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

 


 

HH Gardner RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (1938) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- first co of 816 swordfish sqdn onboard HMS Furious 
- involed in convoys to Canada, 10.1939 
- took part in the Norwegian campaign, 4.1940 
- led the first airborne torpedo attack of the war, 4.1940 
- seniority 1.12.1938 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

816

Oct 1939

May 1940 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

RE Gardner RNVR
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards DSC (7.1941), OBE (6.1945), Battle of Britain clasp 
Died 
Other information 
- Air ace with 6 destroyed enemy aircraft, 4 shared destroyed and 1 probable.
- loaned to RAF Fighter Command after Dunkirk, to 242 sqdn, 7.1940 (till 11.1940)
- claimed 4 destroyed aircraft and 1 shared victory with 242 sqdn RAF during Battle of Britain.
- escorted HMS Ark Royal and Tiger convoy through the Mediterranean to Egypt, 5.1941 (807 sqdn), awarded DSC
- commanded School of Naval Air Warfare, St Merryn, 11.1944.
- seniority 3.1946 (Cdr)

See biography in "Aces High" and in "Men of  the Battle of Britain" 

Commands:

889

July 1942

Feb 1943

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

A McD Garland RNVR
Born 1911 England 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)(1944) 
Honours and Awards: DSC (1945) 
Died 
Other information 
- first co of 1842 corsair sqdn at Brunswick. 
- killed 16.4.1945 HMS Formidable (1842 sqdn) 

Commands:

1842

April 1944

April 1945

 Killed 18.4.1945

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

JN Garnett RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards DSC (1942) 
Died 
Other information 
- first CO of 885 sea gladiator sqdn operating from Dekheila 
took over command of 806 hurricane sqdn at Ramat David in the Mediterranean after HMS Formidable had been damaged by enemy bombing 
- took part in Western Desert operations as part of the RN Fighter sqdn from Sidi Haneish, LG.123, Maddalena and El Gubbi. 
- operations in the Indian Ocean with HMS Indomitable and at Port Reitz 
- seniority 6.1945 (Cdr)

Commands:

885

March 1941

May  1941

 disbanded

806

June 1941

1942

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

MB Gerrish RNVR 
Born 
Rank: Lt (A) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- temporary acting commanding officer for 1851 corsair sqdn onboard HMS Venerable in Southern India, where it became part of the 15th Carrier Air Group 
- based at Schofields, up to 2 days before VJ-Day 8.1945. 

Commands:

1851 (acting)

May 1945

June 1945

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

KH Gibney RN
Born Eire
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards DSO?, DSC (1942) 
Died 
Other information 
- involved in operations in the Western Desert, 1942 
- senior observer 827 sqdn, 1943 
- in leading strike against the German battleship Tirpitz, operation Tungsten, 3.4.1944 (827 sqdn) 

Commands:

827

Oct 1943

June 1944

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

DCEF Gibson RN
Born 1916 British 
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards: DSC (1941) 
Died 
Other information 
- British India SN Co. and Midshipman, RNR, 1933-1937
- transferred RN, 1937
- FAA pilot training, 1938
- served HMS Glorious, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Formidable, HMS Audacity. 
- in June 1941  moved to Palestine for shore based ops against Syria, 6.1942
operating in the Western Desert, the sqdn became part of the RN fighter sqdn 
- trained FAA pilots in the USA
- Air Group Commander 17th CAG, 1948
- Director HMS Belfast Trust, 1971-1972
- KCB (1968), CB (1965), JP 
- seniority 9.1967 (Vice Admiral) 

See biography in "Who's Who" 

Commands:

803

July 1941

April 1942

 

802

Nov 1941

Dec 1941

 

802

Feb 1942

April 1942

 

 


 

PD Gick RN
Born 1913 British 
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards DSC & Bar (1942) 
Died 
Other information 
- qualified as pilot 1936.
- took part in night operations in the Western Desert, 1941-1942 
- CO of 815 sqdn when U-652 was sunk by the sqdn, 2.6.1942 
- CO of 736 sqdn whose aircrew were traning for units in the 11th Carrier Air Group in the BPF.
- first Air Group Commander of 15th Carrier Air Group, HMS Venerable, 
- CB (1963), OBE (1946) 
- seniority 7.1961 (Rear Admiral)

Commands:

815

Dec 1941

Sept 1942

 

736

Feb 1945

Aug 1945

 

15th Carrier Air Group (814, 1851 sqdns/HMS Venerable)

June 1945

Jan 1946

 

 


 

JM Glaser RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- carried out shipping and U-boat strikes off the Norwegian coast, HMS Queen, 1.1945 
- involved in Arctic convoys to Russia, HMS Queen, 4.1945 

Commands:

853

Dec 1944

May 1945

 disbanded

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

IP Godfrey RNVR
Born 
Rank: Sub Lt (1940), Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- 1 probable destroyed S79, 6.10.1940 (803 sqdn) 
- After shooting down S79 landed Cete and interned and later released, 6.10.1940 (803 sqdn) 
 - first CO of 1770 firefly sqdn at Yeovilton

