Air
of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 420
(Fleet Spotter) Flight
[Jan 1924 | 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]
This was formed on 21 November 1923 at RAF Base Gosport from No
420 Flight, taking over the latter's Westland Walruses and Avro Bison Is, but
by July the Walruses had been withdrawn from use.
Date |
Location |
21 Nov 1923 |
RAF Base Gosport |
January 1924
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison I |
HMS Argus/RAF Base Gosport |
Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
John W B Grigson |
21 Nov 1923 |
Officer Commanding, DSO, DFC; later A/Cdre |
Fg Off |
Thomas M Williams |
21 Nov 1923 |
MC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off |
Harry N V le V Noel |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Plt Off |
William L Payne |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Fg Off |
Arthur F Scroggs |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Fg Off |
Charles H Brill |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Fg Off |
Lawrence P Hirsh |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Plt Off |
John S Newall |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Attached from
Royal Navy |
Lt Cdr |
Theodore K Emsley |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt Cdr |
Eric W Woodruff |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt |
Henry J Johnstone |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt |
Horace T T Bayliss |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Source - Air Force List January 1924
Date |
Location |
12 Apr - 2 Jun 1924 |
Novar (Detachment) |
16 May 1924 |
HMS Argus |
May 1924
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison I |
HMS Argus/RAF Base Gosport |
Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Cyril F Brewerton |
17 Jan 1924 |
Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off |
Thomas M Williams |
21 Nov 1923 |
MC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off |
Eric Brewerton |
17 Jan 1924 |
|
Fg Off |
Harry N V le V Noel |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Plt Off |
William L Payne |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Plt Off |
Arthur F Scroggs |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Plt Off |
John S Newall |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Attached from
Royal Navy |
Lt Cdr |
Theodore K Emsley |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt Cdr |
Eric W Woodruff |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt |
Henry J Johnstone |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt |
Horace T T Bayliss |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Source - Air Force List May 1924
Date |
Location |
20 Nov 1924 |
RAF Base Gosport |
January 1925
Source - January 1925 Air Force
List
Date |
Location |
16 Jan 1925 |
HMS Argus |
February 1925
Source - February 1925 Air Force
List
March 1925
Source - March 1925 Air Force
List
April 1925
Source - April 1925 Air Force
List
Date |
Location |
4 Apr 1925 |
RAF Base Gosport |
The Bison Is were replaced by Bison IIs in April 1925.
May 1925
Source - May 1925 Air Force
List
Date |
Location |
15 May 1925 |
HMS Argus |
June 1925
Source - June 1925 Air Force
List
July 1925
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Argus/RAF Base Gosport |
Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Cyril F Brewerton |
17 Jan 1924 |
Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off |
Harry N V le V Noel |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Fg Off |
William L Payne |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Fg Off |
Patrick J A Hume-Wright |
2 Dec 1924 |
|
Fg Off |
John S Newall |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Naval Observer
Officers employed with unit |
Lt Cdr |
Eric W Woodruff |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Lt |
Bonham de L Faunce |
15 Nov 1924 |
|
Lt |
Robert L Wight |
15 Nov 1924 |
|
Source - Air Force List July 1925
Date |
Location |
31 Aug - 11 Sep 1925 |
RAF Base Gosport (Detachment) |
9 Sep - 22 Oct 1925 |
HMS Argus (Detachment) |
22 Oct 1925 |
Donibristle (Detachment) |
17 Sep 1925 |
Novar |
xx Oct 1925 |
RAF Base Gosport |
4 Feb 1926 |
HMS Eagle |
17 Feb 1926 |
RAF Hal Far |
March
1926
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Hermes/RAF Base Malta |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Cyril F Brewerton |
17 Jan 1924 |
Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off |
Patrick J A Hume-Wright |
2 Dec 1924 |
|
Fg Off |
Berthold W Knowles |
25 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Sidney T Morgan |
5 Sep 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Hugh N Lay |
19 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Sydney C Woolley |
30 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
John S Newall |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Naval Observer
