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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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No 401 (RCAF) Sqn Personnel, aircraft and locations
[1941 | ]
Personnel Movements: Mar - Dec 1941
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| March | |||
| Flt Lt | Blaiklock | 1 Mar 1941 | Returned from Intelligence Officers' Course |
| Flt Lt | Trevena | 3 Mar 1941 | Posted to No 403 Sqn |
| Capt | Montgomery CDC | 7 Mar 1941 | Attached for temporary duty |
| LAC | Walker | 7 Mar 1941 | Admitted to SSQ with shock following an air raid on the station |
| Capt | Boyaner | 8 Mar 1941 | Departed on posting |
| Fg Off | Porter | 8 Mar 1941 | Arrived on posting for duty as Medical Officer |
| Fg Off | F W Hillock | 20 Mar 1941 | Promoted to Temp Flt Lt |
| Fg Off | Briese | 20 Mar 1941 | Promoted to Temp Flt Lt |
| Fg Off | C P Henderson | 25 Mar 1941 | Killed in a flying accident |
| April | |||
| Sqn Ldr | P B Pitcher | 6 Apr 1941 | Returned to duty after two months absence due to illness |
| Flt Lt | Briese | 7 Apr 1941 | Departed on repatriation to Canada |
| Ply Off | Brown | 7 Apr 1941 | Promoted to Act Fg Off |
| Fg Off | Porter | 9 Apr 1941 | Medical Officer, proceeded on Advanced Medical Course |
| Plt Off | T K Coupland | 16 Apr 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | A E Harley | 16 Apr 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | J G Torney | 16 Apr 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | N H Bretz | 16 Apr 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | H C Godefrey | 16 Apr 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| May | |||
| Flt Lt | A D Nesbitt | xx May 1941 | Promoted to Sqn Ldr and assumed command of No 401 Sqn |
| June | |||
| Flt Lt | F W Hillock | 6 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 406 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | I D Watson | 6 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 404 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | S L Thompson | 9 Jun 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | B F Whitson | 9 Jun 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | G W Northcott | 9 Jun 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Flt Lt | P B Pitcher | 6 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 411 Sqn |
| Fg Off | Mitchell | 16 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 406 Sqn |
| Fg Off | Fumerton | 16 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 406 Sqn |
| Fg Off | Biggs | 21 Jun 1941 | Departed on repatriation to Canada |
| Plt Off | Brets | 21 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 402 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | J J V Howard | 24 Jun 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 58 OTU |
| Fg Off | K A Boomer | 26 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 411 Sqn |
| Fg Off | R C Weston | 26 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 411 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | J J V Howard | 26 Jun 1941 | Posted to No 411 Sqn |
| Fg Off | J B McColl | 28 Jun 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| July | |||
| Fg Off | Hanbury | 2 Jul 1941 | Posted to No 409 Sqn |
| Fg Off | Watson | 2 Jul 1941 | Posted to No 409 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | Whitney | 12 Jul 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | Levesque | 12 Jul 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sqn Ldr | Norris | 30 Jul 1941 | Posted to AHQ, RAF Digby |
| Fg Off | Carpenter | 30 Jul 1941 | Posted to No 411 Sqn |
| August | |||
| Flt Lt | Musgrave | 1 Aug 1941 | Posted to SHQ, RAF Digby |
| Plt Off | Ormiston | 5 Aug 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | T K Coupland | 7 Aug 1941 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | V L Bowman | 12 Aug 1941 | Posted to MFSU, wef 9 Aug 1941 |
| Plt Off | Kelly | 12 Aug 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | C R Golden | 12 Aug 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | B G Hodgkinson | 12 Aug 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sqn Ldr | A D Nesbitt | 28 Aug 1941 | Relinquished command of No 401 Sqn on posting to RCAF HQ |
| Flt Lt | H R Johnstone | 28 Aug 1941 | Assumed command of No 401 Sqn |
| September | |||
| Plt Off | R J Crott | 1 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Flt Lt | H R Johnstone | 7 Sep 1941 | Promoted to Act Sqn Ldr |
| Fg Off | Connell | 7 Sep 1941 | Promoted to Act Flt Lt |
| Plt Off | C W Floody | 16 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | R T Hutchinson | 16 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | J W Fiander | 16 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | J K Ferguson | 16 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | C P Collins | 23 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | R W Gardner | 23 Sep 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Flt Lt | Shore | 27 Sep 1941 | Arrived on attachment |
| October | |||
| Sgt Plt | B F Whitson | 21 Oct 1941 | Failed to return from a sortie, later reported to be a POW |
| Plt Off | C A B Wallce | 27 Oct 1941 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | J A Small | 27 Oct 1941 | Killed in action |
| Plt Off | C W Floody | 27 Oct 1941 | Failed to return from a sortie, later reported to be a POW |
