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

C Walker RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took part in anti-shipping strikes with RAF typhoons in the English Channel, 4.1944
- provided cover in operations Mascot (17.8.1944) and Goodwood (8.1944), attacks agianst the German battleship Tirpitz in Kaa fjord, when 2 enemy aircraft were shot down, HMS Indefatigable, 22.8.1944

Commands:

894	Jan 1944	Nov 1944

RF Walker RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- first CO of 899 seafire sqdn at Hatston
- took part in providing cover in the Sicily landings, HMS Indomitable,7.1943
- provided cover at Salerno, HMS Hunter after HMS Indomitable damaged by torpedoes 1943

Commands:

899	Dec 1942	Aug 1943

RD Wall RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- CO of the reformed chesapeake sqdn at Lee-on-Solent
- Seniority 3.1944 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

811	July 1941	Oct 1941

AC Wallace RNVR
Born 1918 UK
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died 22.9.1944
Other information
- involved in Mediterranean ops including the Salerno landings, 9.1943
- first Wing Leader 4th Naval Fighter Wing preparing the Wing for the invasion of Italy and South of France, in mid 1944.
- killed 22.9.1944 operating with the RAF and buried Brussels town cemetery, Evere, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium (HMS President)

Commands:

808	March 1943	Oct 1943
4th Fighter Wing (807, 809, 879 sqdns)	Oct 1943	June 1944

WN Waller RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- operated fron HMS Chaser, 11.1943

Commands:

835	Sept 1943	Dec 1943

SMP Walsh RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSO (1944), DSC (pre 1943) & Bar (1944)
Died
Other information
- attached to RAF Fighter Command attacking enemy shipping and E-boats in the Dover Straits and English Channel, 841
- first CO of 856 avenger sqdn at Squantum
- carried out minelaying ops off Norway
-
Commands:

841	July 1943	Dec 1943	disbanded
856	March 1944	Dec 1944
811	Sept 1945

RWM Walsh RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: Battle of Britain clasp
Died
Other information
- took part in the Battle of Britain in 142 RAF sqdn, then 111 RAF sqdn and 73 RAF sqdn (1940)
-served with 805 sqdn in the Western Desert where he shot down a Fiat G 50 on 28.9.1941 and a probable Sm 79 on 23 11.1941
- provided cover during the D-Day Normandy period with RAF 3 Wing at Lee on Solent,
- CO of the reformed 1831 corsair sqdn at Brunswick
- joined the British Pacific Fleet but saw no action before VJ-Day, HMS Glory
- Seniority 3.1950 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

1831	Nov 1944	End of WW2

LED Walthall RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards: DSC (1940)
Died
Other information
- senior pilot of 812 sqdn, 1940-1942
- in leading strike against German port of Petsamo, 30.7.1941 (812 sqdn)
- involved in July 1942 operations in the Bear island area
- CBE
- Seniority 6.1952 (C)

Commands:

817	June 1942	July 1942

WE Waters RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards DFC, MID
Died 13.1.1943
Other information
- involved in minelaying and bombing operations in coastal areas of Holland, Belgium and France from RAF North Coates, Detling, Thorney Island and St Eval, as part of RAF Coastal Command (812 sqdn), 9.1940-3.1941
- involved in Malta Convoys to Gibraltar, HMS Argus, 4-5.1941 (812 sdqn)
-led strike against German port of Petsamo, 30.7.1941 (812 sqdn)
- took part in further Malta convoys HMS Furious and Ark Royal, 1942 (812 sqdn)
- survived torpedoing and sinking of HMS Ark Royal near Gibraltar, 11.1942 (812 sdqn)
- drowned whilst swimming by HMS Illustrious, 13.1.1943. Buried Mbaraki, Mombasa, Kenya.

