Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
No 461 (Fleet Torpedo)/(Fleet Torpedo Bomber) Flight
[Jul 1923 | 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 | Jul 1929 | Jul 1930 | Aug 1930 | Sep 1930 | Oct 1930 | Nov 1930 | Dec 1930 | Jul 1931 | Jul 1932]
May 1923 |
Source - May 1923 Air Force List
This was formed on 1 April 1923 at RAF Base Gosport equipped with six Blackburn Darts.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding, DSC; later A/Cdre | |
Flt Lt | Siegfried R Watkins | 1 Apr 1923 | AFC |
Hon Flt Lt | Geoffrey C L Dalley | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg/Obs Off | Thomas A Warne-Browne | 1 Apr 1923 | DSC; later AM |
Fg/Obs Off | William D Gairdner | 1 Apr 1923 | DFC |
Source - Air Force List July 1923
Date | Location |
17 Jul 1923 | RAF Base Leuchars |
xx xxx xxxx | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding, DSC; later A/Cdre | |
Flt Lt | Siegfried R Watkins | 1 Apr 1923 | AFC |
Fg Off | Adrian H Paull | 17 Sep 1923 | |
Fg/Obs Off | William D Gairdner | 1 Apr 1923 | DFC |
Source - Air Force List January 1924
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding, DSC; later A/Cdre | |
Flt Lt | Cecil B Riddle | 19 Feb 1924 | |
Fg Off | Frederick W W Wilson | 1 Feb 1924 | |
Fg Off | Adrian H Paull | 17 Sep 1923 | |
Fg Off | George S Brown | 1 Feb 1924 | |
Fg Off | Richard F Overbury | 1 Feb 1924 | |
Fg Off | Harold S Davidson | 1 Feb 1924 |
Source - Air Force List May 1924
In December 1924 and January 1925 it conducted tests with the Handley Page Hendon.
Source - January 1925 Air Force List
Source - February 1925 Air Force List
Source - March 1925 Air Force List
Source - April 1925 Air Force List
Source - May 1925 Air Force List
Source - June 1925 Air Force List
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding, DSC; later A/Cdre | |
Flt Lt | Cecil B Riddle | 19 Feb 1924 | |
Fg Off | Frederick W W Wilson | 1 Feb 1924 | |
Fg Off | Alexander H J Howlett | 11 Aug 1924 | |
Fg Off | Robert R Graham | 13 Jun 1925 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1925
Date | Location |
6 Nov 1925 | HMS Furious |
xx xxx 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
12 Jan 1926 | HMS Furious |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Cecil B Riddle | 19 Feb 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | Frank E Bond | 15 Sep 1925 | |
Fg Off | William D Gairdner | 4 Sep 1925 | DFC |
Fg Off | Archibald G Elliott | 13 Jul 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Robert R Graham | 13 Jun 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Alan B F Alcock | 30 Jul 1925 | Capt, RM, DSC |
Fg Off | Alfred B Woodhall | 1 Jan 1926 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Ronald J Berry | 17 Nov 1925 | Lt, RM |
Source - March 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
30 Mar 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
11 Jun 1926 | HMS Furious |
15 Jul 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Cecil B Riddle | 19 Feb 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | Frank E Bond | 15 Sep 1925 | |
Fg Off | Archibald G Elliott | 13 Jul 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Robert R Graham | 13 Jun 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Alan B F Alcock | 30 Jul 1925 | Capt, RM, DSC |
Fg Off | Alfred B Woodhall | 1 Jan 1926 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Ronald J Berry | 17 Nov 1925 | Lt, RM |
Source - Air Force List July 1926
Date | Location |
3 Sep 1926 | HMS Furious |
14 Sep 1926 | RAF Base Leuchars |
16 Sep 1926 | HMS Furious |
1 Nov 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Cecil B Riddle | 19 Feb 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | Frank E Bond | 15 Sep 1925 | |
Fg Off | Archibald G Elliott | 13 Jul 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Robert R Graham | 13 Jun 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Alan B F Alcock | 30 Jul 1925 | Capt, RM, DSC |
Fg Off | Alfred B Woodhall | 1 Jan 1926 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Ronald J Berry | 17 Nov 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | George V T Thomson | 3 Sep 1926 | Armament duties |
Source - December 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
14 Jan 1927 | HMS Furious |
28 Mar 1927 | RAF Base Gosport |
17 May 1927 | HMS Furious |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Cecil B Riddle | 19 Feb 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | Robert R Graham | 13 Jun 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Alan B F Alcock | 30 Jul 1925 | Capt, RM, DSC |
Fg Off | Alfred B Woodhall | 1 Jan 1926 | Capt, RM |
Fg Off | Ronald J Berry | 17 Nov 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | John E Vallance | 1 Jun 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | George V T Thomson | 3 Sep 1926 | Armament duties |
Source - Air Force List July 1927
Date | Location |
25 Jul 1927 | RAF Base Gosport |
27 Aug 1927 | HMS Furious |
24 Nov 1927 | RAF Base Gosport |
8 Jan 1928 | HMS Furious |
2 Apr 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
30 Apr 1928 | HMS Furious |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Anthony M Kimmins | 1 Sep 1927 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Vallance | 1 Jun 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Christopher W Phillips | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Burstall | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Plt Off | Reginald J D Brown | 22 Aug 1927 |
Source - Air Force List July 1928
Date | Location |
