Fleet Air Arm Service Records:

FLEET AIR ARM

FLAG OFFICER INDEX

Commemorating in 2000 the 60th Anniversary of Operation Judgement, night air strike on the Italian fleet and harbour at Taranto 11 November 1940

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FLAG OFFICERS HOME AIR COMMAND 

Flag Officer Home Air Command
This position commenced in May 1939 and was first held by RA Bell-Davies. The position is now entitled Flag Officer Naval Aviation.

RA Bell Davies VC CB DSO AFC                                   24 May 1939 - Sept 1941
RA C Moody CB                                                               30 Sept 1941 - May 1943
RA CV Robinson CB                                                         12 May 1943 - Jan 1945
RA Sir Cloudesley Robinson KCB                                  1 Jan 1945 - June 1945
VA Sir Dennis Boyd KCB CBE DSC                               1 June 1945 - April 1946

Rear Admiral/Vice Admiral Aircraft Carriers
This position was first held in 1931 by RA RGH Henderson CB. In September 1940 the post was renamed Flag Officer Mediterranean Aircraft Carriers and in February 1942 Read Admiral Eastern Fleet Aircraft carriers. In July 1942 the post was transferred to Flag Officer Home Fleet Aircraft Carriers and was transferred to Eastern Fleet Aircraft Carriers in December 1943.

VA LV Wells CB DSO                                                     31 July 1939 - July 1940
RA ALStG Lyster CVO DSO                                          19 July 1940 - Sept 1940
Flag Officer Mediterranean Aircraft Carriers
RA ALStG Lyster CVO DSO                                          1 Sept 1940 - Feb 1941
RA DW Boyd CBE DSC                                                 18 Feb 1941 -Feb 1942
Flag Officer Eastern Fleet Aircraft Carriers
Flag Officer Home Fleet Aircraft Carriers
RA ALStG Lyster CB CBE CVO DSO                           11 July 1942 - Oct 1942
VA ALStG Lyster CB CBE CVO DSO                           29 Oct 1942 - May 1943
RA C Moody CB                                                              21 May 1943 - Dec 1943
Eastern Fleet Aircraft Carriers

FLAG OFFICERS ESCORT CARRIERS

Rear Admiral Escort Carriers
This position was first held in 1943 by RA AWLaT Bisset.

RA AWLaT Bisset                                                        28 Oct 1943 - July 1944
Cdre GN Oliver CB DSO**                                           July 1944 - Feb 1945 
21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron Eastern Fleet
Cdre GN Oliver CB DSO**                                           23 Feb 1945 - July 1945 
RA GN Oliver CB DSO**                                             July 1945 - Dec 1945 

FLAG OFFICERS FORCE H MEDITERRANEAN

Flag Officer Force H
RA EN Syfret CB (Acting VA)                                    10 Jan 1942 - Sept 1942
VA Sir Neville Syfret KCB                                            8 Sept 1942 - Feb 1943
VA AU Willis CB DSO                                                 24 Feb 1943 - June 1943 
VA Sir Algernon Willis KCB DSO                              2 June 1943 

Flag Officer Force V - Salerno
RA PL Vian DSO                                                           Sept 1942

Naval Commander Operation Torch
Cdre TH Troubridge DSO                                           Nov 1942

FLAG OFFICERS EASTERN FLEET AND BRITISH PACIFIC FLEET 

Rear Admiral Eastern Fleet Aircraft Carriers
This position was first held in 1942 by RA DW Boyd. The title was renmaed Flaag Officer (Air) East Indies in December 1944. The post as Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet was finally dis-established on withdrawal from the Far East in 1971.

RA DW Boyd CBE DSC                                                 Feb 1942 - Dec 1943
RA C Moody CB                                                             1 Dec 1943 - Dec 1945

Flag Officer Naval Aircraft Carriers British Pacific Fleet
This position was first held in 1944 by RA Sir Philip Vian. The post became the 1st Aircraft Carrier squadron - British Pacific Fleet in February 1945, and was sub-sumed by the FLag Officer Air Far East in 1947.

RA Sir Philip Vian KCB KBE DSO**                        15 Nov 1944 - Feb 1945

1st Aircraft Carrier squadron - British Pacific Fleet
RA Sir Philip Vian KCB KBE DSO**                        Feb 1945 - May 1945
VA Sir Philip Vian KCB KBE DSO**                        8 May 1945 - May 1946

11th Aircraft Carrier squadron - British Pacific Fleet
RA CJJH Harcourt CB CBE                                         March - Sept 1945

30th Aircraft Carrier squadron
Cdre WP Carne                                                              March - Sept 1945

FLAG OFFICERS NAVAL AIR STATION 

Flag Officer Naval Air Stations Indian Ocean
This position was first held in 1943 by RA HC Rawlings. The post was finally disestablished in 1945.

RA HC Rawlings                                                            30 April 1943 - Dec 1945

Flag Officer Naval Air Stations Australia and Pacific 
This position was first held in 1944 by RA RH Portal. The post was finally dis-established in 1947.

RA RH Portal DSC                                                       1944 - 1947

FLAG OFFICERS CARRIER TRAINING 

Flag Officer Carrier Training and Administration 
This position was first held in 1943 by VA ALStG Lyster CB CBE CVO DSO. The post as Flag Officer Naval Flying Training was finally dis-established in 1971.

VA ALStG Lyster CB CBE CVO DSO                         27 April 1943 - June 1945
VA ALStG Lyster KCB CBE CVO DSO                      2 June 1945 - Sept 1945
RA LD MacIntosh DSO DSC                                       19 Sept 1945 - June 1946

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Created: 3-04-2001, Last Modified 3-04-2005

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