755 Naval Air Squadron
| 755 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 24 May 1939 - 31 October 1944 24 March 1945 - 31 October 1945[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
| Role |
|
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings | X2A+ W6A+[2](1943)[3] |
755 Naval Air Squadron(755 NAS) was aNaval Air Squadronof the Royal Navy'sFleet Air Arm.It was first formed as aTelegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadronfrom 1939 to 1944. Initially operating out of HMSKestrel,RNAS Worthy Down, the squadron also had a brief, roughly two month stint, at RNAS Jersey, which was cut shorter than anticipated by the German occupation of France and the danger this posed to the Channel Islands. It then briefly reformed as aCommunications Squadronat HMSBherunda,RNAS Colombo Racecourse, Sri Lanka, during 1945.
History of 755 NAS
[edit]Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron (1939 - 1944)
[edit]
755 Naval Air Squadron formed atRNAS Worthy Down (HMSKestrel),3.5 miles (6 km) north ofWinchester,Hampshire,England,on 24 May 1939, as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron.[4]It was initially equipped withHawker Osprey,anavalisedcarrier-borne version of theHawker Hartlight bomber,performing in thefighterandreconnaissanceroles andBlackburn SharkMk III, a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, however, various marks ofPercival Proctor(Ia, II, IIa, III and IV), a deck landing and radio trainer aircraft, were also operated from November 1939.[5]
The squadron moved to the short lived RNAS Jersey on the 11 March 1940 taking its assembly of Percival Proctor, Hawker Osprey and Blackburn Shark aircraft. In early March theAdmiraltyhad taken overJersey Airport,located atSt Peter, Jersey,Channel Islands,to use as aNaval air station.However, due to the German occupation of France and the proximity to the Channel Islands, theGovernmentconcluded the Islands weren't defendable and 755 Naval Air Squadron moved back to RNAS Worthy Down on 31 May 1940.[6]
The squadron stopped using Hawker Osprey at the beginning of 1941, and from July onwards it was also equipped withWestland LysanderTT.III, a Britisharmy co-operationandliaison aircraft,converted to atarget tugand flew these alongside the Percival Proctor and Blackburn Shark aircraft during the next couple of years. In October 1943, the squadron swapped it's Blackburn Shark forCurtiss SeamewI, an observation floatplane and for the following twelve months 755 Naval Air Squadron provided Telegraphist Air Gunner training, with Westland Lysander, Percival Proctor and Curtiss Seamew until disbanding, at RNAS Worthy Down, on 31 October 1944.[5]
Communications Squadron (1945)
[edit]
755 Naval Air Squadron reformed atRNAS Colombo Racecourse (HMSBherunda),in theCinnamon Gardens,Colombo,Sri Lanka, on 24 March 1945, as a Communications Squadron. It was equipped withBeech Expeditor C.2,a twin-enginedtrainer,transportandutility aircraft,which it operated in the communications role throughout its existence. 755 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Colombo Racecourse on 31 October 1945.[5]
Aircraft operated
[edit]755 Naval Air Squadron has operated a number of different aircraft types, including:[5][3]
- Hawker Ospreyfighter and reconnaissance aircraft (May 1939 - January 1941)
- Blackburn SharkMk II torpedo bomber (May 1939 - October 1943)
- Percival ProctorIA deck landing and radio trainer aircraft (November 1939 - October 1944)
- Blackburn Skuadive bomber and fighter aircraft (January 1940)
- Blackburn Rocfighter aircraft (May 1940 - September 1940)
- Westland LysanderTT Mk.III target tug aircraft (July 1941 - October 1944)
- Westland Lysander Mk.IIIAarmy co-operationandliaison aircraft(July 1941 - October 1944)
- Percival ProctorIIA radio trainer aircraft (October 1941 - October 1944)
- Percival Proctor II radio trainer aircraft (April 1942 - January 1944)
- de Havilland Tiger Mothtrainer aircraft (September 1943 - December 1943)
- Curtiss SeamewI observation floatplane (October 1943 - October 1944)
- Percival Proctor III radio trainer aircraft (November 1943 - March 1944)
- Beech ExpeditorIItrainer,transportandutility aircraft(March 1945 - October 1945)
Naval Air Stations
[edit]755 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number ofnaval air stations of the Royal Navy,in England, the Channel Islands and overseas in Sri Lanka:[3]
1939 - 1944
- Royal Naval Air Station WORTHY DOWN (HMSKestrel)(24 May 1939 - 31 October 1944)
- Royal Naval Air Station JERSEYDetachment(11 March 1940 - 31 May 1940)
- disbanded- (31 October 1944)
1945
- Royal Naval Air Station COLOMBO RACECOURSE (HMSBerhunda)(24 March 1945 - 31 October 1945)
Commanding Officers
[edit]List ofcommanding officersof 755 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment and end:[5][3]
1939 - 1944
- Lieutenant CommanderR.A. PeytonRN,from 24 May 1939
- Lieutenant Commander O.S. Stevinson, RN, from 17 July 1939
- Lieutenant Commander H.P. Sears, RN, from 11 March 1940
- Lieutenant Commander(A) T. Coates,RNVR,from 6 March 1941
- Lieutenant Commander(A) R.H. Ovey, RNVR, from 1 December 1941
- Lieutenant Commander(A) J.J. Dykes, RNVR, from 15 January 1942
- Lieutenant Commander(A) W.H.C. Blake, RNVR, from 10 June 1944
- disbanded- 31 October 1944
1945
- Lieutenant Commander(A) J.G.O. Sullivan,RNZNVR,from 24 March 1945
- Lieutenant Commander(A) R.J. Griffith, RNZNVR, from 4 September 1945
- disbanded- 31 October 1945
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^Sturtivant & Ballance 1994,p. 74.
- ^Wragg 2019,p. 125.
- ^abcdBallance 2016,p. 57.
Bibliography
[edit]- Ballance, Theo (2016).The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm.Air Britain Historians Limited.ISBN978-0-85130-489-2.
- Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994).The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm.Tonbridge,Kent,UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.ISBN0-85130-223-8.
- Wragg, David (2019).The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945.Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,UK: The History Press.ISBN978-0-7509-9303-6.
- Thetford, Owen (1991).British Naval Aircraft since 1912.London,UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, an imprint of Conway Maritime Press Ltd.ISBN0-85177-849-6.