Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

HQ Unit on board HMS Ark Royal

[Apr 1920 | May 1920 | Jun 1920 | Jul 1920 | Aug 1920 | May 1923 | Jul 1923 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]

With the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918, all British military and naval aircraft came under its control.  This included all aircraft operated from ships of the Royal Navy, leading to the situation whereby the air and ground crews on board these ships were members of the RAF and the crews of the ships were members of the Royal Navy.  Effectively the small RAF staffs on board the ship operated in much the same way as the staff at a shore based RAF station, the airfield being the flight deck of the carrier.   Whilst on board ship the RAF personnel were subject to Naval discipline under the jurisdiction of the ship's captain, the senior RAF officer acting as the captain's air advisor. 

Initially a number of squadrons were allocated to man the carriers these being No 3 Squadron, No 203 Squadron, No 210 Squadron and No 205 Squadron but on 1 April the RAF formed the Fleet Air Arm of The RAF and these squadrons were split up into a series of smaller Flights numbered in the 400 series.  With the transfer of the FAA to the Admiralty in July 1939, RAF HQ Units in carriers ceased to exist, with most of the posts being taken over by naval officers, although some RAF personnel continued to be seconded to the Royal Navy for some time.

Laid down as a collier in Blyth on 7 November 1913 it taken over by the Admiralty and completed as a seaplane carrier, being launched on 5 September 1914 and commissioned on 9 December 1914.  She supported 'Z' unit during the action against the Mad Mullah in British Somaliland 1920 after which she was placed in reserve.  Recommissioned in 1922, she took part in the Chanak Crisis in Turkey from October 1922 to September 1923 as a depot ship and aircraft transport.  From 1923 to 1929 it was placed on the Nore Reserve during which time it was converted for catapult trials.  It was used to carry out catapult trials from 24 July 1929 until 1934.  With the decision to use the name for a new aircraft carrier, it was renamed HMS Pegasus on 21 December 1934.

The HQ Unit was formed on 28 February 1919 at Gosport.

A new fleet carrier to be named HMS Ark Royal was laid down at the Cammell Laid yard on 16 September 1935, was launched on 13 April 1937 and commissioned on 16 November 1938.  She was sunk on 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by the U-81 the previous day.

April 1920

May 1920

Source - Air Force List May 1920

June 1920

Source - Air Force List June 1920

July 1920

Source - Air Force List July 1920

August 1920

Source - August 1920 Air Force List

She was recommissioned on 30 May1922.

May 1923

Source - May 1923 Air Force List

July 1923

A new fleet carrier was commissioned on 16 November 1938.

April 1939

Source - Confidential Air Force List April 1939

May 1939

Source - Confidential Air Force List May 1939

This page was last updated on 08/07/19 using FrontPage 2003^©

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