Fleet Requirements Unit (1943) edit

728 Naval Air Squadron was formed on 1 May 1943 at RN Air Section Gibraltar, the Admiralty having lodger facilities at RAF North Front, Gibraltar, as a Fleet Requirements Unit. The squadron was equipped with Boulton Paul Defiant TT.1, an interceptor aircraft converted for target tug operations and Fairey Swordfish I, a biplane torpedo bomber.^[5] Whilst at Gibraltar it operated detachments at RN Air Section Tafaraoui, (lodger facilities at RAF Tafaraoui) in Algeria, from 11 May 1943 to 15 June 1943, with Fairey Swordfish aircraft,^[6] and also at RAF Oujda, in Morocco, with Boulton Paul Defiant to provide target towing for an American Anti-Aircraft battery firing range.^[4] before moving to RNAS Dekheila (HMS Grebe), Alexandria in Egypt, on 15 June 1943,^[5] where it later disbanded, being absorbed by 775 Naval Air Squadron on 4 July 1943.^[4]

Fleet Requirements Unit (1943 - 1967) edit

However, just over one month later, on the 14 August, 728 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Dekheila.^[7] The squadron soon moved to Malta and settled at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon), from 5 May 1946, after brief stints at RN Air Section Takali (HMS Goldfinch) and RAF Luqa and just after taking up radar calibration duties from No. 255 Squadron RAF.^[3] It was again equipped with Boulton Paul Defiant target tug aircraft, and provided target towing both for the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet and the British Army, before later providing a detachment to tow targets for the United States Navy at Naples, Italy.^[4]

1944 saw the squadron received new aircraft types with Miles Martinet, a target tug aircraft, Bristol Beaufighter, a multirole combat aircraft and Hawker Hurricane single-seat fighter aircraft added to the inventory as the British Pacific Fleet worked up in the Mediterranean.^[1] The Boulton Paul Defiant aircraft were withdrawn and replaced by with Bristol Beaufort, a British torpedo bomber, Martin Baltimore, an American light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, Supermarine Seafire, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft and de Havilland Mosquito, a twin-engine multirole combat aircraft, during the winter of 1944-45.^[4]

With the post Second World War reduction of the Mediterranean Fleet, aircraft numbers were also reduced and changes in type took place. In 1949 de Havilland Mosquito TT Mk.39, a RN target towing variant, replaced the Miles Martinet target tug aircraft, later marks of Supermarine Seafire were used for fighter exercises, and Beech Expeditor, an American trainer, transport and utility aircraft, operated passenger and cargo flights. In 1951, de Havilland Sea Vampire jet fighter replaced the Supermarine Seafire and in 1952 the squadron received de Havilland Sea Hornet fighter aircraft and Short Sturgeon target tug aircraft replaced the de Havilland Mosquito TT Mk.39.^[1]

Helicopters were added to supplement the squadron's inventory when it started operating the Westland Dragonfly HR.3, air-sea search and rescue helicopter, at the end of 1952. 728B Flight was the identity given to the new RNAS Hal Far SAR (Search and Rescue) flight, this operated utilising the Westland Whirlwind HAR.3, air-sea search and rescue variant, which arrived in 1957. In March 1963, Westland Whirlwind HAS.22, an anti-submarine helicopter, became available for the SAR flight, which was then amalgamated into 728 Naval Air Squadron.^[3]

On 31 May 1967 728 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon).^[7]

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:^[8]

728 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of overseas naval air stations of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force stations, and a number of other air bases:^[9]

1943

• RN Air Section Gibraltar (1 May - 15 June 1943)
  • RN Air Section Tafaraoui Detachment (11 May - 15 June 1943
  • RAF Oujda Detachment (5 - 15 June 1943)
• -transit- (15 - 18 June 1943)
• Royal Naval Air Station DEKHEILA (HMS Grebe) (18 June - 4 July 1943)
• disbanded - (4 July 1943)

1943 - 1967

• Royal Naval Air Station DEKHEILA (HMS Grebe) (14 - 17 August 1943)
• RN Air Section Takali (17 August 1943 - 1 January 1946)
  • Capodichino Detachment four aircraft (11 - 20 January 1944)
  • Capodichino Detachment two aircraft (14 - 20 March 1944)
  • RN Air Section Gibraltar Detachment (April - May 1944)
  • Pomigliano Detachment (August 1945 - April 1946)
  • Ciampino Detachment (August 1945 - April 1946)
• Royal Air Force Luqa (1 January 1946 - 5 May 1946)
• Royal Naval Air Station HAL FAR (HMS Falcon) (5 May 1946 - 16 September 1954)
• Royal Naval Air Station TAKALI (HMS Goldfinch) (16 September - 9 October 1954)
• Royal Naval Air Station HAL FAR (HMS Falcon) (9 October 1954 - 9 March 1962)
  • Royal Air Force Akrotiri Detachment three aircraft (6 - 30 June 1960)
  • RN Air Section Gibraltar Detachment three aircraft (12 - 28 January / 8 February - 5 April 1962)
• Royal Naval Air Station TAKALI (HMS Goldfinch) (9 March - 11 April 1962)
• Royal Naval Air Station HAL FAR (HMS Falcon) (11 April 1962 - 31 May 1967)
  • Royal Air Force Akrotiri Detachment three aircraft (29 March - 21 April 1963)
  • Souda Air Base Detachment three aircraft (1 - 7 October 1963)
  • Royal Air Force Akrotiri Detachment three aircraft (11 -15 November 1963)
  • RN Air Section Gibraltar Detachment four aircraft (6 - 13 December 1963 / 7 - 29 May 1964)
  • Royal Air Force Akrotiri Detachment three aircraft (22 June - 1 July 1964)
  • RN Air Section Gibraltar Detachment three aircraft (26 June - 5 July 1964)
  • RN Air Section Gibraltar Detachment (12 - 21 September 1965)
• disbanded - (31 May 1967)

List of commanding officers of 728 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:^[4][9]

1943

• Lieutenant(A) E.H. Horn, RNVR, from 1 May 1943
• disbanded - 4 July 1943

1943 - 1967

• Lieutenant P. Snow, RN, from 14 August 1943
• Lieutenant Commander(A) P.B. Pratt, RNVR, from 8 January 1944
• Lieutenant Commander E.M. Britton, RN, from 5 January 1946 (KiFA 21 June 1946)
• Lieutenant(A) P.J.W.W. Cruttenden, RNVR, from 23 June 1946
• Lieutenant(A) J.R.W. Groves, RN, 21 October 1946
• Lieutenant Commander D.H. Lough, RN, from 14 October 1948
• Lieutenant Commander R.P. Keogh, RN, from 6 August 1949
• Lieutenant Commander H.A. Monk, DSM*, RN, from 23 October 1950
• Lieutenant Commander P.C.S. Bagley, RN, from 4 February 1952
• Lieutenant Commander A.D. Corkhill, DFC, RN, from 6 January 1954
• Lieutenant Commander B. Bevans, DSC, RN, 2 February 1955
• Lieutenant Commander R.C.B. Trelawney, RN, 3 June 1957
• Lieutenant Commander R.H. Hallam, RN, 19 October 1959
• Lieutenant Commander C.R. Mellor, RN, from 30 March 1962
• Lieutenant Commander A.A. Knight, RN, from 20 March 1964
• Lieutenant Commander P.J. Wreford, RN, 7 April 1966
• disbanded - 31 May 1967

Citations edit

Bibliography edit