No 273 Sqn

The Operations Record Book (AIR 27/1581) for No 273 Sqn beginning as the ORB for RAF China Bay and gives details of movements and operations by all units located at the station, so it has been decided to include both RAF China Bay and No 273 Sqn in this entry.

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
Sqn Ldr	L W Burgess	1 Aug 1939	Assumed command of RAF China Bay
Flt Lt	G E Harrison	1 Aug 1939	Assumed duties of Officer Commanding, Co-operation Flight, RAF China Bay
Fg Off	E A Good	1 Aug 1939	Assumed duties of Adjutant, RAF China Bay
Fg Off	P N Sowman	1 Aug 1939	Assumed duties of Equipment Officer, RAF China Bay
Fg Off	B B Wilmot	1 Aug 1939	Assumed duties of Officer Command, 'A' Flight, No 273 Sqn, RAF China Bay
Plt Off	J D Williams	1 Aug 1939	Posted to 'A' Flight, No 273 Sqn, RAF China Bay
Plt Off	J Chamberlain	1 Aug 1939	Posted to 'A' Flight, No 273 Sqn, RAF China Bay
Sqn Ldr	T F Moloney	25 Oct 1939	Command Signals Officer, arrived on temporary duty
Fg Off	B B Wilmot	13 Nov 1939	Assumed command of detachment at Ratmalana
Plt Off	E M Greenwood	14 Nov 1939	Arrived on posting from Singapore for duty as Accountant Officer
Sqn Ldr	L W Burgess	2 Dec1939	Admitted to hospital
Flt Lt	G E Harrison	2 Dec 1939	Assumed temporary command of RAF China Bay
Fg Off	B B Wilmot	28 Dec 1939	Relinquished command of detachment at Ratmalana on returning to RAF China Bay
Plt Off	J Chamberlain	28 Dec 1939	Assumed command of detachment at Ratmalana

Source - RAF China Bay/No 273 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1581)

Organisational Movements: Aug - Dec 1939

Date	Notes
1 Aug 1939	RAF China Bay was opened, with the following units in situ: - Advance Flight ('A' Flight) of No 273 Sqn Co-operation Flight Fleet Air Arm units when disembarked from East Indies Squadron
1 Aug 1939	'A' Flight, No 273 Sqn was equipped with Vickers Vildebeest IIIs (4 x IE and 2 x IR)

1 Aug 1939	Co-operation Flight was equipped with Fairey Seals (2 x IE and 1 x IR)

27 Oct 1939	Detachment of 5 x Sunderlands of No 230 Sqn arrived from Penang being based at Galle
6 Nov 1939	1 x Sunderland of No 230 Sqn arrived from Penang arrived to complete detachment
13 Nov 1939	2 x Vildebeests of 'A' Flight proceeded to Ratmalana on detachment

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
Plt Off	J D Williams	9 Jan 1940	Killed in a flying accident
AC1	V Bishop	9 Jan 1940	Killed in a flying accident
WO	P R Hairs	14 Jan 1940	Arrived on posting (with 7 x airmen)
WO	T H Knight	14 Jan 1940	Arrived on posting (with 7 x airmen)
Plt Off	R H James	19 Jan 1940	Arrived on posting from RAF Seletar
WO	T H Knight	22 Feb 1940	Departed on posting to Singapore
Flt Lt	W E Carr	22 Feb 1940	Disembarked from SS Andes on posting from Home Establishment
Fg Off	C A Cardwell	26 Feb 1940	Disembarked from Viceroy of India on posting from Singapore for Signals duties
Sqn Ldr	L W Burgess	8 Apr 1940	Relinquished command of RAF China Bay
Flt Lt	W E Carr	8 Apr 1940	Assumed temporary command of RAF China Bay
Sqn Ldr	F G Frow	29 May 1940	Assumed command of RAF China Bay
Flt Lt	W E Carr	29 May 1940	Relinquished temporary command of RAF China Bay
Flt Lt	W E Carr	12 Jun 1940	Promoted to Sqn Ldr, wef 1 Jun 1940
Sqn Ldr	W E Carr	13 Jun 1940	Appointed Officer Commanding, RAF Detachment, Colombo (Ratmalana)
Flt Lt	Halford	15 Jun 1940	Attached to RAF China Bay from Colombo for short Coastal Co-operation Course
Plt Off	J Chamberlain	15 Jun 1940	Attached to RAF China Bay from Colombo for short Coastal Co-operation Course
Flt Lt	Halford	21 Jun 1940	Ceased to be attached to RAF China Bay from Colombo
Plt Off	J Chamberlain	21 Jun 1940	Ceased to be attached to RAF China Bay from Colombo
Sqn Ldr	W E Carr	28 Jul 1940	Embarked for Singapore with 5 x airmen
Fg Off	P N Sowman	31 Jul 1940	Proceeded from RAF China Bay for Galle to open up Koggala
Sgt	T R Lamb	xx Sep 1940	Pilot/Instrument Maker, promoted to Temp Flt Sgt
Sgt	T Smith	xx Sep 1940	Equipment Assistant, promoted to Temp Flt Sgt
Cpl	S W T Timmins	xx Sep 1940	Clerk/GD, promoted to Temp Sgt
Cpl	R Cowie	xx Sep 1940	Cook & Butcher, promoted to Temp Sgt
Cpl	E A Sleigh	xx Sep 1940	Fitter I, promoted to Temp Sgt
LAC	P J French	xx Sep 1940	Metal Rigger, promoted to Temp Cpl
LAC	J L Browell	xx Sep 1940	Wireless Operator, promoted to Temp Cpl
?	M Scattergood	15 Oct 1940	Arrived and assumed command of FAA personnel
Plt Off	G W Coker	18 Oct 1940	Arrived on posting for duty as Equipment Officer
Fg Off	P N Sowman	31 Oct 1940	Promoted to Flt Lt
Flt Lt	P N Sowman	30 Nov1940	Departed on posting to Singapore, wef 28 Nov 1940
Fg Off	R H James	30 Nov 1940	Promoted to Flt Lt, wef 3 Sep 1940
Fg Off	B B Wilmot	30 Nov 1940	Promoted to Flt Lt, wef 3 Sep 1940
Plt Off	J Chamberlain	30 Nov 1940	Promoted to Fg Off, wef 6 Jul 1940
Flt Lt	C N Young	4 Dec 1940	Medical Officer, invalided to UK following an accident

Source - RAF China Bay/No 273 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1581)

Organisational Movements: Jan - Dec 1940

Date	Notes
1 Jan 1940	The Co-operation Flight had been renamed Station Flight by this date
20 Mar 1940	1 x Seal floatplane converted to landplane resulting in 3 x IE landplanes and 1 x IE floatplane
7 May 1940	Final three Sunderlands departed Galle for Alexandria
1 Jun 1940	Post of Senior Air Force Officer, Ceylon ceased to exist, OC, RAF China Bay becoming responsible for all units and personnel in Ceylon
31 Jul 1940	A small detachment departed RAF China Bay for Galle to open up Koggala
1 Aug 1940	Small party of FAA personnel arrived to take over part of RAF China Bay