722 Naval Air Squadron

Last updated

722 Naval Air Squadron
Swordfish (7582559196).jpg
A Fairey Swordfish similar to ones used by 722 NAS in 1945.
Active1944-45 [1]
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy
TypeNaval Air Squadron
RoleTraining (1944-1945)
Part of Fleet Air Arm
Garrison/HQ RNAS Tambaram
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Lt. Cdr (A) A.F.E. Payen RNVR
Lt. Cdr (A) K.C. Johnson SANF (V)
Lt. Cdr (A) L.G. Morris RN

722 Naval Air Squadron (722 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm created on 7th September 1944, where it was responsible for assisting in ship and aircraft gunnery practice. On 24 October 1945 following the end of the Second World War. [2]

Contents

History

Southern India

A Miles Martinet similar to ones used by 722 NAS in 1944 and 1945. Miles M.25 Martinet TT MkI in flight.jpg
A Miles Martinet similar to ones used by 722 NAS in 1944 and 1945.

The squadron began its operational life in Southern India, with Lt. Cdr (A) A.F.E. Payen RNVR in command at the squadron's HQ at RNAS Tambaram. On 23 October 1944 Lt. Cdr (A) K.C. Johnson SANF (V) took command of the squadron.

On 7 September 1944 'X' flight was established at RAF Juhu, and was responsible for East coast duties, with a focus on the area around Bombay. Initially the squadron operated 12 Miles Martinets, one Stinson Reliant, and one Supermarine Walrus, but in March 1945 it received four Fairey Swordfish. On 18 September 1945, the flight was moved to RNAS Cochin.

Three months later, on 28 December 1944, 'Y' flight was established at RAF Vizagapatam, and was responsible for West coast duties. It operated with a number of Grumman F4F Wildcats, until it was disbanded on 14 October 1945.

Towards the end of the squadron's operational life, it received its third and final commanding officer, when Lt. Cdr (A) L.G. Morris RN assumed command on 8 March 1945.

On 24 October 1945 following the end of the Second World War, it was determined the squadron was no longer required and it was disbanded. [2]

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions: [2]

Related Research Articles

RNAS Hatston (HMS <i>Sparrowhawk</i>) Former Royal Naval Air Station in Orkney, Scotland

Royal Naval Air Station Hatston, was a Royal Naval Air Station, one mile to the north west of Kirkwall on the island of Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. It was located near the strategically vital naval base of Scapa Flow, which for most of the twentieth century formed the main base of the ships of the Home Fleet. The airbase was designed to provide accommodation for disembarked Front-Line squadrons and accommodation for disembarked Ship's Flight Aircraft and was home to the Home Fleet Fleet Requirements Unit, 771 Naval Air Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">719 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

719 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It initially formed in 1944 as a Fighter Air Firing Training Squadron, at RNAS St Merryn, within the School of Air Combat. At the start of 1945 the squadron disbanded into 794 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron reformed in 1946 at RNAS Fearn as a Strike Training Squadron, before moving to RNAS Eglinton, where it became an Anti-submarine Training Squadron, disbanding there in 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">728 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

728 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed at the beginning of May in 1943, as a Fleet Requirement Unit, at RNAS Gibraltar. It provided detachments at Tafaraoui, in Algeria and later at Oujda in Morocco. Moving to RNAS Dekheila, in Egypt, during June, it then merged into 775 Naval Air Squadron during July.

730 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1944 and 1945 as a communications squadron. The squadron was formed and operated out of RNAS Abbotsinch from April to November 1944, by that point in time it operated four types of aircraft. It moved to RNAS Ayr and while there gained two more aircraft types. For the first three months of 1945 a detachment operated out of RNAS Machrihanish, however, the squadron remained at RNAS Ayr until disbanding in August 1945.

733 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1944 and 1947 as a Fleet Requirement Unit, based mainly at RNAS Trincomalee, China Bay, Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

735 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1943 and 1946 as an ASV radar Training Unit. Forming at RNAS Inskip in 1943, roughly one year later the squadron moved to RNAS Burscough. Various flights from the squadron moved on to form other Naval Air Squadrons, with 735 NAS eventually disbanding in 1946.

741 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active, between 1943 and 1945 as an Observer Training Squadron at RNAS Arbroath. It reformed at RNAS St. Merryn, as an Operational Flying Training Unit in 1946.

742 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active as a Communications Squadron and a Royal Navy Air Transport Squadron, operating in Sri Lanka during and after World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">748 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

748 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed, at RNAS St Merryn, as a Fighter Pool Squadron, before becoming No. 10 Naval Operational Training Unit. The squadron moved to RNAS Henstridge in February 1944 and then onto RNAS Yeovilton in the March. In September 1944, 748 NAS moved to RNAS Dale, in Wales, remaining for just under twelve months, before moving back to RNAS St Merryn in August 1945, where it disbanded in February 1946. During its existence, the squadron was equipped with numerous aircraft and various marks, operated by the Fleet Air Arm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">751 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

751 Naval Air Squadron 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 NAS formed at RNAS Ford in May 1939. Ford was attacked and bombed, in August 1940, and the following day the squadron relocated to RNAS Arbroath. Twelve months later it moved to RNAS Dundee, remaining there until disbanding at Dundee in May 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">753 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