Commands:

1770

Sept 1943

Feb 1944

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

JR Godley RNVR
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards 
Other information 
- involved in Arctic convoys to Russia, HMS Nairana, 1945 
- took part in operations in the Trondheim area, 3.1945 

- See Autobiography 

Commands:

835

Jan 1945

March 1945

 disbanded

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

MS Godson RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards: DSC (1945) 
Died 12.5.1945 
Other information 
- first CO of 1835 corsair sqdn at Quonset Point, USA 
- involved in an attack on Sabang, HMS Victorious, 7.1944 
- sqdn posted to HMS Atheling, for Cape Town where it disbanded 
- led sqdn in bombing attack on Sigli, HMS Indomitable, 9.1944 
- provided figther cover in attacks on Car Nicobar, 10.1944 
- involved in operations against oil installations at Belawan Deli, Sumatra 
- took part in attacks at Pangkalan Brandan, and Palembang, in Operation Meridian, 29.1.1945 
- involved in the attacks on the Sakishima Gunto islands and on Formosa, later killed 12.5.1945 HMS Indomitable

Commands:

1835

Aug 1943

Nov 1943

 disbanded

1838

June 1944

Sept 1944

 disbanded

1844

Sept 1944

May 1945

Killed 12.5.1945

 


 
 

DG Goodwin RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards: DSC (Taranto) 
Died 
Other information 
- took part in attack on Italian Fleet at Taranto, 11.11.1940 
- took command of the reformed 819 swordfish sqdn at Lee on Solent
- CBE 
- seniority 6.1950 (C) 

Commands:

819

Oct 1941

April 1942

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

AHD Gough RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- joined HMS Vindex for winter Arctic convoys to Russia. 
- led sqdn when sank U-653, 15.3.1944 
- involved in sinking U-765, 6.5.1944 
- first CO of 1772 firefly sqdn at Burscough 
- involved in strikes against the Japanese mainland, HMS Indefatigable, 7.1945 
- after VJ-Day took part in dropping supplies to prisoner of war (POW) camps in Japan. 

Commands:

825

Feb 1944

May 1944

 

1772

May 1944

End of WW2

 

 


 

EA Greenwood RN
Born 1909 
Rank: Lt 
Honours and Awards: DSC 
Died 18.12.1941 
Other information 
- temporarily in command of 828 sqdn Malta for 11 days as its first CO.
- killed 18.12.1941 whilst on duties at Malta. 

Commands:

828

Sept 1940

Sept 1940

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

A Gregory RN
Born 1914 England 
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards 
Died 12.3.1943 
Other information 
- took over command of 828 sqdn in Malta.
- involved in attacks on Italina shipping and on targets in Sicily, 1943
- killed 12.3.1943 Sicily buried Catania, Sicily.

Commands:

828

Feb 1943

March 1943

 Killed 12.3.1943 

 

 

 

 

 


 

VC Grenfell RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards DSO (1941) 
Died 
Other information 
-joined HMS Victorious for attacks on Arctic ports of Norway and Finland. 
- was involved in shooting down 4 Me109s and Me 110s during the raid on Petsamo, Finland, 9.1941 
- seniority 6.1947 (Cdr)

Commands:

809

July 1941

Oct 1941

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

GH Greve RNethN
Born 
Rank: Lt 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- ditched in Rhone, swam towards small island, later reported safe
(POW?) 7.1944  HMS Emperor (800 sqdn) 
- first CO of 861 Royal Netherlands Navy firefly sqdn attached to the Royal Navy at Dale. 

Commands:

861

Sept 1946

Feb 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

AJ Griffiths RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr 
Honours and Awards DSC (pre 1945) 
Died 
Other information 
- involved in strikes against targets in the Tokyo area and Japanese mainland, HMS Victorious, 7.1945 

Commands:

849 

June 1945

End of WW2

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

FM Griffiths RN
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (1940) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- led sqdn in attacks on Madagascar, in Operation Ironclad, successfully sinking the Vichy French submarines Beveziers and Le Heros, a sloop and an escort ship, 5-7.5.1942 
- seniority 1.2.1940 (Lt Cdr)
- WSR (Cdr)

Commands:

829

Dec 1941

Oct 1942

 disbanded

 

 

 

 

 


 

RJH Grose RNVR
Born 
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) 
Honours and Awards 
Died 
Other information 
- took up command of fulmar sqdn at Old Sarum where the sqdn was on army support training. 
- led the sqdn in 75 patrols during the Salerno landings, HMS Attacker,7.1943 
- involved in Desert Air Force activities in the Western Desert 
- supported landings in the south of France, 7.1944 
- carried out operations in the Aegean, 1944 
- took command of the reformed 1845 corsair sqdn at Archerfield, Mayborough, and Nowra, Australia until after VJ-Day. 

Commands:

879

Jan 1943

Nov 1944

 

1845

June 1945

End of WW2

 

 

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