First Commission Aircraft

April 1935

Portland Working Up

We got a few laughs out of the catapult trials, the crew of one aircraft providing some unexpected entertainment in the form of an impromptu diving display when their machine became inverted while being hoisted in the Solent.


26th August 1935

We arrived at Port Castries, St Lucia ... the two seaplanes having flown on ahead the night before ...


8th January 1937

… Falklands ready to leave for South Georgia with the Governor on board when the seaplane failed to return at the expected time. On taking off it had been discovered that the radio did not work, but pilots don’t care and it had been decided to care on with the exercise anyway. Away went the plane into the grey and we heard and saw no more of it for several hours. It was due back before 11 a.m. and at lunch-time there was still no trace of it. … Suddenly a dramatic message was received over the telephone by the radio station ashore – to say that the machine had made a forced landing in Berkeley Sound, and shortly after 1400 Lieutenant Dalyell-Stead appeared on board, having walked for four hours in his flying kit. We put to sea with weather conditions getting steadily worse. Drizzle turned into driving rain, grey skies darkened – and about 1500 we sighted the float-plane, a silver speck against the forbidding coastline, and guarded by a hungry and bedraggled Telegraphist Chandler who had nevertheless maintained his high spirits and seemed little the worse for wear. The machine was recovered without mishap – great credit being due to almost everyone – and the ship set off for South Georgia.


22nd March 1937

Reported that whilst on exercises from Barbados and Tortola the Ajax plane was operating off HMS Apollo and ended up in the drink, ‘giving its crew their second opportunity for a little display of aquabatics’


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