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751 Naval Air Squadron

Summary

751 Naval Air Squadron (751 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No.1 Observer School. 751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine) in May 1939. Ford was attacked and bombed, in August 1940, and the following day the squadron relocated to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor).[3] Twelve months later it moved to RNAS Dundee (HMS Condor II), remaining there until disbanding at Dundee in May 1944.

751 Naval Air Squadron
751 NAS badge
Active24 May 1939 - 2 May 1944
22 September 1945 - 31 October 1945
1 March 1947 - 30 September 1947
3 December 1951 - 1 May 1958[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Observer Training Squadron
  • Trials Unit
  • Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Insignia
Squadron BadgeWhite, in base barry wavy of four blue and white overall a lightning flash in pale gold in front of two arrows in saltire points downward black (1956)[1]
Identification MarkingsW9A+ to A4A+
AA4A+ to AA5A+ (1943)[2]
385-388 & 810-815 (1956)
680-688 (1958)
Grumman (General_Motors) TBM-3E Avenger, an Avenger AS4 in the Royal Navy, an example of the type flown by 751 NAS.

In 1945 it had a brief existence as a Trials Unit, at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail),[4] followed by another short reformation, during 1947, this time at RAF Watton. The squadron reformed for a second longer spell at Watton, from 1951, remaining there for the next six years, before moving to RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), in September 1957. During this period the squadron went on frequent detachments, on exercises,[1] however, it eventually disbanded at RNAS Culdrose in May 1958 when it was renumbered as 831 Naval Air Squadron[5]

History of 751 NAS edit

Observer Training (1939 - 1944) edit

 
Supermarine Walrus I ‘L2301’, an example of the type used by 751 NAS

751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), in West Sussex, on 24 May 1939, as an Observer Training Squadron and being part of No.1 Observer School. The squadron was equipped with Supermarine Walrus, a biplane amphibious aircraft.

On 18 August 1940, a formation of Junkers Ju 87, or 'Stuka', dive bombers, attacked RNAS Ford as part of a large Luftwaffe force attacking airfields around Hampshire and Sussex. twenty-eight personnel were killed and seventy-five wounded in the raid, which also destroyed seventeen aircraft, damaged twenty-six more and caused significant infrastructure damage.

The following day, 751 Naval Air Squadron moved from RNAS Ford to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor),[3] in East Angus, Scotland, then as part of the No.2 Observer Training School. The squadron remained at RNAS Arbroath for around twelve months, before moving to the satellite station and Seaplane base at RNAS Dundee (HMS Condor II), Dundee, Angus, on 13 August 1941, operating as a Seaplane Observer Training Squadron and continuing to use Supermarine Walrus aircraft. The squadron disbanded at Dundee on 2 May 1944.[6]

Trials Unit (1945) edit

751 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), close to Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on the 22 September 1945, as a Trials Unit when 846 Naval Air Squadron disbanded and re-numbered as 751 Naval Air Squadron.[4] The squadron was equipped with Grumman Avenger Mk.II, an American torpedo bomber aircraft, however, the unit only lasted just over one month and it disbanded on the 31 October 1945 at Machrihanish.[5]

Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit (1947) edit

751 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RAF Watton, located 9 mi (14 km) southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England, on the 1 March 1947. It operated Avro Anson, a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft, and Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine monoplane aircraft. The squadron was active for six months, disbanding on the 30 September 1947.[5]

Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit (1951 - 1958) edit

Four years later, 751 Naval Air Squadron reformed, again at RAF Watton, on the 3 December 1951, remaining there for around the next six years until 27 September 1957 when the squadron moved to RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), located near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall, England.

While at Watton, it participated in four separate aircraft carrier deployments, between August 1953 and November 1957. From the 31 August to the 2 October 1953, a detachment was embarked in the lead ship of her class, the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, operating with Grumman Avenger ECM.6 aircraft. In 1955, between the 19 February and the 15 March, a detachment spent the time operating from another lead ship of her class, the light aircraft carrier HMS Centaur, again with Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In June 1955, a detachment spent approximately two weeks, from the 7 to the 23, deployed to the Centaur-class light fleet aircraft carrier, HMS Bulwark, again operating the Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In November 1957, the squadron saw an approximate one week deployment, aboard the Audacious-class aircraft carrier, HMS Eagle.

751 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on 1 May 1958 when it was renumbered as 831 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk).[5]

Aircraft operated edit

751 Naval Air Squadron has operated a number of different aircraft types, including:[5][1]

Naval Air Stations and Aircraft Carriers / Royal Air Force Stations edit

751 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in Scotland and England, a number of Royal Navy aircraft carriers and a Royal Air Force station in England:[5][1]

1939 - 1944

1945

1947

1951 - 1958

Commanding Officers edit

List of Commanding officers of 751 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment:[5][1]

1939 - 1944

  • Lieutenant Commander(A) J.H. Sender, RN, from 24 May 1939
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) F. Leach, RNVR, from 1 February 1941
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) H. Jones, RNVR, from 1 December 1941
  • Lieutenant Commander D.H. Angel, RN, from 5 May 1943
  • Lieutenant Commander T.E. Sargent, RD, RNVR, from 2 February 1944
  • disbanded - 2 May 1944

1945

  • unknown (September - October 1945)

1947

  • Lieutenant R.F.J. Forty, RN, from 1 March 1947
  • disbanded - 30 September 1947

1951 - 1958

  • Lieutenant Commander P. Winter, DSC, RN, from 3 December 1951
  • Lieutenant Commander G.R. Woolsteon, RN, from 25 March 1952
  • Lieutenant Commander W.J. Cooper, RN, from 26 June 1954
  • Lieutenant Commander J.T. Williams, RN, from 16 July 1956
  • Lieutenant Commander W.J. Hanks, RN, from 24 March 1958
  • became - 831 Naval Air Squadron

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Ballance 2016, p. 55.
  2. ^ Wragg 2019, p. 124.
  3. ^ a b "RNAS Ford". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "846 NAS". fleetairarmarchive.net. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "751 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. ^ "RNAS Dundee". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2023.

Bibliography edit

  • Ballance, Theo (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air Britain Historians Limited. ISBN 978-0-85130-489-2.
  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
  • Wragg, David (2019). The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-9303-6.