf Canal Station
Flt Lt	H Sutherland	23 Jun 1941	OC, 'A' Flight, proceeded to Geneife Canal Station
Flt Lt	W A Dunn	23 Jun 1941	Appointed OC, 'B' Flight
Plt Off	L R Rust	23 Jun 1941	2nd i/c 'C' Flight, proceeded to Chalouf Canal Station
Plt Off	G S Hoyle	23 Jun 1941	2nd i/c 'A' Flight, proceeded to Geneife Canal Station
Plt Off	W Pritchard	23 Jun 1941	Appointed 2nd i/c, 'B' Flight
Flt Lt	J le Frenais	24 Jun 1941	Medical Officer, posted to No 971 Sqn
July
Plt Off	F K Pease	2 Jul 1941	Balloon Officer, proceeded to Chalouf Canal Station
Flt Lt	H Sutherland	21 Jul 1941	Attached to No 972 Sqn
Flt Lt	W A Dunn	21 Jul 1941	Assumed command of 'A' Flight
Flt Lt	P P Butters	21 Jul 1941	Barrage Control Officer, attached to RAF Helwan
August
Flt Lt	P P Butters	3 Aug 1941	Posted to No 45 Sqn
Flt Lt	H Sutherland	9 Aug 1941	Posted to No 972 Sqn
Flt Lt	D Ross	21 Aug 1941	Arrived on posting from No 973 Sqn and assumed command of 'A' Flight
Sub-Lt	R Elliott	23 Aug 1941	Attached from HMS Stag, 'K' Division
Plt Off	J G Talbot	25 Aug 1941	Arrived on posting from the UK for duty as Balloon Officer
Plt Off	N Kennedy	28 Aug 1941	Arrived on attachment to 'C' Flight from the UK for Special Duties, wef 26 Aug 1941
September
Plt Off	F K Pease	xx Sep 1941	Balloon Officer, promoted to Fg Off, wef 15 Jul 1941
Plt Off	J G Talbot	xx Sep 1941	Balloon Officer, promoted to Fg Off, wef 24 Jul 1941
Flt Lt	W A Dunn	19 Sep 1941	Posted to No 971 Sqn
Fg Off	F K Pease	22 Sep 1941	Balloon Officer, attached to RAF Helwan
October
Fg Off	R J V Falkner	12 Oct 1941	Arrived on posting from No 972 Sqn
November
LAC	R Suter	1 Nov 1941	Severely injured in explosion of 'C' Flight's 'Nurse' Balloon
AC1	W Wilson	1 Nov 1941	Severely injured in explosion of 'C' Flight's 'Nurse' Balloon
AC1	E J Curtis	1 Nov 1941	Severely injured in explosion of 'C' Flight's 'Nurse' Balloon
AC1	E J Curtis	11 Nov 1941	Died from injuries
Plt Off	L R Rust	16 Nov 1941	Balloon Officer, posted to Home Establishment on medical grounds
AC1	W Wilson	17 Nov 1941	Died from injuries
Fg Off	R J V Falkner	23 Nov 1941	Proceeded to Abu Zenima to command Terminal 'B'
December
Flt Lt	R W Beresford	14 Dec 1941	Proceeded to Aden
Flt Lt	G P Taylor	15 Dec 1941	Adjutant, posted to AHQ Egypt
Plt Off	G S Hoyle	22 Dec 1941	Proceeded to Aden
AC2	W G Adams	29 Dec 1941	Died from natural causes

Source - No 974 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/2322)

Organisational Movements: Apr - Dec 1941

Date	Notes
April
1 Apr 1941	No 974 Squadron was formed at RAF Cardington The following personnel arrived on posting: - 1 x Flt Sgt 1 x Sgt 10 x Cpls 123 x ACH (Balloon Operators)
17 Apr 1941	All airmen had reported on posting
23 Apr 1941	All personnel, except 40 Balloon Operators, entrained for Liverpool and embarked on HMT 'Dominion Monarch'
24 Apr 1941	HMT 'Dominion Monarch' departed Liverpool in convoy
May
The squadron spent most of this month at sea en-route to South Africa
27 May 1941	Squadron disembarked from HMT 'Dominion Monarch' in Durban and proceeded to Clairwood Transit Camp
June
6 Jun 1941	Squadron departed Clairwood Transit Camp for Durban and embarked on HMT 'Nieuw Amsterdam'
10 Jun 1941	HMT 'Nieuw Amsterdam' set sail in convoy
20 Jun 1941	HMT 'Nieuw Amsterdam' arrived in Port Tewfik
21 Jun 1941	Squadron disembarked from HMT 'Nieuw Amsterdam' and proceeded to Middle East Pool Advance party proceeded to Chalouf Canal Station
22 Jun 1941	'C' Flight took over operational control of the sites of No 972 Sqn between Kilo 153 and 155
27 Jun 1941	Squadron took over from No 972 Sqn on its departure to a new location
July
11 Jul 1941	A detachment was sent to No 107 MU, Kasfareet
17 Jul 1941	A small detachment of 'C' Flight was sent to Suez Harbour to be flown from ships
August
4 Aug 1941	The following Balloon Operators, who had remained behind in the UK in April arrived: - 1 x Sgt 1 x Cpl 38 x ACs
23 Aug 1941	A Navy 'R' Boat was attached from HMS Stag, 'K' Division for duty was 'C' Flight, together with: - 1 x officer 5 x ratings
September
23 Sep 1941	Advance party of No 972 Sqn arrived at Kasfareet
24 Sep 1941	No 972 Sqn formally took over 'B' Flight both operationally and administratively
25 Sep 1941	'B' Flight moved from Kasfareet to the Oil Refinery, Suez
October
8 Oct 1941	The squadron commenced flying balloons from tankers during voyages between Suez and the Gulf oil-fields
17 Oct 1941	20 x Balloon Operators attached from No 975 Sqn
22 Oct 1941	The squadron commenced flying balloons from RN escort vessels
November
1 Nov 1941	'A' Flight became non-operational on its sites along the Canal being taken over by No 973 Sqn
20 Nov 1941	'A' Flight instructed to prepare to undertake a shuttle service between Suez (Terminal 'A') and Abu Zenima (Terminal 'B')
22 Nov 1941	Advance party, 'A' Flight, proceeded to Abu Zenima to establish Terminal 'B'
23 Nov 1941	Terminal 'B' Main Party departed Suez for Abu Zenima
27 Nov 1941	Terminal 'A' was established at Shell Jetty, Suez
December
16 Dec 1941	As result of a reorganisation of the 'Shuttle Service', the following changes came into effect: - Aden became Terminal 'A' Suez became Terminal 'Z' Abu Zenima became Anchor 'B' As Anchor 'B' was not in use between this date and 23 Dec 1941, a number of the personnel returned to Suez
18 Dec 1941	Advance Party departed Suez for Aden on HMS Nevasa
22 Dec 1941	Main Party departed Suez for Aden on SS 'City of Canterbury'
23 Dec 1941	First three ships departed Suez for Aden flying balloons

Source - No 974 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/2322)