Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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May 1923 |
Source - May 1923 Air Force List
This was formed on 1 April 1923 at RAF Base Leuchars for service with HMS Argus, equipped with six Nieuport Nightjars
Date | Location |
1 Apr 1923 | RAF Base Leuchars |
8 May 1923 | HMS Argus |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Nieuport Nightjar | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Leonard H Slatter | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding, OBE, DSC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off | William Jones | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | James V Medcalf | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | John B Lynch | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | 1 Apr 1923 | later A/Cdre | |
Plt Off | John B Wilson | 1 Apr 1923 |
Source - Air Force List July 1923
Date | Location |
26 Jul 1923 | RAF Base Leuchars |
30 Aug 1923 | HMS Argus |
1 Sep 1923 | RAF Base Leuchars |
6 Nov 1923 | HMS Argus |
xx Nov 1923 | RAF Base Leuchars |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Nieuport Nightjar | RAF Base Leuchars | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Leonard H Slatter | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding, OBE, DSC, DFC; later AM |
Fg Off | William Jones | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | James V Medcalf | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | John B Lynch | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | John G Murray | 21 Nov 1923 | later A/Cdre |
Plt Off | John B Wilson | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Plt Off | Guy F Reeves | 9 Jul 1923 |
Source - Air Force List January 1923
It re-equipped with Fairey Flycatchers in February 1924
Date | Location |
10 Feb 1924 | HMS Argus |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Walter E Swann | 7 Mar 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | William Jones | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | James V Medcalf | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | John G Murray | 21 Nov 1923 | later A/Cdre |
Fg Off | John B Wilson | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | Bryan V Reynolds | 18 Mar 1924 | later AM |
Source - Air Force List July 1924
Date | Location |
20 Oct 1924 | RAF Base Leuchars |
xx Nov 1924 | HMS Argus |
20 Nov 1924 | RAF Base Leuchars |
Source - January 1925 Air Force List
Date | Location |
16 Jan 1925 | HMS Argus |
Source - February 1925 Air Force List
Source - March 1925 Air Force List
Source - April 1925 Air Force List
Date | Location |
2 Apr 1925 | RAF Base Leuchars |
29 Apr 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
Source - May 1925 Air Force List
Date | Location |
xx May 1925 | RAF Base Leuchars |
Source - June 1925 Air Force List
Date | Location |
2 Jun 1925 | HMS Argus |
5 Jun 1925 | RAF Base Leuchars |
4 Jul 1925 | HMS Argus |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Walter E Swann | 7 Mar 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | John B Wilson | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | Bryan V Reynolds | 18 Mar 1924 | later AM |
Fg Off | Edward M C Abel-Smith | 21 May 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John D Ainger | 21 May 1925 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1925
Date | Location |
16 Jul 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
20 Aug 1925 | RAF Catterick |
24 Aug 1925 | RAF Base Leuchars |
7 Sep 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
8-9 Sep 1925 | HMS Argus |
22 Oct 1925 | RAF Donibristle |
4 Feb 1926 | HMS Eagle |
19 Feb 1926 | RAF Hal Far |
Jan - Jun 1926 | Detachment on HMS Vindictive |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Walter E Swann | 7 Mar 1924 | Officer Commanding, |
Fg Off | Edward M C Abel-Smith | 21 May 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John D Ainger | 21 May 1925 | Lt, RN |
Source - March 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
12 Jun 1926 | HMS Hermes |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | Hong Kong (Vindictive) | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Fg Off | Maurice A Maude | 8 Feb 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Harry M A Day | 8 Feb 1926 | Lt, RM, AM |
Fg Off | Norman Young | 8 Feb 1926 |
Source - Air Force List July 1926
Date | Location |
11 Sep 1926 | RAF Hal Far |
19 Sep 1926 | HMS Hermes |
14 Oct 1926 | RAF Kai Tak |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | Hong Kong (Vindictive) | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Fg Off | Maurice A Maude | 8 Feb 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Harry M A Day | 8 Feb 1926 | Lt, RM, AM |
Fg Off | Norman Young | 8 Feb 1926 |
Source - December 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
Dec 1926 - Mar 1927 | Detachment on HMS Vindictive |
xx Mar 1927 | RAF Kai Tak |
