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

D Sanderson RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSC
Died
Other information
- first CO of 817 albacore sqdn
- took part in the attack on Petsamo in Arctic Finland, HMS Furious, 7.1941
- involved in ops in the Barent Sea area, HMS Victorious, 8.1941
- attacked shipping in Vest Fjord, 9-10,1941
- Seniority 12.1950 (C)

Commands:

817	March 1941	Feb 1942

FBP Sanderson RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- first CO of 1838 corsair sqdn at Brunswick, remaining with the sqdn at Minneriya, Ceylon.
- Left the sqdn prior to its first combat operation.

Commands:

1838	Oct 1943	June 1944

GBC Sangster RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- commaned 804 hellcat sqdn on its reforming at Capetown
- involved in the Ramree island landings, HMS Ameer, 1.1945
- took part in ops over Malaya and Sumatra
- participated in attacks on the Andaman islands and Burmese coast, 4.1945
- carried out bombing attacks on airfields in Sumatra and Phuket island, HMS Ameer, 6.1945

Commands:

804	Sept 1944	May 1945

IR Sarel RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards DSC
Died
Other information
- led the sqdn at Hatston and on HMS Furious, 1940.
- undertook ops from St Eval, and Lee-on-Solent 1941
- Seniority 6.1949 (C)

Commands:

801	June 1940	May 1941

WHG Saunt RN (RAF)
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (Sqdn RAF)
Honours and Awards: DSO, DSO (post June 1941)
Died
Other information
- took command of 826 sqdn and 4 days later bombed rail and road communications at Westende, and also involved in attacks on E-boats off Zeebrugge, 31.5.1940
- subsequently operated under RAF Coastal Command, undertaking over 22 night operations over Holland, Belgium and France.
- provided convoy support via Capetown to Egypt, HMS Formidable.
- led sqdn in attacks against Mogadishu, Somalia and Massawa, Eritrea.
- involved in Malta convoys.
- took part in the Battle of Matapan, including attacking and damaging Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto, 3.1941
- involved in flare-dropping and bombardment spotting during Fleet attacks on Tripoli and Bardia.
- led raid on Scarpanto island airfield, during evacuation of Crete, 26.5.1941
- - Seniority 6.1942 (Cdr)

Commands:

822	May 1939	June 1939
826	May 1940	June 1941

EG Savage RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards DSO (post Aug 1942), DSC (pre 1942)
Died
Other information
- - involved in Actic convoys to Russia, HMS Victorious
- took part in Operation Pedestal Malta convoy during which the sqdn shot down 2 enemy aircraft, from HMS Victorious.
Interned Sweden after attacking shipping Tromso, 16.10.1940 (801 sqdn)
- Seniority 6.1946 (Cdr)

Commands:

809	Oct 1941	Aug 1942

JR Schuiling RNethN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- first CO of 1853 corsair sqdn at Brunswick.

Commands:

1853	April 1945	Aug 1945	disbanded

HP Sears RN
Born
Rank: Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- first Wing Leader of 5th and 6th Naval Fighter Wings and in command of 12 and 45 Wings.
- sailed to India HMS Begum, for the Eastern Fleet, 2.1944
- worked up the 2 Wings in Ceylon for later operations

Commands:

5th Naval Fighter Wing (1839, 1844 sqdns)	Feb 1944	April 1944
6th Naval Fighter Wing (1837 sqdn)	Feb 1944	May 1944

AJ Sewell RNVR
Born
Rank: Sub Lt (1940), Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSC (1941)
Died 10.1943
Other information
- Air ace with 5-6 confirmed victory destroyed enemy aircraft, 7 shared destroyed, 1 shared probable, 3 damaged and 2 shared damaged.
- shot down majority enemy aircraft whilst operating from HMS Illustrious in the Mediterranean Sept 1940-Jan 1941, awarded DSC.
- took part in North Africa landings, HMS Dasher, 11.1942
-formed 1837 corsair sqdn in USA. Whilst formation flying wingman collided with him, both killed, 10.1943

see biography in "Aces High" and other sources.

