Wikipedia

1772 Naval Air Squadron

1772 Naval Air Squadron (1772 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA), which last disbanded, at Portsmouth, in March 1946. The squadron formed at HMS Ringtail, RNAS Burscough as a Fighter Squadron during May 1944. It joined HMS Ruler for passage to Australia leaving January 1945 and disembarking at HMS Nabstock, RNAS Schofields, mid-March. The squadron embarked in HMS Indefatigable in July, joining the British Pacific Fleet for attacks againgst the Japanese home islands. After the end of the Second World War it dropped supplies on PoW camps.

1772 Naval Air Squadron
1772 NAS badge
Active1944-46[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeTwo-seat fighter squadron
RoleFighter Squadron
Sizetwelve aircraft
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Motto(s)Tenax propositi
(Latin for 'Steadfast of purpose')
EngagementsWorld War II
Battle honoursJapan 1945
Insignia
Squadron Badge DescriptionPer fess red and blue, a bow strung full draught in pale white with an arrow winged and flighted point downwards wings interlaced all gold (1944)[2]
Identification Markingssingle letters[3]
4A+ (October 1943)
270-281 (June 1945)[2]
Tail CodesS (June 1945)
Aircraft flown
FighterFairey Firefly
Fairey Firefly, an example of the type used by 1772 NAS

History edit

Two-seater Fighter Squadron (1944 - 1946) edit

1772 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail), Lancashire, England, on 1 May 1944, as a two-seater fighter squadron. It was equipped with twelve Fairey Firefly I, a carrier-borne fighter, anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft. During November the squadron undertook deck landing training (DLT) using the Ruler-class escort carrier HMS Empress.[3] On completion of the training the squadron received new aircraft fitted with long-range fuel tanks (the original aircraft being re-allocated to 766 Naval Air Squadron.[2]

The squadron travelled to RNAS Belfast (HMS Gadwall), Belfast, Northern Ireland in January 1945[2] where it prepared for embarking on the name ship of her class, HMS Ruler, for passage to the Pacific, for operations with the British Pacific Fleet, and departed on 20 January.[3] disembarking for RNAS Schofields (HMS Nabstock), New South Wales, on 18 March 1945.[4] It embarked in the Implacable-class aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable on 7 July, becoming part of the 7th Carrier Air Group, for attacks against the Japanese home islands.[2]

After V-J Day the squadron dropped supplies on PoW camps in Japan[3] and HMS Indefatigable spent four days anchored in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender in September. The aircraft carrier with it's air group sailed for the United Kingdom in at the end of January 1946. 1772 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on arrival at Portsmouth on 10 March.[2]

Aircraft flown edit

1772 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:[2]

Battle honours edit

The battle honours awarded to 1772 Naval Air Squadron are:

Naval Air Stations edit

1772 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom and one overseas in Australia, and a couple of RN escort carriers and a RN fleet carrier:[2]

 
HMS Indefatigable (R10)

Commanding Officers edit

List of commanding officers of 1772 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:[3][2]

  • Lieutenant Commander(A) A.H.D. Gough, RN, from 1 May 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) L.C. Wort, DSC, RNVR, from 3 November 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) D.J. Holmes, RNVR, from 24 September 1945
  • disbanded - 10 March 1946

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 339.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 278.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Wragg 2019, p. 190.
  4. ^ "Schofields". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 8 May 2024.

Bibliography edit

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