Officer employed with unit |
Lt |
Bonham de L Faunce |
15 Nov 1924 |
|
Source - March 1926 Air Force
List
Date |
Location |
17 Jun 1926 |
HMS Hermes |
July 1926
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Hermes/RAF Base Malta |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Cyril F Brewerton |
17 Jan 1924 |
Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off |
Patrick J A Hume-Wright |
2 Dec 1924 |
|
Fg Off |
Berthold W Knowles |
25 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Sidney T Morgan |
5 Sep 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Hugh N Lay |
19 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Sydney C Woolley |
30 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
John S Newall |
21 Nov 1923 |
|
Naval Observer
Officer employed with unit |
Lt Cdr |
Cecil L Howe |
|
|
Lt |
Alexander G Rodger |
|
|
Source - Air Force List July 1926
Date |
Location |
11 Sep 1926 |
RAF Hal Far |
December
1926
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Hermes/RAF Base Malta |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Cyril F Brewerton |
17 Jan 1924 |
Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off |
Eric D Cummings |
1 Oct 1925 |
Armament duties |
Fg Off |
Berthold W Knowles |
25 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Sidney T Morgan |
5 Sep 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Sydney C Woolley |
30 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Andrew N Grey |
10 Apr 1926 |
Lt, RN |
Naval Observer
Officer employed with unit |
Lt |
Bonham de L Faunce |
15 Nov 1924 |
|
Source - December 1926 Air Force
List
Date |
Location |
22 Feb 1927 |
HMS Eagle |
7 Apr 1927 |
RAF Hal Far |
4 May 1927 |
HMS Eagle |
6 May 1927 |
RAF Hal Far |
24 Jun 1927 |
HMS Eagle |
July 1927
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Eagle/RAF Base Malta |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Thomas M Williams |
21 Jan 1927 |
Officer Commanding, MC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off |
Eric D Cummings |
1 Oct 1925 |
Armament duties |
Fg Off |
Berthold W Knowles |
25 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Sidney T Morgan |
5 Sep 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Sydney C Woolley |
30 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Andrew N Grey |
10 Apr 1926 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Wilmot S Lea |
15 Feb 1927 |
Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1927
Date |
Location |
18 - 31 Aug 1927 |
RAF Hal Far (Detachment) |
31 Aug - 25 Oct 1927 |
RAF Hal Far (Detachment) |
25 Oct 1927 |
RAF Hal Far |
16 Jan 1928 |
HMS Eagle |
2 Feb 1928 |
RAF Hal Far |
7 Mar 1928 |
HMS Eagle |
24 Apr - 1 May 1928 |
RAF Hal Far (Detachment) |
1 May 1928 |
RAF Hal Far |
23 May 1928 |
HMS Eagle |
25 May 1928 |
RAF Hal Far |
19 Jun 1928 |
HMS Eagle |
July 1928
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Eagle/RAF Base Malta |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Thomas M Williams |
21 Jan 1927 |
Officer Commanding, MC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off |
Berthold W Knowles |
25 Jul 1925 |
Lt, RM |
Fg Off |
Sidney T Morgan |
5 Sep 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Andrew N Grey |
10 Apr 1926 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Wilmot S Lea |
15 Feb 1927 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Anthony C G Ermen |
18 Feb 1928 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Douglas J Harrison |
17 Mar 1928 |
|
Source - Air Force List July 1928
Date |
Location |
24 Aug - 7 Sep 1928 |
RAF Hal Far (Detachment) |
11 Sep 1928 |
Alexandria |
September
1928
Aircraft operated |
Shore Station/Ship |
Command/Group |
Avro Bison II |
HMS Eagle/RAF Base Malta |
RAF Mediterranean |
Rank |
Name |
Date |
Notes |
Flt Lt |
Thomas M Williams |
21 Jan 1927 |
Officer Commanding, MC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off |
Sidney T Morgan |
5 Sep 1925 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Wilmot S Lea |
15 Feb 1927 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Anthony C G Ermen |
18 Feb 1928 |
Lt, RN |
Fg Off |
Douglas J Harrison |
17 Mar 1928 |
|
Source - September 1928 Air Force
List
Date |
Location |
20 Sep 1928 |
HMS Eagle |
30 Oct 1928 |
RAF Hal Far |
12 Dec 1928 |
HMS Eagle |
14 Dec 1928 |
RAF Hal Far |
10 Jan 1929 |
HMS Eagle |
1 Feb 1929 |
RAF Hal Far |
15 Mar 1929 |
HMS Eagle |
5 Apr 1929 |
RAF Base Gosport |
The Bisons were replaced by Fairey IIFs in March 1929 but the
Flight was redesignated No 448 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight on 26 April
1929.
Re-equipment and movement
dates are based on those shown in 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' by Ray
Sturtivant
[Jan 1924 | 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]
This page was last updated on
08/07/19
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