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756 Naval Air Squadron

756 Naval Air Squadron (756 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially formed as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron, operating from May to August 1939, out of RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel), in Hampshire, England. It was later reformed again as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron, operating from March 1941, out of RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel). TAG training was provided until the No. 2 School was ready in Canada, opening on 1 January 1943, and 756 Naval Air Squadron disbanded in December 1942. The squadron reformed at RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa), in Sri Lanka, in October 1943, as a Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance pool. During 1944 and 1945, the squadron undertook a number of detachmemts on different types of Royal Navy aircraft carriers, then disbanding in December 1945.

756 Naval Air Squadron
Active24 May 1939 - 15 August 1939
6 March 1941 - 1 December 1942
1 October 1943 - 24 November 1945[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron
  • Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance
SizeSquadron
Part ofFleet Air Arm
Insignia
Identification MarkingsX3A+ Proctor
single letters Albacore
KA+ Barracuda & Swordfish
K1A+ Avenger[2]
Percival Proctor, of the type used by 756 NAS

History of 756 NAS edit

756 Naval Air Squadron initially formed at RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel), 3.5 miles (6 km) north of Winchester, Hampshire, England, on 24 May 1939, as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron. It was equipped with a number of Blackburn Shark Mk III, a carrier-borne torpedo bomber, used in the torpedo-spotter-reconnaissance role. However the squadron disbanded on 15 August 1939, and it was absorbed into 755 Naval Air Squadron.[3]

Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron (1941 - 1942) edit

756 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel), on 6 March 1941, as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron.[4] It operated with Percival Proctor I and II, a British radio trainer and communications aircraft.[5]

The squadron continued Telegraphist Air Gunner training throughout 1942, however, as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the No. 2 Telegraphist Air Gunner School, at R.N. Air Section Yarmouth, located in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada, opened on 1 January 1943,[4] and therefore 756 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Worthy Down on 1 December 1942.[5]

Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance (1943 - 1945) edit

756 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 1 October 1943 as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance pool at RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa), located near the town of Kalutara in Sri Lanka. The squadron initially used Fairey Albacore, a single-engine biplane torpedo bomber, and Fairey Fulmar, a British carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraft/fighter aircraft, from reformation. These were followed by Fairey Barracuda, a British carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber, in the December. In February 1944, Fairey Albacore and Fairey Fulmar aircraft were both withdrawn from the squadron's inventory, but Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber aircraft arrived in March and these were closely followed by Grumman Avenger, an American torpedo bomber aircraft, in May.[5]

The squadron participated in four separate aircraft carrier deployments, two during 1944 and another two in 1945. From the 29 April to the 4 May 1944, a detachment from 756 Naval Air Squadron, was deployed on the aircraft repair ship and light aircraft carrier, HMS Unicorn. Next the squadron sent a detachment to the Illustrious-class aircraft carrier, HMS Victorious for approximately two weeks, from 29 October to 12 November.[3]

In 1945, a detachment then spent three days, 1, 2 and 3 May, operating from the Attacker-class escort carrier, HMS Attacker and this was later followed by a two week detachment to the Ruler-class escort carrier, HMS Atheling, between 15 and 21 August.[5]

On 24 November 1945, 756 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Katukurunda.[5]

Aircraft operated edit

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

 
Fairey Barracuda Mk II

Naval Air Stations and Aircraft Carriers edit

756 Naval Air Squadron operated from a few naval air stations of the Royal Navy, one in England and two overseas in Sri Lanka, and some deployments in Royal Navy Fleet and Escort aircraft carriers for Deck Landing Training (DLT):[5][3]

1939

1941 - 1942

  • Royal Naval Air Station WORTHY DOWN (HMS Kestrel) (6 March 1941 - 1 December 1942)
  • disbanded - (1 December 1942)

1943 - 1945

Commanding Officers edit

List of commanding officers of 756 Naval Air Squadron with date, month and year of appointment and end:[5][2][3]

1939

  • not identified - (May - August 1939)

1941 - 1942

  • Lieutenant Commander(A) R.H. Ovey, RNVR, from 6 March 1941
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) W.H.C. Blake, RNVR, from 18 June 1942
  • disbanded - 1 December 1942

1943 - 1945

  • Lieutenant Commander A.D. Bourke, RNZNVR, from 1 October 1943
  • Lieutenant(A) W.D. Widdows, RNVR, from 1 February 1944) (temp)
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) S.M. deL. Longsden, RN, from 27 February 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) T.T. Miller, RN, from 28 October 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) R.E.F. Kerrison, RNVR, from 7 July 1945
  • Lieutenant Commander(A) F.W. Barring, RNVR, from 12 August 1945
  • disbanded - 24 November 1945

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 75.
  2. ^ a b Wragg 2019, p. 125.
  3. ^ a b c d Ballance, Howard & Sturtivant 2016, p. 58.
  4. ^ a b "RNAS Worthy Down". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "756 Naval Air Squadron". www.wings-aviation.ch. Retrieved 27 January 2023.

Bibliography edit

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