Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me

No 420 (Fleet Spotter) Flight

[Jul 1923 | Jan 1924 | May 1924 | Jan 1925 | Feb 1925 | Mar 1925 | Apr 1925 | May 1925 | Jun 1925 | Jul 1925 | Mar 1926 | Jul 1926 | Dec 1926 | Jul 1927 | Jul 1928 | Sep 1928]

May 1923 |

May 1923

Source - May 1923 Air Force List

This was formed on 1 April 1923 from No 3 Squadron at Fort Rowner, Gosport, equipped with three Westland Walruses.

Date Location
 1 Apr 1923 RAF Base Gosport
 6 May 1923 Chickerell
 7 Jul 1923 RAF Base Gosport

July 1923

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Westland Walrus RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt John W B Grigson 16 Apr 1923 Officer Commanding, DSO, DFC; later A/Cdre
Flt Lt Kenneth C Tilman  1 Apr 1923  
Fg Off Colin P Brown  1 Apr 1923 DFC; later AVM
Fg Off Thomas M Williams  1 Apr 1923 MC, DFC; later AM
Fg/Obs Off Ernest Smith  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off John S Charlton  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off Arthur F Scroggs  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off John S Newall  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off Ronald H Carter  1 Apr 1923  

Source - Air Force List July 1923

Date Location
 6 Sep 1923 Chickerell

January 1924

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Westland Walrus RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Gerald M Bryer 21 Nov 1923 Officer Commanding, AFC
Fg Off Harold A Argles 21 Nov 1923  
Fg Off Horace S C Bassett 21 Nov 1923  
Attached from Royal Navy
Lt Cdr Geoffrey C E Hampden  1 Aug 1923  

Source - Air Force List January 1924

May 1924

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Westland Walrus RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Gerald M Bryer 21 Nov 1923 Officer Commanding, AFC
Fg Off Christopher T Walkington  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Fg Off Arthur E Beilby  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Lionel H Brooke  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Herbert T Herring  1 Apr 1924  
Plt Off George R M Clifford  1 Apr 1924  
Attached from Royal Navy
Lt Cdr Geoffrey C E Hampden  1 Aug 1923  

Source - Air Force List May 1924

It began to receive the Blackburn Blackburn I in January 1925 with the Walruses being withdrawn in April.

January 1925

Source - January 1925 Air Force List

February 1925

Source - February 1925 Air Force List

March 1925

Source - March 1925 Air Force List

April 1925

Source - April 1925 Air Force List

May 1925

Source - May 1925 Air Force List

June 1925

Source - June 1925 Air Force List

July 1925

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn I RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Hon Flt Lt Herbert T Herring  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Obs Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  

Source - Air Force List July 1925

Date Location
23 Sep 1925 HMS Furious
15 Oct 1925 RAF Base Gosport
 6 Nov 1925 HMS Furious
 9 Nov 1925 RAF Base Gosport
12 Jan 1926 HMS Furious

The Blackburn Is were withdrawn in December 1925 and replaced by Blackburn IIs

March 1926

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Flt Lt Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off George F N Bradford 13 Oct 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Henry E Guerrier  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Obs Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane  15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN

Source - March 1926 Air Force List

Date Location
30 Mar 1926 RAF Base Gosport
12 Jun 1926 HMS Furious

July 1926

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Flt Lt Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off George F N Bradford 13 Oct 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Henry E Guerrier  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Obs Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN

Source - Air Force List July 1926

Date Location
15 Jul 1926 RAF Base Gosport
 3 Sep 1926 HMS Furious
 1 Nov 1925 RAF Base Gosport

December 1926

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN

Source - December 1926 Air Force List

Date Location
14 Jan 1927 HMS Furious
28 Mar 1927 RAF Base Gosport

July 1927

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN

Source - Air Force List July 1927

Date Location
11-25 Jul 1927 RAF Base Gosport (Detachment)
25 Jul 1927 RAF Base Gosport
27 Aug 1927 HMS Furious
27 Nov 1927 RAF Base Gosport
 8 Jan 1928 HMS Furious
 4 Apr 1928 RAF Base Gosport
30 Apr 1928 HMS Furious

July 1928

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious Coastal Area

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Officer Commanding, Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off John E W Bowles 22 Aug 1927  

Source - Air Force List July 1928

Date Location
19 Jul 1928 RAF Base Gosport
 7 Sep 1928 HMS Furious

September 1928

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious Coastal Area

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Officer Commanding, Lt, RN
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off John E W Bowles 22 Aug 1927  

Source - September 1928 Air Force List

 
Date Location
 3 Oct 1928 Novar
25 Oct 1928 RAF Donibristle
 1 Nov 1928 HMS Furious
26 Nov 1928 RAF Base Gosport
10 Jan 1929 HMS Furious
 6 Apr 1929 RAF Base Gosport

It was redesignated No 449 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight on 26 April 1929

Re-equipment and movement dates are based on those shown in 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' by Ray Sturtivant

[Jul 1923 | Jan 1924 | May 1924 | Jan 1925 | Feb 1925 | Mar 1925 | Apr 1925 | May 1925 | Jun 1925 | Jul 1925 | Mar 1926 | Jul 1926 | Dec 1926 | Jul 1927 | Jul 1928 | Sep 1928]

This page was last updated on 08/07/19

         [Top of Page]