Commands:

804	Oct 1942	July 1943
1837	Sept 1943	Oct 1943	Killed

KG Sharp RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- first CO of 849 avenger sqdn at Quonset Point
- took part in D-Day operations by carrying out patrols and shipping strikes, under the control of RAF Coastal Command

Commands:

849	Aug 1943	Sept 1944

EA Shaw RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- sailed with HMS Victorious to the Pacific carrying out sweeps in the Coral Sea area, 5.1943
- supported the U.S. Landings in the Middle Solomon islands, 6.1943
- seniority 12.1947 (Cdr)

Commands:

882	Dec 1942	Oct 1943

TWB Shaw RNR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSC (pre 1941)
Died
Other information
- involved in assisting Ceylon against Japanese attacks, 4-6.1942
- Seniority 12.1952 (C)

Commands:

818	July 1941	June 1942	disbaned

FGB Sheffield RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSC (pre 1944)
Died
Other information
-took part in convoys to Arctic Russia, HMS Vindex, 8, 12.1944 and 3.1945
- sqdn attacked U-Boats in Arctic convoy, when U-354 was attacked and sunk 22.8.1944, one damaged 22.8.44, and joint claim U-344 on 24.8.1944, and U-394 on 2.9.1944, HMS Vindex
- operated from MAC-ships whilst CO of 836 sqdn
- Seniority 3.1950 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

825	May 1944	Feb 1945
836	March 1945	July 1945	disbanded

J Sholto-Douglas RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSO (pre 1941)
Died
Other information
- first co of 807 fulmar sqdn at Worthy Down.
- involved in ops in fighter catapult operations on HMS Pegasus
- undertaken convoy escort duties, HMS Furious
- took part in Malta convoys, 7.1941 and 9.1941, and the sqdn was involved in destroying 15 enemy aircraft with 806 sqdn, HMS Ark Royal
- Interned briefly in Portugal after force landing South Portugal. returned to HMS Argus, 11.1941 (807 sqdn)

Commands:

807	Sept 1940	Nov 1941	Interned Portugal November 1941

SFF Shotton RNR
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards: DSC
Died
Other information
- first CO of 879 fulmar sqdn at St Merryn
- involved in army support training at Old Sarum.
- led sqdn in attacks against Japanese forces in Operation Meridian, Palembang, 29.1.1945 (1839 sqdn)
- Seniority 2.1951 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

879	Sept 1942	Jan 1943

JCN Shrubsole RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr, Cdr (1945)
Honours and Awards DSC
Died
Other information
- involved in providing cover for the Sicily Landings, 7.1943
- took part in the landings at Salerno, 9.1943
- first Wing Leader of 52nd Wing
- first Air Group Commander of 1st CAG, HMS Victorious, 6.1945
- second Air Group Commander of 3rd CAG which wasa spare Group which never embarked, and disbanded soon after the war and the crew returned to the UK in SS Stratheden
- Seniority 10.1946 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

820	June 1943	Nov 1943	disbanded
52nd Naval TBR Wing (829, 831 sqdns - ex 815, 817 sdqns)	Nov 1943	Jan 1944
1st Carrier Air Group (849,1834, 1836 sdns/HMS Victorious)	June 1945	Sept 1945	disbanded
3rd Carrier Air Group (854, 1843, 1845 sqdns/spare Group)	Sept 1945	Oct 1945	disbanded

WC Simpson RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC
Died
Other information
- CO of 897 sea hurricane sqdn when it reformed at Stretton
- provided cover for the Salerno landings, HMS Unicorn, 8.1943
- provided cover in the D-Day Normany landings, the sqdn shooting down a Me 109 and damaging a midget submarine
- Air Group Commander of 52nd Training Air Group, 1951

Commands:

897	Dec 1942	July 1944	disbanded

NRM Skene RM
Born
Rank: Major, Captain. Royal Marines
Honours and Awards: DSC
Died 15.11.1942
Other information
- undertook anti-submarine searches in the western approaches from HMS Ark Royal at the outbreak of war.
- led sqdn in unsuccessful attack on German U-boat, 14.9.1939
- took part in Norwaty campaign, including bombing attack on Vaernes aerodrome, 28.4.1940
- took part in the slow assault convoy KMS 1 in HMS Avenger to N Africa.
- took part in the North African landings, HMS Avenger 11.1942.
- killed in HMS Avenger when sunk by torpedo fired by U-155, 15.11.1942. In total Commander Colthurst, 67 officers and 446 ratings were lost.