19 Jul 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
7 Sep 1928 | HMS Furious |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Anthony M Kimmins | 1 Sep 1927 | Officer Commanding, Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Vallance | 1 Jun 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Christopher W Phillips | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Burstall | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Plt Off | Reginald J D Brown | 22 Aug 1927 |
Source - September 1928 Air Force List
Date | Location |
xx Sep 1928 | RAF Base Leuchars |
26 Oct 1928 | HMS Furious |
1 Jan 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
10 Jan 1929 | HMS Furious |
14 Jun 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
Around May 1929 it was redesignated as a Fleet Torpedo Bomber flight.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Dart | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Frederick W H Clarke | 15 Oct 1928 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | John E Vallance | 1 Jun 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Christopher W Phillips | 1 Sep 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Burstall | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Peter Bethell | 18 Feb 1929 | Lt, RN |
Plt Off | Reginald J D Brown | 22 Aug 1927 |
Source - Air Force List July 1929
Date | Location |
4 Sep 1929 | HMS Furious |
17 Oct 1929 | RAF Base Leuchars |
5 Nov 1929 | HMS Furious |
7 Nov 1929 | RAF Base Gosport (Detachment) |
14 Nov 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
13 Jan 1930 | HMS Furious |
29 Mar 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
19 May 1930 | HMS Glorious |
28 May 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
24 Jun 1930 | HMS Glorious |
4 Jul 1930 | RAF Hal Far |
It re-equipped with Blackburn Ripons in December 1929
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Ripon | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Glorious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Archibald G Elliot | 25 Apr 1930 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Miles Cursham | 9 Oct 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Burstall | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Peter Bethell | 18 Feb 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Patrick A Booth | 25 May 1930 | Sub-Lt, RN |
Plt Off | William R Worstall | 25 Nov 1929 | later A/Cdre |
Source - Air Force List July 1930
Source - August 1930 Air Force List
Source - September 1930 Air Force List
Source - October 1930 Air Force List
Source - November 1930 Air Force List
Source - December 1930 Air Force List
Date | Location |
xx Oct 1930 | HMS Glorious |
30 Jan 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Mar 1931 | HMS Glorious |
27 May 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Ripon | RAF Base Malta/HMS Glorious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Archibald G Elliot | 25 Apr 1930 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Godfrey C Dickins | 5 Nov 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John E Burstall | 22 Dec 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Patrick A Booth | 25 May 1930 | Sub-Lt, RN |
Fg Off | William R Worstall | 25 Nov 1929 | later A/Cdre |
Fg Off | Nigel R M Skene | 5 Jun 1931 | Lt, RM |
Source - Air Force List July 1931
Date | Location |
10 Sep 1931 | HMS Glorious |
26 Nov 1931 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Jan 1932 | HMS Glorious |
29 Jan 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
22 Feb 1932 | HMS Glorious |
22 Apr 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
24 May 1932 | HMS Glorious |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Blackburn Ripon | RAF Hal Far/HMS Glorious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Anthony P Colthurst | 8 Nov 1931 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Robert H S Rodger | 29 Apr 1932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Godfrey C Dickins | 5 Nov 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Patrick A Booth | 25 May 1930 | Sub-Lt, RN |
Fg Off | William R Worstall | 25 Nov 1929 | later A/Cdre |
Fg Off | Nigel R M Skene | 5 Jun 1931 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Charles P Wade | 5 Jan 1932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Antony F Hall | 13 May 1`932 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Donald A Cameron | 11 Jun 1932 | Lt, RN |
Plt Off | Robert T Cazalet | 11 Jun 1932 |
Source - Air Force List July 1932
Date | Location |
1 Sep 1932 | HMS Glorious |
16 Sep 1932 | RAF Aboukir (Detachment) |
16 Sep 1932 | RAF Heliopolis (Detachment) |
19 Sep 1932 | RAF Ismailia (Detachment) |
21 Sep 1932 | RAF Abu Sueir (Detachment) |
23 Sep 1932 | RAF Aboukir (Detachment) |
24 Sep 1932 | HMS Glorious |
25 Oct 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
23 Jan - 1 Feb 1933 | HMS Courageous (Detachment) |
13 Feb 1933 | HMS Glorious |
16 Feb 1933 | RAF Hal Far |
27 Feb 1933 | HMS Glorious |
It flew ashore to RAF Aboukir on 16 September 1932 where it formed a composite squadron with Nos 460 and 462 Flights for a tour of RAF stations in Egypt.
From 23 January to 1 February 1933 it formed a composite flight with No 461 Flight for service aboard HMS Courageous.
It was amalgamated with No 462 Flight to form No 812 Squadron on 3 April 1933.
Re-equipment and movement dates are based on those shown in 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' by Ray Sturtivant
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This page was last updated on 08/07/19