Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 4 Armament Training Camp/Station Personnel and locations
[Jul 1937 | Jul 1938 | Jan 1939 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]
This was formed on 1 January 1937 at West Freugh under the control of Armament Group. The camp was usually open from March until October allowing squadrons to spend a week at a time carrying out live bombing or firing practices, using the range at Luce Bay.
| Aircraft operated | Location | Command/Group |
| Hosted visiting aircraft | RAF West Freugh | Training Command/Armament Group |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Wg Cdr | Cedric E V Porter | 1 Jan 1937 | Officer Commanding, later AVM |
| Sqn Ldr | M B Mackay | 26 Feb 1937 | |
| Sqn Ldr | 1 Jan 1937 | Armament duties, later ACM | |
| Flt Lt | W J H Lindley | 16 Apr 1937 | |
| Plt Off | P M Hamilton-Hall | 8 Feb 1937 | |
| Plt Off | F Harrison | 26 Apr 1937 | |
| Equipment Officer | |||
| Fg Off (Ret) | J F Mehigan | ||
| Medical Branch | |||
| Flt Lt | E W R Fairley | 20 Jan 1937 | MRCS, LRCP |
| Capt | J Collier | late RAF | |
| Education Officer | |||
| Capt | J W L Birkbck | 15 Feb 1937 | AFC, BSc |
| Warrant Officers | |||
| WO I | T J A Cresswell | 12 Feb 1937 | |
| WO I | W T Richings | 21 May 1937 | |
Source - July 1937 Air Force List
Control was transferred to No 25 (Armament) Group on 1 December 1937
It was redesignated No 4 Armament Training Station on 1 April 1938 and was now open all year.
| Aircraft operated | Location | Command/Group |
| Hosted visiting aircraft | RAF West Freugh | Training Command/No 25 (Armament) Group |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Wg Cdr | 6 Dec 1937 | Officer Commanding, OBE, DSC, DFC; later AM | |
| Sqn Ldr | M B Mackay | 26 Feb 1937 | Armament duties |
| Sqn Ldr | W J H Lindley | 16 Apr 1937 | |
| Flt Lt | 3 Jul 1937 | Armament duties; later A/Cdre | |
| Flt Lt | L Coulson | 3 Jul 1937 | Armament duties |
| Plt Off | K B T Burns | 25 Feb 1938 | |
| Plt Off | J I Baker | 26 Mar 1938 | |
| APO | R M Coste | 7 May 1938 | |
| APO | W H Stratton | 7 May 1938 | |
| Fg Off | H E Greenbury | late RAF | |
| Fg Off | J D Loughnan | Marine Craft Officer, RAFO (Lt RNR (Ret)) | |
| Equipment Officer | |||
| Fg Off (Ret) | J F Mehigan | ||
| Medical Branch | |||
| Flt Lt | E W R Fairley | 20 Jan 1937 | MRCS, LRCP |
| Dental Branch | |||
| Flt Lt | A C Wilkie | 19 Jul 1937 | BDS |
| Warrant Officers | |||
| WO | W T Richings | 21 May 1937 | |
| WO | A G Breese | 14 Jun 1937 | |
Source - July 1938 Air Force List
| Aircraft operated | Location | Command/Group |
| Hosted visiting aircraft | RAF West Freugh | Training Command/No 25 (Armament) Group |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Wg Cdr | 6 Dec 1937 | Officer Commanding, OBE, DSC, DFC; later AM | |
| Sqn Ldr | M B Mackay | 26 Feb 1937 | Armament duties |
| Flt Lt | A F R Bennett | 15 Aug 1938 | Armament duties |
| Flt Lt | L Coulson | 3 Jul 1937 | Armament duties |
| Act Flt Lt | O R C Moseley | 16 Jun 1938 | |
| Plt Off | K B T Burns | 25 Feb 1938 | |
| Plt Off | R M Coste | 7 May 1938 | |
| Plt Off | W H Stratton | 7 May 1938 | |
| Fg Off | H E Greenbury | late RAF | |
| Fg Off | J D Loughnan | Marine Craft Officer, RAFO (Lt RNR (Ret)) | |
| Equipment Officer | |||
| Fg Off (Ret) | J F Mehigan | ||
| Accountant Branch | |||
| Fg Off | J B Denning | 1 Oct 1938 | |
| Medical Branch | |||
| Flt Lt | E W R Fairley | 20 Jan 1937 | MRCS, LRCP |
| Warrant Officers | |||
| WO | A G Breese | 14 Jun 1937 | |
Source - January 1939 Air Force List
| Aircraft operated | Location | Command/Group |
| Hosted visiting aircraft | RAF West Freugh | Training Command/No 25 (Armament) Group |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Sqn Ldr | M B Mackay | 26 Feb 1937 | Officer Commanding, Armament duties |
| Flt Lt | A F R Bennett | 15 Aug 1938 | Armament duties |
| Flt Lt | L Coulson | 3 Jul 1937 | Armament duties |
| Act Flt Lt | O R C Moseley | 16 Jun 1938 | |
| Plt Off | K B T Burns | 25 Feb 1938 | |
| Plt Off | R M Coste | 7 May 1938 | |
| Plt Off | W H Stratton | 7 May 1938 | |
| Fg Off | H E Greenbury | late RAF | |
| Fg Off | J D Loughnan | Marine Craft Officer, RAFO (Lt RNR (Ret)) | |
| Equipment Officer | |||
| Fg Off (Ret) | J F Mehigan | ||
| Accountant Branch | |||
| Fg Off | J B Denning | 1 Oct 1938 | |
| Medical Branch | |||
| Flt Lt | E W R Fairley | 20 Jan 1937 | MRCS, LRCP |
| Temporary Education Officer | |||
| Mr | W A Butterfield | 19 Aug 1938 | BSc |
| Warrant Officers | |||
| WO | A G Breese | 14 Jun 1937 | |
Source - April 1939 Confidential Air Force List
The station was redesignated No 4 Air Observers School on 17 April 1939 but remained listed as No 4 ATS.
| Aircraft operated | Location | Command/Group |
| Hosted visiting aircraft | RAF West Freugh | Training Command/No 25 (Armament) Group |
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Wg Cdr | M B Mackay | 26 Feb 1937 | Officer Commanding, Armament duties |
| Sqn Ldr | L Coulson | 3 Jul 1937 | Armament duties |
| Flt Lt | A F R Bennett | 15 Aug 1938 | Armament duties |
| Act Flt Lt | O R C Moseley | 16 Jun 1938 | |
| Plt Off | K B T Burns | 25 Feb 1938 | |
| Plt Off | W H Stratton | 7 May 1938 | |
| Flt Lt | H B Maund | Adjutant, RAFO | |
| Fg Off | H E Greenbury | late RAF | |
| Fg Off | J D Loughnan | Marine Craft Officer, RAFO (Lt RNR (Ret)) | |
| Equipment Officer | |||
| APO | A M H Cole | 27 Mar 1939 | |
| Fg Off (Ret) | J F Mehigan | ||
| Accountant Branch | |||
| Fg Off | J B Denning | 1 Oct 1938 | |
| Medical Branch | |||
| Flt Lt | E W R Fairley | 20 Jan 1937 | MRCS, LRCP |
| Temporary Education Officer | |||
| Mr | W A Butterfield | 19 Aug 1938 | BSc |
| Warrant Officers | |||
| WO | A G Breese | 14 Jun 1937 | |
Source - May 1939 Confidential Air Force List
[Jul 1937 | Jul 1938 | Jan 1939 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]
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