Commands:

812	Sept 1940	Nov 1941	Disbanded HMS Ark Royal sunk 11.1941

RD Watkins RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- pre-war in command of the swordfish sqdn on HMS Glorious in the Mediterranean
- on the outbreak of war involved in trade protection duties with HMS Glorious in the Indian Ocean.
- returned with HMS Glorious with the threat of invasion of Norway, 3.1940
- operated with HMS Glorious in Norwegian campaign, half of the sqdn being lost with the sinking of the ship by the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, 8.6.1940
- Seniority 11.1933 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

823	May 1939	May 1940

LC Watson RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC (pre 1944)
Died
Other information
-joined the 11th TBR Naval Wing, HMS Atheling
-823 sqdn disbanded in July 1944 to augment 822 sqdn and Watson became the new CO.
- involved in dive bombing attack on the rail centre at Sigli in northern Sumatra, HMS Victorious, 18.9.1944
-carried out anti-submarine ops in the English Channel, Thorney Isle

Commands:

823	Dec 1943	July 1944	disbanded
822	July 1944	April 1945

DS Watts RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- carried out duties during ops in northern Sumatra, HMS Shah, 6.1945

Commands:

845	May 1945	End of WW2

DAP Weatherall RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards:
Died
Other information
- operated from North Africa and Gibraltar
Seniority 7.1940 (Lt)

Commands:

813	Aug 1943	Oct 1943	disbanded

CLF Webb RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- carried out minelaying ops off Norway, 44-45
-provided anti-sub escort during Arctic convoys to Norway, 3.1945

Commands:

846	Oct 1944	May 1945

JWG Welham RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC
Died
Other information
- took part in Taranto raid, 11.11.1940
- undertook shore based operations in North Africa 1942-43
- Air Group Commnder of 50th Training Air Group, 1949

see autobiography

Commands:

815	Sept 1942	July 1943	disbanded

CF Wheatley RNVR
Born 1918 UK
Rank: Sub Lt (1941), Lt Cdr (A)(1945)
Honours and Awards MID
Died 20.6.1945
Other information
- POW after operation over Dakar, 27.3.1941 (807 sqdn)
- killed HMS Ameer, 20.6.1945 and buried Jakarta War Cemetery, Indonesia

Commands:

808	May 1945	June 1945	killed 20.6.1945 HMS Ameer

B White RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC (pre May 1944)
Died
Other information
- took up command whilst sqdn operating under RAF Coastal Command, at Perranporth (850 sqdn)
- leading the squadron when 1 merchant ship destroyed and 1 damaged off Guernsey 24.7.1944 (850 sqdn)
-
Commands:

850	May 1944	Dec 1944	Sqdn disbanded

PC Whitfield RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards: DSC (post 1943)
Died
Other information
- first CO of 847 barracuda sqdn at Lee-on-Solent
- Air Group Commander of 20th Carrier Air Group, 1948
- Seniority 12.1949 (Cdr)

Commands:

847	June 1943	July 1943

AS Whitworth RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards DSC (pre 1942)
Died
Other information
- first CO of 837 swordfish sqdn at Palisadoes, Jamaica
- anti submarine patrols USA to UK, HMS Dasher, 8.1943
- Seniority 12.1955 (C)

Commands:

837	March 1942	June 1943	disbanded

BF Wiggington RNVR
Born
Rank: Sub Lt (1940), Lt Cdr (A)(1944)
Honours and Awards DSC (pre Aug 1944)
Died
Other information
- Interned Sweden after operation over Trondheim, 22.9.1940 (801 sdqn)
- Released from captivity 1941
- - provided cover from HMS Indefatigable during Operations Mascot and Goodwood against the German battleship Tirpitz, 7-8.1944
- Seniority 12.1948 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

887	Jan 1944	Aug 1944

LD Wilkinson RNVR
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC (1945)
Died
- CO of the reformed seafire sqdn at Arbroath

Other information

Commands:

803	June 1945	End of WW2

GPC Williams RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards DSC
Died
Other information
- CO of the reformed barracuda sqdn at Lee on Solent, part of 52 Naval TBR Wing
- carried out practice duties on HMS Victorious early in 1944 for German battleship Tirpitz strike but left the squadron prior to the attack in April 1944
Seniority 12.1949 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

829	Oct 1943	March 1944

K Williamson RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards DSO (Taranto)
Died
Other information
- Led strike against Italian Fleet at Taranto, 11.11.1940 (815 sqdn)
- Taken POW, shot down during strike on Taranto, 11.11.1940 (815 sqdn, HMS Illustrious)
- seniority 12.1951 (C)

Commands:

815		Nov 1940	POW 11.11.1940

RL Williamson RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards DSC & Bar
Died 12.10.1942
Other information
- first commanding officer of 841 albacore sqdn, when it formed at Lee-on-Solent with special service duties.
- attached to RAF Fighter Command based at Middle Wallop and at Manston, 8-10.1942.
- killed whilst in command of 841 sqdn, 12.10.1942