Commands:

810	Dec 1938	June 1940

RW Slater RN
Born 1914 England
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSC, OBE
Died 28.6.1944
Other information
- Son of Sir Ransford Slater, GCM,CBE, and Lady Slater.
- attached to RAF Coastal Command for night operations in the English Channel, 1.1943
- involved in convoy protection from MAC ships in the North Atlantic, MV Empire MacColl, 11.1943-24.6.1944
- killed whilst commanding 836 at Maydown, 28.6.1944

Commands:

836	June 1942	June 1944	killed 28.6.1944

Lt JW Sleigh RN
Born South Africa [confirmed]
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards DSO (post Nov 1943), DSC (pre Nov 1943)
Died
Other information
- first CO of 890 martlet F4F-3 sqdn at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- carried out ops off Iceland and Norway, HMS Illustrious
- provided support to the Salerno landings, 9.1943
- first Wing Leader of 15th Wing for service in HMS Illustrious
- OBE
- Seniority 12.50 (Cdr)

Commands:

890	June 1942	Nov 1943
15th Naval Fighter Wing (1830,1831, 1833 sqdns)	Nov 1943	Dec 1943

RM Smeeton RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- involved in attacks on the French fleet at Oran, shooting down 2 Sm79 bombers during an attack on Italian shipping off Sardinia, 7.1940

Commands:

800	June 1940	May 1941

CWB Smith RN
Born 1916
Rank: Lt (1941), Lt Cdr (1942)
Honours and Awards: DFC
Died 5.3.1942
Other information
- Son of Capt.CEH Smith, RAMC, killed in action in France,1916
- involved in anti-submarine patrols from Hsatston and Sumburgh, 1941
- carried out operations in the Western Desert commanding 821 and 826 sqdns, 1942
- killed whilst in command 826 and 821 sqdn, buried El Alamein, Egypt, 5.3.1942.

Commands:

821	July 1941	March 1942
826	Jan 1942	March 1942	killed 5.3.1942

P Snow RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- involved in providing cover over D-Day invasion beaches, under RAF Coastal Command
- carried out Arctic convoy to Russia, HMS Campania
- Seniority 7.1949 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

816	May 1944	Aug 1944	disbanded
838	Aug 1944	Feb 1945	disbanded
825	Feb 1945	April 1945	disbanded

RW Spackman RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- duties under RAF Coastal Command 16 Group included anti-submarine patrols, RAF Manston

Commands:

823	Nov 1942	March 1943

RCB Stallard-Penoyre RN
Born 1914
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died 27.3.1943
Other information
- carried out night operations underRAF Coastal Command in English Channel , 9-12.1942.
- involved in Arctic convoy duties to Russia, 2-3.1943
- killed when HMS Dasher blew up in the Clyde, 27.3.1943.
- Buried Ardrossan, Ayrshire, UK

Commands:

816	Oct 1942	April 1943	killed 27.3.1943

CJT Stephens RN
Born 1918 England
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died 8.6.1940
Other information
- undertook operations against invading German forces in Norway campaign with HMS Glorious, 5-6.1940 (823 sqdn)
- killed when HMS Glorious sunk by German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, off Norway 8.6.1940

Commands:

826	April 1940	May 1940
823	May 1940	June 1940	killed 8.6.1940 HMS Glorious sunk

PDT Stevens RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
-duties under RAF Coastal Command 16 Group, including during D-Day Invasion period, then operated from St Croix, Maldeghem and Knocke-le-Zoute, 11.44-1.1945

Commands:

819	April 1944	March 1945	disbanded

RJH Stephens RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
-first CO of 833 swordfish sqdn at Lee-on-Solent
- took part in the North Africa landings 11.1942 HMS Biter

Commands:

833	Dec 1941	Jan 1943

OS Stevinson RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- led sqdn in nightly bombing attacks from St Eval on shipping and docks at Brest, France 10.1940
- POW after attack on 7 destroyers, Brest Harbour, 9.10.1940 (829 sqdn)

- Seniority 6.1944 (Cdr)

Commands:

