Frederic Shute (pictured above in a highly pixelated photograph found in Flight Magazine) was granted short service commission as Pilot Officer on probation with effect from and with seniority of 10th April 1931. In March 1932 he was posted to 23 Squadron at Kenley. He was confirmed in the rank of P/O on 10th April 1932 and promoted to F/O on 10th November 1932. He attended a Flying Instructor's course at the Central Flying School in early 1936 and passed out with a "B" class certificate. He was posted to 9 FTS at Thornaby on 30th March 1936 as a flying instructor andin April 1936 rising to F/Lt on 1st April 1936. He was granted a permanent commission in the RAF on 1st June 1936. In early 1937 he was recategorised from "B" class to "A2" class after a course at the CFS, and in April 1938 from "A2" class to "A1" class after a further course. On 1st December 1938 he was promoted to S/Ldr. He took command of 152 Squadron on 2nd October 1939 based at Acklington. As a Gladiator pilot with 152 Squadron he shot down a Heinkel He111 over Druridge Bay on 3rd February 1940. 152 Squadron were converting to Spitfires around the same time.

S/Ldr Frederic Shute was killed on 29th February 1940 while serving with 152 Squadron flying over the sea after his engine failed during a sea search for a missing aircraft (he was flying either Gladiator N5646 or Spitfire K9898; the Gladiator may have the aircraft he was searching for in his Spitfire). His body was never found and is commemerated on the Runnymede Memorial.