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No 420 (Fleet Spotter) 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]

May 1923 |

May 1923

Source - May 1923 Air Force List

This was formed on 1 April 1923 from No 3 Squadron at Fort Rowner, Gosport, equipped with three Westland Walruses.

Date Location
 1 Apr 1923 RAF Base Gosport
 6 May 1923 Chickerell
 7 Jul 1923 RAF Base Gosport

July 1923

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Westland Walrus RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt John W B Grigson 16 Apr 1923 Officer Commanding, DSO, DFC; later A/Cdre
Flt Lt Kenneth C Tilman  1 Apr 1923  
Fg Off Colin P Brown  1 Apr 1923 DFC; later AVM
Fg Off Thomas M Williams  1 Apr 1923 MC, DFC; later AM
Fg/Obs Off Ernest Smith  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off John S Charlton  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off Arthur F Scroggs  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off John S Newall  1 Apr 1923  
Plt Off Ronald H Carter  1 Apr 1923  

Source - Air Force List July 1923

Date Location
 6 Sep 1923 Chickerell

January 1924

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Westland Walrus RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Gerald M Bryer 21 Nov 1923 Officer Commanding, AFC
Fg Off Harold A Argles 21 Nov 1923  
Fg Off Horace S C Bassett 21 Nov 1923  
Attached from Royal Navy
Lt Cdr Geoffrey C E Hampden  1 Aug 1923  

Source - Air Force List January 1924

May 1924

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Westland Walrus RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Gerald M Bryer 21 Nov 1923 Officer Commanding, AFC
Fg Off Christopher T Walkington  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Fg Off Arthur E Beilby  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Lionel H Brooke  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Herbert T Herring  1 Apr 1924  
Plt Off George R M Clifford  1 Apr 1924  
Attached from Royal Navy
Lt Cdr Geoffrey C E Hampden  1 Aug 1923  

Source - Air Force List May 1924

It began to receive the Blackburn Blackburn I in January 1925 with the Walruses being withdrawn in April.

January 1925

Source - January 1925 Air Force List

February 1925

Source - February 1925 Air Force List

March 1925

Source - March 1925 Air Force List

April 1925

Source - April 1925 Air Force List

May 1925

Source - May 1925 Air Force List

June 1925

Source - June 1925 Air Force List

July 1925

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn I RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Hon Flt Lt Herbert T Herring  1 Apr 1924  
Fg Off Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Obs Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  

Source - Air Force List July 1925

Date Location
23 Sep 1925 HMS Furious
15 Oct 1925 RAF Base Gosport
 6 Nov 1925 HMS Furious
 9 Nov 1925 RAF Base Gosport
12 Jan 1926 HMS Furious

The Blackburn Is were withdrawn in December 1925 and replaced by Blackburn IIs

March 1926

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Flt Lt Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off George F N Bradford 13 Oct 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Henry E Guerrier  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Obs Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane  15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN

Source - March 1926 Air Force List

Date Location
30 Mar 1926 RAF Base Gosport
12 Jun 1926 HMS Furious

July 1926

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Flt Lt Graham C Bladon  1 Apr 1924 later A/Cdre
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off George F N Bradford 13 Oct 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Henry E Guerrier  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Obs Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN

Source - Air Force List July 1926

Date Location
15 Jul 1926 RAF Base Gosport
 3 Sep 1926 HMS Furious
 1 Nov 1925 RAF Base Gosport

December 1926

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN

Source - December 1926 Air Force List

Date Location
14 Jan 1927 HMS Furious
28 Mar 1927 RAF Base Gosport

July 1927

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport Coastal Area/No 10 Group

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Henry G R Malet 17 Apr 1924 Officer Commanding,
Fg Off Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off James R Pocock 15 Aug 1924  
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN

Source - Air Force List July 1927

Date Location
11-25 Jul 1927 RAF Base Gosport (Detachment)
25 Jul 1927 RAF Base Gosport
27 Aug 1927 HMS Furious
27 Nov 1927 RAF Base Gosport
 8 Jan 1928 HMS Furious
 4 Apr 1928 RAF Base Gosport
30 Apr 1928 HMS Furious

July 1928

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious Coastal Area

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Edward J S Knocker  2 Jul 1925 Officer Commanding, Lt, RN
Fg Off Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off John E W Bowles 22 Aug 1927  

Source - Air Force List July 1928

Date Location
19 Jul 1928 RAF Base Gosport
 7 Sep 1928 HMS Furious

September 1928

Aircraft operated Shore Station/Ship Command/Group
Blackburn Blackburn II RAF Base Gosport/HMS Furious Coastal Area

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt Matthew S Slattery  2 Jul 1925 Officer Commanding, Lt, RN
Fg Off Edgar W E Lane 15 Dec 1925 Lt, RN
Fg Off Geoffrey R F T Cooper 18 Oct 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off Alan Brock 17 Aug 1926 Lt, RN
Fg Off John E W Bowles 22 Aug 1927  

Source - September 1928 Air Force List

 
Date Location
 3 Oct 1928 Novar
25 Oct 1928 RAF Donibristle
 1 Nov 1928 HMS Furious
26 Nov 1928 RAF Base Gosport
10 Jan 1929 HMS Furious
 6 Apr 1929 RAF Base Gosport

It was redesignated No 449 (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

[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]

This page was last updated on 17/10/23

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