II(AC) Sqn was deployed to Shanghai in April 1927 to provide part of the defensive measures
taken to protect the International Settlement against increasing Chinese nationalist agitation.
Their Bristol Fighters were crated and together with pilots and personnel a voyage was made to the Far East
in a flottila of ships under the command of HMS Hermes, the first purpose built aircraft carrier in the world
which had been built by Armstrong Whitworth and launched on 11 September 1919 (commissioned in July 1923).
Their duty done the squadron returned to UK in October 1927 but, sad to say, that after a
distinguished wartime career HMS Hermes was sunk on 9 April 1942. |
