Richard Nott already had two years service in Front Line squadrons at the outbreak of WWII and was an experienced fighter pilot. His ship, HMS Glorious was at first used in the Indian Ocean covering the approaches to the Red Sea until mid-January 1940 when she moved back into the Mediterraean. In April 1940 the Glorious was rushed from the Mediterranean and from 23 April 1940 was operating off Namsos covering the Army in Norway. On 23 April 18 Gladiators of the RAF 263 Squadron were flown ashore and again on 21 May a further 16 Hurricanes of 46 Squadron RAF were flown in to Bardufoss. During the retreat from Norway, Glorious had recovered 10 Gladiators and 7 of the Hurricanes when she was intercepted and sunk by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. There were only 43 survivors when help arrived two days later (out of a total of 1474 RN and 41 RAF).
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Both Captain J R Owens and Captain Nott were lost when Glorious was sunk on 8 June 1940.