Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939-1945 - The Men

List of all Fleet Air Arm
Commanding Officers 1939-1945

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L -
M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W

- X - Y - Z

J Dalyell-Stead RN
Born 1910 Scotland
Rank: Lt (816), Lt Cdr (829)
Honours and Awards: DSO
Died 28.3.1941
Other information
- held temporary command for 6 days of 816 sqdn, prior to the first CO taking up command on HMS Ark Royal and at Hatston.
-joined 829 sqdn as CO after loss of previous commander, Lt Cdr OS Stevinson, in bombing attacks on Brest, 12.10.1940 (829 sqdn).
- joined HMS Formidable for escort duty West Africa and Cape Town, in 11.1940 (829 sqdn)
- involved in search for German Cruiser Admiral Hipper, 11.1940 (829 sqdn)
- led sqdn in attacks on Mogadishu and Massawa, HMS Formidable, 2.1941 (829 sqdn).
-took part in Battle of Matapan, 3.1941
- shot down and killed in successful attack on Italian Battleship Vittorio Veneto, Battle of Matapan, HMS Formidable 28.3.1941.

Commands:

816	Oct 1939	Oct 1939
829	Oct 1940	March 1941	killed 28.3.1941

HSMcN Davenport RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (1943)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- - involved in night operations in the North Sea English Channel, under RAF Coastal Command
-- seniority 16.8.1943 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

819	April 1942	Jan 1943

DA Davies RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC (pre 1945)
Died
Other information
- involved in anti-submarine barracuda operations in the English Channel with RAF Coastal Command
- later with VJ-Day, the squadron no longer followed plans to join the British Pacific Fleet and instead re-equipped with firefly at Woodvale, 9.1945.

Commands:

822	April 1945	End of WW2

DFV Davis RCNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- held temporary command of 1843 Corsair sqdn for 3 weeks, at Eglington, 8-9.1945

Commands:

1843	Sept 1944	Oct 1944

AJ Debenham RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (1935)
Honours and Awards DSC (pre 1941)
Died
Other information
- on taking up command of 824 sqdn joined HMS Eagle in the China Station.
- on the outbreak of war the sqdn moved to Trincomalee for searching enemy shipping in the Indian Ocean
- in May 1940 went with HMS Eagle to the Mediterranean and took part in Malta convoys
- involved in spotting for the Fleet in bombardment of Bardia, and cover for HMS Illustrious to the Eastern Mediterranean, 8.1940
- led atack on Maritza airfield, Rhodes, 4.9.1940
- some sqdn members took part in the Taranto raid 11.11.1940, and later in month led the sqdn to attack Tripoli docks.
- involved in attacks on Italian destroyers off Massawa, Eritrea, the sqdn sinking 2 and driving 2 ashore, 3.4.1941
- involved in bombing German U-boat supply ship Elbe during search for German battleship Bismarck in the Atlantic Ocean, 6. 6.1941
- involved in forcing German tanker Lothringen to surrender 15.6.1941
- Seniority 10.1935 (Lt Cdr)
- WSR Cdr

Commands:

824	June 1939	Aug 1941

G Dennison RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- led extensive sorties of the squadron during the landings in France, HMS Khedive 8.1944
- carried out attacks on shipping in Crete and Rhodes, HMS Khedive, 9.1944
- saw service on HMS Chaser in 1945 to Ceylon, Schofields, Australia. This squadron went on to later form the basis of the Australian Fleet Air Arm.
- in September 1945 joined 887 sqdn at Schofield and then joined HMS Indefatigable returning to UK in 1946.
- first Air Group Commander of 52nd Training Air Group, 8.1946
- seniority 2.1951 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

899	Nov 1944	End of WW2
887	27 Sept 1945	+

SL Devonald RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DFC (1944/pre April 1945)
Died
Other information
- joined the 3rd naval figther wing at lee-on-solent , taking part in air cover during the d-day normandy invasion period, as part of the no 34 reconnaissance wing, 2nd tactical air force, 6.1944
- took up command of 1846 sqdn, on hms colussus in the far east.
- joined 14th carrier air group, but the sqdn saw no further action 6-8.1945

Commands:

885	Feb 1944	Nov 1944
1846	April 1945	End of WW2

H De Wit RNethN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- participated in the recapture of Rangoon, HMS Emperor 5.1945
- led attacks on shipping and shore targets off Tenasserim Coast, 1945

Commands:

800	May 1945	Dec 1945

S Dixon-Child RNVR
Born
Rank: Sub Lt (A)(1941), Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took part in the attack against German battleship Bismarck, 26.5.1941 (HMS Ark Royal)
- commanded the first commissioning of 1792 firefly sqdn at Lee-on-Solent but the sqdn saw no action before VJ-Day

Commands:

1792	May 1945	End of WW2

G Douglas RNR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- commanded 823 sqdn, re-equiping with the new barracuda in June 1943,
- as its second Wing Leader formed the 45th Naval TBR Wing, 12.1943 due for duties in HMS Atheling to the Far East.

Commands:

823	March 1943	Dec 1943
45th Naval TBR Wing (822, 823 sqdn)	Dec 1943	Jan 1944

GM Duncan RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took up command of 821 sqdn on HMS Ark Royal in the Mediterranean
- shortly after the outbreak of war, the sqdn attacked the German U-39 in the North Western Approaches

Commands:

821	May 1939	Sept 1939

JH Dundas RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards DSC (pre 1943)
Died
Other information
- officially took up the first command of 850 sqdn at Quonset point in USA but the sqdn was immediately disbanded.
- OBE
- seniority 6.194 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

850	Jan 1943	Jan 1943	disbanded

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