Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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HQ Unit on board HMS Hermes

[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 |  Jul 1929 | Jul 1930 | Aug 1930 | Sep 1930 | Oct 1930 | Nov 1930 | Dec 1930 | Jul 1931 | Jul 1932 | Jul 1933 | Jul 1935 | Jul 1936 | Jul 1937]

Aug 1936 |

August 1936

Source - August 1936 Air Force List

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.

HMS Hermes was laid down by Armstrong-Whitworth's at Newcastle upon Tyne on 15 January 1918 and was launched on 11 September 1919. She was the towed to Devonport for fitting out in July 1920 being commissioned on 6 August 1923.  She was paid off to the reserve on 11 June 1937 but was recommissioned on 1 September 1939.  She was sunk by Japanese dive bombers on 9 April 1942 near Batticaloa with a loss of 307 men.

The HQ Unit was formed on 1 May 1924, embarking for the first time on 15 November and presumably disbanded when she was paid off to the reserve in 1937.  The initial staffing for this unit was assembled at RAF Base Calshot from 1 May 1923

May 1924

Fleet Command/Group Units operated
Home Fleet Coastal Area

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 441 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr John T Cull 19 Feb 1924  
Flt Lt Peter C Wood 19 Feb 1924  
Fg Off Stephen H Reynolds 19 Feb 1924  
Fg Off William H Jinman 19 Feb 1924  
Stores Branch
Fg Off William C Farley 19 Feb 1924  

Source - Air Force List May 1924

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

Fleet Command/Group Units operated
Mediterranean Fleet RAF Mediterranean

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 441 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr John T Cull 19 Feb 1924  
Flt Lt Peter C Wood 19 Feb 1924  
Fg Off William H Jinman 19 Feb 1924  
Stores Branch
Fg Off William C Farley 19 Feb 1924  

Source - Air Force List July 1925

March 1926

Fleet Command/Group Units operated
Mediterranean Fleet RAF Mediterranean

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 441 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr John T Cull 19 Feb 1924  
Hon Flt Lt Leonard W H Phillips  8 Jun 1925  
Fg Off William H Jinman 19 Feb 1924  
Stores Branch
Fg Off William C Farley 19 Feb 1924  

Source - March 1926 Air Force List

July 1926

Fleet Units operated
Mediterranean Fleet

  • No 401 Flight

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 423 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Robert Leckie 30 Mar 1926 DSO, DSC, DFC; later AVM
Hon Flt Lt Leonard W H Phillips  8 Jun 1925  
Fg Off Stewart F Cole 10 Apr 1926  
Stores Branch
Fg Off William C Farley 19 Feb 1924  

Source - Air Force List July 1926

December 1926

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Robert Leckie 30 Mar 1926 DSO, DSC, DFC; later AVM
Sqn Ldr Louis Keeble  7 Oct 1926  
Hon Flt Lt Leonard W H Phillips  8 Jun 1925 Armament Duties
Fg Off Stewart F Cole 10 Apr 1926 Engineer Duties
Stores Branch
Flt Lt William C Farley 19 Feb 1924  
Fg Off Athol G Stratford-Tuke  7 Oct 1926  

Source - December 1926 Air Force List

July 1927

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Bertrand L Huskisson 25 Mar 1927 DSC
Wg Cdr Robert Leckie 30 Mar 1926 DSO, DSC, DFC; later AVM
Sqn Ldr Louis Keeble  7 Oct 1926  
Hon Flt Lt Leonard W H Phillips  8 Jun 1925  
Fg Off Stewart F Cole 10 Apr 1926  
Stores Branch
Fg Off Athol G Stratford-Tuke  7 Oct 1926  

Source - Air Force List July 1927

July 1928

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

  • No 442 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Henry J F Hunter  3 Jan 1928 MC; later A/Cdre
Sqn Ldr Louis Keeble  7 Oct 1926  
Fg Off Stewart F Cole 10 Apr 1926 Engineer duties
Fg Off Angus L Macmillan  4 Nov 1927 Armament duties
Stores Branch
Fg Off Arthur E Evans 12 Dec 1927 DFC

Source - Air Force List July 1928

September 1928

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Henry J F Hunter  3 Jan 1928 MC; later A/Cdre
Sqn Ldr Louis Keeble  7 Oct 1926  
Fg Off Stewart F Cole 10 Apr 1926 Engineer duties
Fg Off Angus L Macmillan  4 Nov 1927 Armament duties
Stores Branch
Fg Off Arthur E Evans 12 Dec 1927 DFC