753 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1946 as part of No.2 Observer School, forming out of the School of Naval Co-operation, in May 1939. Initially at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, the squadron moved to RNAS Arbroath just over one year later, in August 1940, following a German bombing attack on the air station. It spent four years operating out of Arbroath, before relocating again, this time to RNAS Rattray, where the squadron disbanded in August 1946.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">754 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

754 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No.2 Observer School, forming out of the School of Naval Co-operation, in May 1939. It initially operated out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent, however, after the Naval Air Station was attacked and bombed, it then moved to RNAS Arbroath, in September 1940. Here, it provided training for Observers and also Air Gunners and where four years later, in March 1944, it disbanded. The squadron then briefly reformed as a Training Squadron, as part of No. 1 Naval Air Gunners School, when 744 Naval Air Squadron was re-designated 754 Naval Air Squadron, in June 1944, at RN Air Section Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, untildisbanding again, in March 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">759 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

759 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was created on November 1, 1939, and was disbanded on December 24, 1969. It was initially intended as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron but became a Fighter School and Pool Squadron in 1939, at RNAS Eastleigh. It operated out of RNAS Yeovilton from 1940 to 1946, as part of the Naval Air Fighter School. In 1943 a detachment operated out of RNAS Angle, working with 794 NAS and known as the Naval Air Firing Unit. It was again the Naval Air Fighter School upon reformation in 1951 and disbandment in 1954, firstly at RNAS Culdrose and then moving to RNAS Lossiemouth, in 1953. The squadron reformed again, this time at RNAS Brawdy in 1963, as the Naval Advanced Flying Training School, before finally disbanding in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">763 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

763 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed in 1939 as the Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Pool No. 1, at RNAS Worthy Down. Three months later, it moved to the short-lived RNAS Jersey, before moving back to Worthy Down via RNAS Lee-on Solent and disbanding in 1940. The squadron reformed, on the seaplane carrier HMS Pegasus, as a Seaplane Training Squadron, in 1942. This role lasted around two years and the squadron continually operated and provided training from HMS Pegasus, until disbanding in 1944. Roughly two months later, the squadron reformed again, this time at RNAS Inskip, as an Anti-submarine Operational Training Squadron and remained in this role for just over one year, disbanding in July 1945 at Inskip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">764 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

764 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It initially formed in April 1940, at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as an Advance Seaplane training Squadron. The Squadron moved to RAF Pembroke Dock in July 1940, and later to RNAS Lawrenny Ferry, in October 1941 and remaining there until the Squadron disbanded in November 1943. It reformed at RNAS Gosport, in February 1944, as the User Trials Unit, however, the Squadron was decommissioned for the second time in September 1945. 764 NAS reformed again, at RNAS Lossiemouth, in May 1953, where it became an Advanced Training Unit. It moved to RNAS Yeovilton in September 1953, where it received its first jet aircraft. In November 1954 the Squadron disbanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">765 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

765 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, in May 1939, as a Seaplane School and Pool squadron. The squadron moved to RNAS Sandbanks, in August 1940, where it undertook the Seaplane Flying Training Course Part I. Lieutenant Commander Wilson was appointed as dual officer in charge of the air base, and Commanding officer of 765 NAS. By the middle of 1943, dedicated Seaplane Training schools ended and the squadron disbanded in the October. 765 NAS reformed at RNAS Charlton Horethorne, in early February 1944, as a Travelling Recording Unit. The squadron moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent in March, before moving to RNAS Worthy Down on one month later during April, then in May it moved to RNAS Stretton, were it remained during June.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">766 Naval Air Squadron</span> Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron

766 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was to have initially formed in 1939 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, as a Seaplane School, however, it formed at RNAS Machrihannish as a Night ALT Course, in 1942. It moved to RNAS Inskip, in 1943, to become part of No. 1 Naval Operational Training Unit. By 1944, it was operating over 30 swordfish aircraft, but, during the year, also acquired Firefly aircraft from 1772 NAS, and Sea Hurricane aircraft from 760 NAS. It moved to RNAS Rattray early in 1946, but later that year, moved to RNAS Lossiemouth where it received Seafire aircraft, along with being Part 1 of the Operational Flying School. By late 1951, Sea Fury trainer aircraft were also added to its varied list of types operated. In 1953, the squadron moved to RNAS Culdrose, where it disbanded in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">777 Naval Air Squadron</span> Military unit

777 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Requirements Unit which was formed in West Africa during the Second World War.

790 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.

RNAS Twatt (HMS <i>Tern</i>) Former Royal Naval Air Station in Orkney, Scotland

Royal Naval Air Station Twatt, is a former Royal Navy Air Station located near Twatt, Orkney, Scotland. It was built by the Admiralty and was commissioned on 1 April 1941. On 1 January 1942 it became an independent command as HMS Tern. The airbase was designed to provide accommodation for disembarked Front-Line squadrons and accommodation for disembarked Ship's Flight Aircraft and was home to the Home Fleet Fleet Requirements Unit, 771 Naval Air Squadron.

References

Citations

  1. Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 42.
  2. 1 2 3 "722 Naval Air Squadron". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2021.

Bibliography