829	June 1940	Oct 1940	POW Oct 1940

JA Stewart-Moore RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (10.1940)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took part in attack on Italian battleship Littorio in 11.1940
- involved in Mediterranean ops 1941
- leading strike against the German battleship Bismarck, HMS Ark Royal, 26.5.1941 (820 sqdn)
- temprarily in command during the Kirkenes raid in the Arctic when 6 of the sqdn aircraft wwere lost, HMS Victorious, 7.1941.
- Seniority 10.1940 (Lt Cdr)
- WSR (Cdr)

Commands:

820	Oct 1940	July 1941
827	July 1941	Aug 1941

K Stilliard RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
-in command of 1851 corsair sqdn HMS Venenerable, British Pacific Fleet, replacing the Acting CO Lt Gerish following the loss of Lt Cdr McDonald earlier in the year

Commands:

1851	June 1945	End of WW2

WGC Stokes RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards:
Died
Other information
first CO of 827 albacore sqdn at Yeovilton
- carried out anti-submarine partrols with RAF Coastal Command., and stand by to attack the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau German battlecruisers
- Seniority 12.1947 (C)

Commands:

827	Sept 1940	July 1941

F Stovin-Bradford RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSO (pre 1945) & Bar
Died
Other information
-CO of the reformed 825 barracuda Canadian manned sqdn at Rattray.
- OBE
- Seniority 12.1955 (C)

Commands:

825	July 1945	End of WW2

W Stuart RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC & 2 Bars (1945)
Died
Other information
-first CO of 857 avenger sqdn at Squantum
- involved in strikes at Belawan Deli, and led sqdn in attacks against Japanese forces in Operation Meridian, Palembang, HMS Indomitable 29.1.1945 (857 sdqn)
- involved in attacks on Sakishima Gunto islands, East China seas, and on Formosa 3-4.1945

Commands:

857	April 1944	End of WW2

PG Sugden RN
Born 1914 England
Rank: Lt (1940), Lt Cdr (1942)
Honours and Awards
Died 16.5.1943
Other information
- Son of Brigadier General RE Sugden, CB, CMG, DSO
- took part in first FAA minelaying operation under RAF Coastal Command in the English Channel, 25.4.1940 (815 sqdn)
- led unsuccessful torpedo attack against the German battleship Tirpitz off the Norwegian coast, HMS Victorious 9.3.1942 (817 sqdn)
- Killed 16.5.1943, HMS Landrail, and buried Cambo, Fifeshire, UK

Commands:

817	Feb 1942	June 1942

FA Swanton RN
Born
Rank: Sub Lt (A)(1941), Lt Cdr (A)(1944)
Honours and Awards DSO, DSC (pre 1944) & Bar
Died
Other information
- took part in the strike against German battleship Bismarck, 26.5.1941 (HMS Ark Royal)
- co of the reformed 828 barracuda sqdn at Lee-on-Solent
- took prt in ops on HMS Implacable and the Home Fleet, 8.1944
- took part in strikes off Norway, 10.1944
- took part in attacks on Truk in the Caroline islands, as part of the 8th Carrier Air Group, British Pacific Fleet, HMS Implacable, 6.1945
-strikes against the Japanese mainland at Tokyo, 7.1945

Commands:

828	March 1944	Aug 1945

HIA Swayne RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC (pre Dec 1944)
Died
Other information
- first and only CO of 1820 helldiver sqdn

Commands:

1820	April 1944	Dec 1944	disbanded

PGO Sydney-Turner RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died 7.11.1947
Other information
- took part in the defence of Norway, 4.1940 (818 sqdn).
- led attack of 2 german destroyers in Trondheim Fjord, 11.4.1940 (818 sqdn)
- involved in Dunkirk evacuation from RAF Thorney Island under RAF Coastal Command, 30.5.1940
- took part in attacks on the Vichy French Fleet at Oran, including unsuccessful strike against French battleship Strasbourg (818 sqdn)
- took up command after the disasterous loss of squadron personnel in the Kirkenes raid 3 weeks previously.
- led sqdn in attacks on Madagascar, in Operation Ironclad, HMS Indomitable, 5-7.5.1942
- killed 7.11.1947, HMS Peregrine, buried Southampton, Hampshire, UK

Commands:

818	March 1940	Oct 1940
827	Aug 1941	May 1942

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