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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0347.PDF
FLIGHT, APRIL 12, 1934; THE SQUADRON LEADER : Sqd. Ldr. C. G. Wigglesworth, A.F.C., commanding No. 201 (Flying Boat) Squadron, leading a formation of Supermarine " Southamptons " (2 Napier " Lions ") over the Solent. (FLIGHT Photo.) No. 201 (FLYING BOAT) SQUADRON By MAJOR F. A. de V. ROBERTSON, V.D. £ALSHOT BASE was the subject of a recent article in FLIGHT, but space did not allow us to deal in that article with No. 201 (Flying Boat) Squadron, which is not the least important unit stationed at Calshot. We propose now to make good that deficiency. In truth, this squadron deserves an article to itself, for it is the oldest of our flying boat units, has a record dating from the war, and has since done some of the finest work of any done in Home waters. Flying boat work stands by itself among the various functions of the Royal Air Force. At present it is classed rather indefinitely under the heading of Coast Defence, sharing that designation with the squadrons of torpedo- bombers. All the coast defence squadrons, when stationed in this country, come under the Coastal Area, but it so happens that at the present one of the torpedo-bomber squadrons, No. 36, is stationed at Singapore, and the other, No. 100, has been sent out there from Donibristle. Three flying boat squadrons are overseas, and four are in this country. The work of flying boat squadrons has not been accurately denned, perhaps because no one knows the extent to which it may develop. These squadrons seem to hold more possibilities of expansion into spheres of use- fulness not hitherto reached than can be said of any other class of R.A.F. unit. In fact, we do not yet know how much the flying boat squadrons may ultimately achieve, and so we are wise to regard their functions as elastic, and not to tie them down rigidly. No manual says that this can be done by flying boats, but that cannot be done.Their possibilities seem to be unlimited. The present title of this unit links it up with the glorioustraditions of No. 1 Squadron, R.N.A.S., which was formed at Gosport in October, 1914. It was a fighter squadronand served at many places on the Western Front. On the formation of the Royal Air Force on April 1, 1918, thisunit was renumbered 201. It was disbanded at Lakedown on December 31, 1919. The Calshot unit, however, had acontinuous existence before it received the number 201. In 1922 some F.5 boats of No. 230 Squadron were trans-ferred from Felistowe to Calshot and were amalgamated with the Naval Co-operation Flight which was alreadythere. This new combined unit kept the designation No. 230 Squadron, and it is interesting to recall that itscommanding officer was Sqd. Ldr. W. B. Callaway, who now, as a Group Captain, commands Calshot Base. Boththe units which were thus amalgamated had done good work in the war. The flying boats at Felixstowe had had abusy time over the North Sea, while the flight at Calshot had been engaged on anti-submarine patrol. The newsquadron was given the task of naval co-operation with the Portsmouth submarine flotilla at Portland, as well asexercises with the Atlantic Fleet. Before the end of 1922 it was renamed No. 480 Flight. In January, 1929, whenall the flying boat units were given the title of squadron instead of flight, this unit was called No. 201 (FlyingBoat) Squadron. In 1925 the squadron at last got rid of its old F.5 boats, and in place of them received the then new " South- 347
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