DRFC's Naval Career - Postings 1925-1960
Year Month Rank Station
1925 September Cadet HMS Thunderer
1926 September Midshipman HMS Repulse
1930 March Sub-Lieutenat HMS Sesame (Attending HMS Furious)
1931 January Lieutenant RAF Leuchars Training as pilot
1938 December Lieutenant Commander 803 Squadron RAF Worthydown
1942 December Commander Blackburns Test Pilot
1948 December Captain HMS Tintagel Castle A/S Training
1957 October Rear Admiral Yeovilton Retired September 1960

Cadet 1925-1926

DRFC left Westminster School in the summer of 1925 and became a cadet at the HMS Thunderer(right).  This Orion-class dreadnought battleship was built early in the century. After her active service she was converted into a training ship in 1921 until she was sold for scrap in 1926.  Therefore DRFC must have been one of the last generation of cadets to train there.

Midshipman 1926-1930

The majority of his time in this rank DRFC was stationed on HMS Repulse (left).  However he spent six months (from January to June 1928) on the HMS Wolfhound. In 1929 he undertook Sub-Lieutenant Training Courses in the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, and then continued the courses in Portsmouth.
In August 1928 he obtained his Pilot's licence at the Hampshire Aero Club in Hamble, having paid for the lessons himself. He would tell the story of how he was inspired to learn to fly. A visiting pilot offered to take one of the three midshipmen on the Repulse as a passenger.  The three agreed to cut cards to see who would take up this offer. In the first cut DRFC and one of the other two drew the same number card and had to draw again; this time only DRFC drew a court card and thus was able to experience flying for the first time. 

Sub-Lieutenant 1930-1931
In March 1930 DRFC obtained his Watch-keeping Certificate as part of his professional development. Then in that September he began pilot training at RAF Leuchars.

Lieutenant 1931-1938

DRFC's first appointment as a Lieutenant in September 1931 was as a Flying Officer RAF in the 405 Fighter Flight on HMS Glorious in the Mediterranean. Sixteen months later he was transferred to Flight 401 on HMS Furious as part of the Home Fleet.  This Flight then became Squadron 801.


One year later in January 1934 He became Flight Leader for the 800 Squadron  attached to HMS Courageous. The following year they were sent to the Mediterranean, based off Alexandria until March 1936.
In April 1936 he became First Lieutenant on HMS Alresford, which was built as mine-sweeper but was then being used largely as a training ship. In May 1938 DRFC became a Cadet Instructor on HMS Vindictive, a ship with a curious history, being built as a warship and converted to an early aircraft carrier before being completed just after the First World War.  It was subsequently converted to a cruiser and then to training ship in 1937.

Lieutentant Commander 1938-1942

After undertaking a refresher flying course in September, DRFC became Commanding Officer (CO) of the 803 Squadron flying Blackburn Skuas at RAF Worthydown. He then joined the Ark Royal III in April 1939 disembarking in October to join the Fighter Patrols at RAF Wick.

In September 1940 he transferred to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Upavon in Wiltshire where he was a test pilot.  In March 1942 he was Lieutenant Commander (Flying) in HMS Argus as part of Force H, Gibralta. 

In August he was transferred to Blackburns and was test flying their Firebrand, a plane with a fearsome reputation.
Commander 1942-1948
In his role as a test pilot in February 1943 he successfully landed a Firebrand I on the HMS Illustrious (below HMS Illustrious and DRFC's take-off). By all accounts this was no mean feat as the plane has been described as lacking in manoeuverability and a disaster as a deck-landing aircraft.  Six versions of the Firebrand were built, but it never saw active service.
In April 1943 DRFC was assigned as Senior Naval Representative (SNR) at the British American C in Washington DC and remained in that post until August 1945 when he was posted to serve as a supernumerary on the Empire Central Flying School course at RAF Hullavington. Then in January 1946 he became Director of Naval Air Organisation and Training (DOAT) at the Admiralty. He undertook a refresher flying course in March 1947 and the following month was appointed Commander Flying on HMS Glory.

In November 1947 DRFC was appointed CO of the frigate, HMS Tintagel Castle, the first ship under his command.
Captain 1948-1957
After his tour of duty on the frigate, DRFC was posted to the staff of the Flag Officer (Air) (Home), HMS Daedalus (RN Air Station, Lee-on-Solent). He became Deputy Chief of Naval Requirements at the Ministry of Supply (London) in September 1950. It was here, by his own account, that he first invented the principle of the angled deck in August 1951. During his time with the Ministry he undertook a Senior Officers' Tactical Course at Woolwich (April 1953) and served as the Aide to the Venezuelan party for the Coronation of Elizabeth II in June 1953. In that same month the USS Antietam visited the UK, with its newly fitted angled deck.

In July 1953 DRFC was assigned as Senior Commanding Officer to Vice Admiral Hughes Hallet on HMS Eagle, (officers pictured below 4 October 1953).
In 1954 he undertook Senior Officers' Technical Course at HMS Vernon (January) , a Helicopter course at Gosport (April) and a short jet course at Ford (October). In that same month he was appointed CO of HMS Ark Royal IV.

The Ark Royal was commissioned in February 1955 and DRFC served as Captain until July 1956, when he was appointed Director of Naval Warfare at the Admiralty.

Rear Admiral 1957-1960
DRFC became Flag Officer Flying Training stationed at Yeovilton where these days the Fleet Air Arm Museum can be found.
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