Source - September 1928 Air Force List

July 1929

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

  • No 442 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Alfred H S Steele-Perkins 19 Oct 1928 OBE
Sqn Ldr Louis Keeble  7 Oct 1926  
Fg Off Stewart F Cole 10 Apr 1926 Engineer duties
Stores Branch
Fg Off Arthur E Evans 12 Dec 1927 DFC

Source - Air Force List July 1929

July 1930

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

  • No 442 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Alfred H S Steele-Perkins 19 Oct 1928 OBE
Sqn Ldr Colin Boumphrey 11 Aug 1929 DFC
Flt Lt James W Colquhoun 27 Jun 1929 Engineer duties
Stores Branch
Fg Off Arthur E Evans 12 Dec 1927 DFC

 

Source - Air Force List July 1930

August 1930

Source - August 1930 Air Force List

September 1930

Source - September 1930 Air Force List

October 1930

Source - October 1930 Air Force List

November 1930

Source - November 1930 Air Force List

December 1930

Source - December 1930 Air Force List

July 1931

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Arthur W F Glenny  3 Oct 1930 MC, DFC; later A/Cdre
Sqn Ldr Francis R Alford  7 Aug 1931 Armament duties
Flt Lt James W Colquhoun 27 Jun 1929 Engineer duties
Stores Branch
Fg Off Robert B Fleming  5 Sep 1930  

 Source - Air Force List July 1931

July 1932

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

  • No 442 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Arthur W F Glenny  3 Oct 1930 MC, DFC; later A/Cdre
Sqn Ldr Francis R Alford  7 Aug 1931 Armament duties
Flt Lt George A R Muschamp 23 Sep 1932 Engineer duties
Flt Lt Percy McG Watt  8 Jul 1932 Adjutant
Stores Branch
Fg Off Robert B Fleming  5 Sep 1930  

Source - Air Force List July 1932

July 1933

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 403 Flight

  • No 440 Flight

  • No 442 Flight

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Arthur W F Glenny  3 Oct 1930 MC, DFC; later A/Cdre
Sqn Ldr Francis R Alford  7 Aug 1931 Armament duties
Flt Lt George A R Muschamp 23 Sep 1932 Engineer duties
Flt Lt Percy McG Watt  8 Jul 1932 Adjutant
Stores Branch
Fg Off Robert B Fleming  5 Sep 1930  

 

Source - Air Force List July 1933

It was paid off at Devonport on 22 September 1933 for refitting, being recommissioned on 18 September 1934

July 1935

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 803 Squadron

  • No 824 Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Louis C Keeble 20 Aug 1934  
Flt Lt Matthew C Dick 20 Sep 1934 Armament duties
Flt Lt Charles H Johnson 10 Oct 1934 Engineer duties
Flt Lt David P Lascelles  5 Nov 1934 Adjutant
Stores Branch
Flt Lt Charles N Scott 20 Aug 1934  

Source - Air Force List July 1935

July 1936

Fleet Units operated
China Station

  • No 803 Squadron

  • No 824 Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Wg Cdr Louis C Keeble 20 Aug 1934  
Sqn Ldr Matthew C Dick 20 Sep 1934 Armament duties
Flt Lt Charles H Johnson 10 Oct 1934 Engineer duties
Flt Lt David P Lascelles  5 Nov 1934 Adjutant
Stores Branch
Flt Lt Charles N Scott 20 Aug 1934  

Source - Air Force List July 1936

It was paid off to the reserve on 11 June 1937 but was recommissioned on 1 September 1939.

July 1937

Rank Name Date Notes
Supernumerary
Sqn Ldr C W Byas  1 Apr 1937 Cdr, RN
Flt Lt W H N Martin  1 Apr 1937 Lt, RN
Flt Lt L C B Ashburner  1 Apr 1937 Lt, RN
Fg Off W P Lucy  1 Apr 1937 Lt, RN
Fg Off R T Partrifdge  1 Apr 1937 Lt, RM

Source - Air Force List July 1937

[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 |  Jul 1929 | Jul 1930 | Aug 1930 | Sep 1930 | Oct 1930 | Nov 1930 | Dec 1930 | Jul 1931 | Jul 1932 | Jul 1933 | Jul 1935 | Jul 1936 | Jul 1937]

This page was last updated on 08/07/19

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