Commands:

841	July 1942	Oct 1942	killed 12.10.1942

LG Wilson RN
Born
Rank: Lt
Honours and Awards:
Died
Other information
- took up command of 834 sqdn after previous CO, Lt Cdr Ashburner, killed 19.11.1941
- leding the squadron to Palisadoes, Jamaica, in Dec 1941 (834 sqdn).
- joined the first of the US built escort carriers (CVEs), HMS Archer, 3.1942
- mainly involved in convoy escort duties Freetown, Cape Town, Gibraltar and USA.
- OBE
- Seniority 12.1947 (Cdr)

Commands:

834	Nov 1941	Jan 1943

TB Winstanley RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- commanded 884 sqdn under command of 13 Group RAF, 3-7.1943 at Drem
- Seniority 3.1948 (Lt Cdr)

Commands:

884	March 1943	July 1943	disbanded

JM Wintour RN
Born 1909
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died 8.11.1941
Other information
- Son of Captain CJ Wintour, RN (killed at the Battle of Jutland when
commanding the 4th Destroyer Flotilla)
- duties in command of 803 sqdn at Donibristle prior to the sqdn embarking on HMS Formidable in the Eastern Mediterranean
- duties in command 802 sqdn on HMS Audacity for Gibraltar convoys, duriung which 4 Fw200s were shot down by the sqdn.
9.1941
- shot down and killed by enemy aircraft, 8.11.1940, HMS Audacity (month before HMS Audacity itself was lost 21.12.1941)

Commands:

803	Oct 1940	Nov 1940
802	Nov 1940	Nov 1941	killed 8.11.1941 HMS Audacity

RR Wood RN
Born 1911
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died 25.3.1941
Other information
- in command of 821 sqdn when taking passage to Gibraltar , HMS Argus, thence to Malta in HMS Ark Royal, where the sqdn was absorbed by 815 sqdn.
- killed 25.3.1941, HMS Grebe

Commands:

821	Dec 1940	Jan 1941	Sqdn disbanded

GA Woods RNVR
Born
Rank: Sub Lt (1941), Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- took part in attack against German battleship Bismarck, 26.5.1941
- served on HMS Victorious Russian convoys
- HMS Formidable in the East Indies
-seconded to the 12th U.S. Air Force in North Africa and Salerno
-commanded 822 barracuda sqdn
- CFI at RNAS Inskip training for the expected invasion of Japan

See autobiography

Commands:

822	Dec 1943	July 1944

GAL Woods RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- given command of 812 sqdn at Gibraltar, immediately after the torpedoing and sinking of HMS Ark Royal
- in command when the sqdn achieved the first night sinking of a German U-Boat U-451 with ASV radar, 21.12.1941, Gibraltar, and damaging another 5 U-Boats up till 4.1942
- Seniority 12.1944 (Cdr)

Commands:

812	Nov 1941	May 1942

GR Woolston RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr (A)
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- CO of 827 sqdn taking part in Operations Mascot, 17.7.1944, and the series of Goodwood strikes, 8.1944 against the German battleship Tirpitz in Kaa Fjord, HMS Furious
- led sqdn in attacks under RAF 16 Group on shipping off the Dutch coast in support of the Allied invasion forces, 10.1944.
- sailed in HMS Colossus for the British Pacific Fleet, to become part of the 14th Carrier Air Group.
- Seniority 12.1955 (Cdr)

Commands:

827	June 1944	July 1945

AJ Wright RM
Born
Rank: Captain (1942), Major (1945) Royal Marines
Honours and Awards
Died
Other information
- first CO of 898 martlet sqdn at Norfolk
- first Air Group Commander of 16th Carrier Air Group, HMS Glory, 6.1945
- Seniority 6.1951 (Maj)

Commands:

898	Oct 1942	Nov 1942
16th Carrier Air Group (837, 1831 sqdns/HMS Glory)	June 1945	Nov 1946

JAD Wroughton RN
Born
Rank: Lt Cdr
Honours and Awards: DSC (pre 1941)
Died
Other information
- soon after the outbeak of war the sqd was involved in searches for enemy shipping in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, HMS Ark Royal
- involved in the Norwegian campign, HMS Ark Royal, 4.1941
- Seniority 6.1945 (Cdr)

Commands:

821	Sept 1939	May 1940
800	May 1941	March 1942

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