| Sgt Plt | S L Thompson | 27 Oct 1941 | Killed in action |
| Sgt Plt | B G Hodgkinson | 27 Oct 1941 | Failed to return from a sortie, later reported to be a POW |
| Plt Off | I F Gilbert | 28 Oct 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Plt Off | J M Blakeslee | 28 Oct 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | Ferguson | 29 Oct 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | Hagyard | 29 Oct 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| Sgt Plt | McDonald | 30 Oct 1941 | Arrived on posting |
| November | |||
| Flt Lt | J Sinclair | 7 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary to gain Administrative experience |
| Fg Off | J G Weir | 8 Nov 1941 | Failed to return from a sortie, later reported to be a POW |
| Sgt Plt | R W Gardner | 8 Nov 1941 | Killed in action |
| Sgt Plt | J R Patton | 11 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 128 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | D Harrison | 11 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 128 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | J D Harrison | 12 Nov 1941 | Posted to No 412 Sqn to command |
| Fg Off | J B McColl | 12 Nov 1941 | Posted to No 403 Sqn as a Flight Commander |
| Fg Off | E L Neal | 12 Nov 1941 | Promoted to Act Flt Lt and assumed command of 'A' Flight |
| Plt Off | A E Harley | 16 Nov 1941 | Admitted to hospital and posted as N/E sick to SHQ RAF Biggin Hill |
| Sgt Plt | C R Golden | 21 Nov 1941 | Admitted to hospital following a flying accident and posted N/E sick |
| Fg Off | H A Sprague | 22 Nov 1941 | Failed to return from a sortie, later reported to be a POW |
| Plt Off | R T Hutchinson | 23 Nov 1941 | Admitted to hospital and posted as N/E sick |
| Plt Off | M J Merritt | 25 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from HQ, No 11 Group |
| Sgt Plt | S C Cosburn | 25 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from HQ, No 11 Group |
| Sgt Plt | R A Matthews | 25 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from HQ, No 11 Group |
| Sgt Plt | G F Clarke | 25 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 55 OTU |
| Sgt Plt | W E L Rowthorn | 25 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 55 OTU |
| Sgt Plt | C S G Dellancrede | 25 Nov 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 55 OTU |
| Sgt Plt | R J Martin | 26 Nov 1941 | Posted to No 116 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | R H Prebble | 26 Nov 1941 | Posted to No 116 Sqn |
| December | |||
| Sgt Plt | J Whitham | 1 Dec 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 66 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | C S Hope | 1 Dec 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 135 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | R W Denison | 2 Dec 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 130 Sqn |
| Sgt Plt | F A Duff | 2 Dec 1941 | Arrived on posting from No 19 Sqn |
| Plt Off | I F Gilbert | 13 Dec 1941 | Posted to SHQ, RAF Biggin Hill, pending posting overseas |
| Sgt Plt | R A Matthews | 13 Dec 1941 | Posted to SHQ, RAF Biggin Hill, pending posting overseas |
| Sgt Plt | J R Patton | 15 Dec 1941 | Appointed to a commission in the RCAF in the rank of Plt Off |
| Sgt Plt | J W Fiander | 18 Dec 1941 | Reposted to the squadron from N/E sick |
Source - No 401 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1771)
Organisational Movements: Mar - Dec 1941
| Date | Notes |
| March | |
| 1 Mar 1941 | No 400 Squadron RCAF on moving to Digby by redesignating No 1 Canadian Squadron, equipped with Hurricane Is: - |
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| April | |
| 25 Apr 1941 | 4 x new Hurricane IIAs were received |
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| May | |
| 3 May 1941 | 10 x new Hurricane IIAs were received |
| 11 May 1941 | 3 x Hurricanes Is were ferried to RAF Sutton Bridge |
| 13 May 1941 | 4 x Hurricanes Is were ferried to RAF Sutton Bridge |
| 22 May 1941 | The squadron moved to the satellite airfield, WC1, at Wellingore |
| June | |
| No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB | |
| July | |
| No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB | |
| August | |
| No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB | |
| September | |
| 1 Sep 1941 | Squadron pilots commenced practice flights on Spitfires |
| 7 Sep 1941 | The squadron received its first three Spitfire IIAs |
 |
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| 11 Sep 1941 | More Spitfire IIAs arrived |
| 28 Sep 1941 | A detachment (9 x aircraft) departed Wellingore
for RAF Edgehill but diverted due to bad weather Ground element of detachment departed Wellingore for RAF Edgehill by road and air |
| 29 Sep 1941 | The diverted aircraft arrived at RAF Edgehill |
| 30 Sep 1941 | The detachment at Edgehill moved to RAF Thruxton |
| October | |
| 5 Oct 1941 | The detachment departed RAF Thruxton on its return to RAF Wellingore |
| xx Oct 1941 | Squadron began receiving Spitfire VBs |
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| 20 Oct 1941 | The squadron moved from RAF Wellingore to RAF Biggin Hill |
| November | |
| No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB | |
| December | |
| No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB | |
Source - No 401 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1771)
This entry was last updated on 28/08/25