27 Apr 1927 | HMS Hermes |
5 May 1927 | RAF Kai Tak |
13 Jun 1927 | HMS Hermes |
22 Jun 1927 | RAF Kai Tak |
8 Jul 1927 | HMS Hermes |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | Hong Kong (HMS Tamar) | China Station |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Bruce R Caswell | 26 Jan 1927 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | John B Wilson | 8 Dec 1925 | |
Fg Off | Harry M A Day | 8 Feb 1926 | Lt, RM, AM |
Fg Off | Hon John M Southwell | 26 Jan 1927 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Tom O Bulteel | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Thomas H Villiers | 15 Mar 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | John F M Robertson | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Arthur M Pilling | 27 May 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Kenneth Hunt | 6 Apr 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Norman Young | 8 Feb 1926 |
Source - Air Force List July 1927
Date | Location |
14 Jul 1927 | RAF Kai Tak |
1 Sep 1927 | HMS Hermes |
28 Oct 1927 | RAF Base Gosport |
xx xxx 1928 | HMS Argus |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Bruce R Caswell | 26 Jan 1927 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Tom O Bulteel | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Thomas H Villiers | 15 Mar 1926 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Norman Young | 8 Feb 1926 | |
Fg Off | John B M Wallis | 25 Oct 1927 | Armament duties; later A/Cdre |
Source - Air Force List July 1928
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Bruce R Caswell | 26 Jan 1927 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Tom O Bulteel | 14 Nov 1925 | Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Humphrey W Metcalfe | 25 Jun 1928 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Norman Young | 8 Feb 1926 |
Source - September 1928 Air Force List
Date | Location |
1 Jan 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
10 Jan 1929 | HMS Argus |
6 Apr 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
29 Apr 1929 | HMS Argus |
1 Jun 1929 | RAF Donibristle |
12 Jun 1929 | in transit |
14 Jun 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
8 Jul 1929 | HMS Argus |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | HMS Argus | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | William V Hyde | 9 Aug 1928 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Thomas H Villiers | 15 Mar 1926 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1929
Date | Location |
23 Jul 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
10 Sep 1929 | HMS Argus |
3 Oct 1929 | Novar |
23 Oct 1929 | HMS Argus |
27 Nov 1929 | RAF Base Gosport |
7 Jan 1930 | HMS Argus |
31 Mar 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
2 Jun 1930 | HMS Furious |
17 Jun 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | William V Hyde | 9 Aug 1928 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Roland C Allen | 29 Apr 1930 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | George F Renwick | 15 Nov 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Guy Willoughby | 15 Nov 1929 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Kenneth Hunt | 28 May 1930 | Lt, RN |
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 |
17 Sep 1930 | HMS Courageous |
1 Nov 1930 | RAF Base Gosport |
7 Nov 1930 | HMS Courageous |
17 Nov 1930 - 19 Jan 1931 | RAF Base Gosport (Detachment) |
1 Apr 1931 | RAF Base Gosport |
1 Apr 1931 | RAF Donibristle |
15 May 1931 | HMS Courageous |
6 Jun 1931 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Courageous | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Hugh Ditton | 24 Mar 1931 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Donald G F W Macintyre | 30 Mar 1931 | Lt, RN |
Fg Off | Reginald S Collins | 24 Apr 1931 |
Source - Air Force List July 1931
Date | Location |
29 Sep 1931 | HMS Courageous |
1 Dec 1931 | RAF Base Gosport |
4 Jan 1932 | HMS Courageous |
11 Feb 1932 | RAF Hal Far |
22 Feb 1932 | HMS Courageous |
13 Mar 1932 | RAF Netheravon |
20 Apr 1932 | HMS Furious |
xx xxx 1932 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Fairey Flycatcher | RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious | Coastal Area |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Robert R Graham | 15 Apr 1932 | Officer Commanding, Lt Cdr, RN |
Fg Off | Christopher F Birks | 11 Jun 1932 | |
Fg Off | John H T Boteler | 6 May 1932 | Lt, RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1932
Date | Location |
30 Aug 1932 | HMS Furious |
21 Sep 1932 | in transit |
22 Sep 1932 | No 3 ATC, Sutton Bridge |
4 Oct 1932 | RAF Netheravon |
28 Oct 1932 | RAF Base Gosport |
9 Nov 1932 | RAF Netheravon |
3 Jan 1933 | RAF Base Gosport |
4 Jan 1933 | HMS Furious |
24 Mar 1932 | RAF Netheravon |
It was redesignated No 801 (Fleet Fighter) 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