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

MA Lacayo RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- Seniority 1956 (Lt Cdr)
- took command of the reformed barracuda sqdn at Rattray in preparation for joining the 21st Carrier Air Group. Still at Fearn, VJ-Day-

Commands:

817	April 1945	Aug 1945	disbanded

CB Lamb RN
Born
Rank: Lt (A)(1940), Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSO (pre March 1943), DSC (pre March 1943)
Died
Other information
- took part in the first FAA operations under RAF Coastal Command in the English Channel, 25.4.1940 (815 sqdn)
- took part in the Taranto strike, 11.11.1940
- POW French Tunisia after mission to drop off secret agent in Tunisia, 17.9.1941 (830 sdqn)
- Seniority 12.1949 (Cdr)

- See Autobiography

Commands:

842	March 1943	April 1943

HJF Lane RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- led sqdn in attacks on Madagascar, in Operation Ironclad, 5-7.5.1942

Commands:

882	Sept 1941	Sept 1942	disbanded

JR Lang RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took command of 835 sqdn at Lee-on-Solent
- took part in convoy escort duties, HMS Battler, 3.1943
- Seniority 6.1949 (Cdr)

Commands:

835	April 1942	Sept 1943

DE Langmore RN
Born 1910 England
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSC (1941)
Died 18.12.1941
Other information
- led sqdn in the FAA attack on Kirkenes, HMS Victorious, 7.1941 (828 sqdn)
- from Oct 1941 based at Hal Far, Malta attacking enemy shipping supplies to North Africa (828 sqdn).
- Killed whilst in command 828 sqdn in Malta, 18.12.1941

Commands:

828	May 1941	Dec 1941	Killed 18.12.1941

JG Large RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt (A) 1943, Lt Cdr (A) 1944
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
-convoy escort duties, HMS Archer, 3-4.1943
- commanded the reformed swordfish sqdn aboard HMS Activity
- took part ion arctic convoys to Russia, carried out anti-submarine patrols, HMS Activity
- carried out Atlantic convoy duties, HMS Activity 5-6.1944
-caasried out convoy duties to Gibraltar, HMS Activity, 7-8.1944

Commands:

892	March 1943	June/Aug 1943	disbanded
833	April 1944	Sept 1944	disbanded

RG Large RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took up command of 838 sqdn for MAC-ship duties, including trials on MV Rapana, but in 8.943 the sqdn ceased to exist.

Commands:

838	June 1943	Aug 1943	disbanded

ME Lashmore RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSO, DSC (post Feb 1943)
Died
Other information
- took command of 828 sqdn at Hal Far, Malta
- involved in strikes against enemy targets in the Mediterranean.

OBE
- Seniority 12.1948 (Cdr)

Commands:

828	Nov 1942	Feb 1943

DB Law RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSC (pre Dec 1944)
Died
Other information
-took command of 800 sqdn at Long Kesh
- embarked on HMS Emperor for the Far East, 2.1945
participated in the recapture of Rangoon, sqdn dts on HMS Shah and HMS Khedive 5.1945
- - involved in attacks on Sumatran airfields and operations off Phuket island, HMS Ameer, 6.1945
- CBE
- AFRAeS
- Seniority 12. 1957 (C)

Commands:

800	Dec 1944	May 1945
804	May 1945	End of WW2

RG Lawson RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took command of the reformed barracuda sqdn at Lee-on-Solent,
- operations with the Eastern Fleet, 12th Naval TBR Wing, HMS Indomitable, 7.1944
- took part in attack on Emma Haven, Sumatra, 8.1944
- involved in attack on Sigli, 9.1944
- led sqdn in attack on Nicobar islands, 10.1944

Commands:

815	Oct 1943	Dec 1944

AG Leatham RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (1943)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took command of 831 sqdn at mackinnon road, the sqn embarked on HMS Indomitable, 7.1942
-took part in Malta convoy, HMS Indomitable, 8.1942
- furtherduties on HMS Indomitable, 3-5.1943
- Seniority 11.1943 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

831	July 1942	May 1943

PJP Leckie RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took command of 1844 hellcat sqdn HMS Indomitable
- involved in attack on Sakishima Gunto islands, 1945

Commands:

1844	May 1945	End of WW2

K Lee-White RN (RAF)
Born
Rank: Sqdn Ldr RAF
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- two weeks after VJ-Day took command of the reformed 813 firebrand sqdn at Ford

Commands:

813	Sept 1945	+

EDG Lewin RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSO, DSC & Bar (post Feb 1942)
Died
Other information
- took up commannd of sqdn as part of Force H in the Mediterranean, HMS Ark Royal
- took part in Malta convoys.
- sqdn saw much action, with 15 enemy aircraft claimed as being shot down in 7-8.1941.
- survived sinking of HMS Ark Royal, 13.11.1941
- took command of the newly reformed 885 sea hurricane sqdn at Yeovilton
- CB, CBE
- Seniority 6. 1949 (C)

Commands:

808	May 1941	Nov 1941	disbanded
885	Dec 1941	Feb 1942

AC Lindsey RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took command of 806 sqdn 2 weeks before VJ-Day, at Machrihanish

Commands:

806	Aug 1945	End of WW2

RW Little RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- given command of 827 sqdn immediately after HMS Indomitable was bombed in Operation Pedestal convoy to Malta.
- re-equipped with some of the first barracuda dive bomber to see FAA service, 1.1943

Commands:

827	Sept 1942	Feb 1943

WH Lloyd RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took part in searches for enemy shipping in the Bay of Biscay, HMS Unicorn, 7.1943
- invasion of Sicily duties, 8.1943
- joined Eastern Fleet, HMS Unicorn, 11.1943

Commands:

818	July 1943	Oct 1944	disbanded

FKA Low RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- involved in the North African landings, HMS Victorious, 11, 1942
- one of first sqdns with avengers, 1.1943
- sweep in Coral Sea, 5.1943
- operations from USS Saratoga in support of landings in the Mid Solomons, 6.1943
- bombing attack on Sourabaya, HMS Illustrious, 17.5.1944
trade protection duties, HMS Begum in Indian Ocean, 5-10.1944

Commands:

832	Nov 1942	Oct 1944

ILF Lowe RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A) (May 1941)
Honours and Awards DSC (1941)
Died
Other information
- Air ace with 1 destroyed enemy aircraft and 5 shared destroyed
- operated from HMS Illstrious in the Mediterranean (806 sqdn).
- 1 victory, Cant Z501, himself hit, ditched, rescued HMAS Stuart, 29.9.1940 (806 sqdn)
- 1 victory, ju87, himself hit, ditched, rescued by HMS Jaguar, 10.1.1941 (806 sqdn)
- led sqdn in North Africa landings, HMS Victorious (882 sqdn)
- with sqdn on HMS Victorious joined US Pacific Fleet, Feb 1943
- sqdn supported landings of US troops in Middle Solomons, June 1943
- Seniority 5.1941 (Lt Emy)
- WSR (Lt Cdr)

See biography in "Aces High" and see Obituary summary

Commands:

882	Sept 1942	Dec 1942
898	Nov 1942	Oct 1943

NS Luard RN (RAF)
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (Sqdn Ldr RAF), Cdr (1945)(temp)
Honours and Awards: DSC (pre Dec 1940)
Died
Other information
- first CO of 814 swordfish sqdn, formed at Southampton.
- on the outbreak of war embarked HMS Hermes searching for the German battleship Graf Spee
- attacked Vichy French battlership Richelieu at Dakar, HMS Hermes 8.7.1940
- second Air Group Commander 3rd Carrier Air Group.

Commands:

814	Dec 1938	Dec 1940
700	May 1941	Feb 1942
3rd Carrier Air Group (1843, 1845 sqdns/spare Group)	Aug 1945	Sept 1945

WJ Lucas RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (1941)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took up command of 811 sqdn for duties at Arbroath
- given command of 832 sqdn after loss of the previous CO, Lt Cdr Plugge,
HMS Victorious
- involved in Arctic convoys to Russia, 3.1942
- participated in an unsuccessful attack on the German battleship Tirpitz, 3.1942
- involved in Malta convoy duties, Operation Pedestal, 7.1942
- involved in the North African landings , 10.1942
- Seniority 10.1941 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

811	Oct 1941	Feb 1942
832	Feb 1942	Nov 1942

WP Lucy RN
Born 1910 England
Rank: Lt (1939), Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSO (1940)
Died: 14.5.1940
Other information
- Air Ace with 7 shared destroyed enemy aircraft, 1 probable, 3 shared damaged.
- took part in Norwegian operations, 1940
- led the attack on the German cruiser Konigsberg, April 1940, the first major warship to ever hhaver been sunk by aircraft (803 sqdn). Awarded DSO.
- took part in the shooting down of 6 aircraft.
- killed when his aircraft blew up whilst attacking He111, HMS Ark Royal, 14.5.1940.

Commands:

803	Feb 1940	May 1940	killed 14.5.1940

SP Luke RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- joined the 9th Naval TBR brracuda Wing, joined HMS Indefatigable for Operation Mascot, strike against German battleship Tirpitz, 17.7.1944
- took part in Operations Goodwood against the Tirpitz, HMS Formidable, 8.1944
- joined No 2 Strike Wing, HMS Indefatigable with avengers.
- led sqdn in attacks against Japanese forces in Operation Meridian, Palembang, 29.1.1945 (820 sqdn)
- the sqdn flew 100 sorties in strikes against airfields Sakishima Gunto islands, 3-4.1945
- first Air Group Comander for 51sr Training Air Group,1946
- Seniority 10.1948 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

826	Jan 1944	Oct 1944	disbanded
820	Oct 1944	May 1945

AV Lyle RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- involved in convoy operations to deliver RAF spitfires to Malta, HMS Eagle, 1.1942
- Seniority 6.1948 (Cdr)
- foreign order

Commands:

813	Nov 1941	March 1942

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