754 Naval Air Squadron

754 Naval Air Squadron (754 NAS) 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 (HMS Daedalus), however, after the Naval Air Station was attacked and bombed, it then moved to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), 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.

History of 754 NAS

Observer Training Squadron (1939 - 1944)

754 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), situated near Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire, approximately four miles west of Portsmouth, on 24 May 1939, as an Observer Training Squadron and being part of No.2 Observer School. It was initially equipped with Seafox I, Walrus I and Vega Gull aircraft. In the following February, in 1940, the squadron then acquired Proctor IA, II and IIA aircraft.

754 NAS moved to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), located near Arbroath in East Angus, Scotland, on the 7 September 1940, gaining Harvard IIb and Swordfish, but only retaining the Proctor aircraft. From June 1941 the squadron started operating Lysander IIIa for training duties and by November they were the only aircraft used. In February 1943 Albacore I arrived, however, by December they were gone and the squadron was back to only operating the Lysanders. In January 1944 Reliant I arrived, however, on the 27 March 1944, 754 NAS disbanded at Arbroath.

Naval Air Gunnery School (1944 - 1945)

It then reformed as a Training Squadron when 744 Naval Air Squadron was re-designated 754 Naval Air Squadron on 1 June 1944 at RN Air Section Yarmouth, located in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan until disbanding on 12 March 1945, when the Naval Air Gunner School ceased operations.

Aircraft flown

754 Naval Air Squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:
* Fairey Seafox I (May 1939 - Sep 1940)
* Supermarine Walrus I (May 1939 - Sep 1940)
*Blackburn Roc (Apr 1940 - Jun 1940)
*Percival Vega Gull (May 1939 - Mar 1940)
* Percival Proctor Ia (Feb 1940 - Nov 1941)
* Percival Proctor IIa (Dec 1940 - Oct 1941)
* Percival Proctor II (May 1941 - Nov 1941)
* North American Harvard III
* Westland Lysander Mk.IIIA (Jun 1941 - Mar 1944)
* Fairey Albacore I (Feb 1943 - Mar 1944)
*Stinson Reliant (Jan 1944 - Mar 1944)
* Fairey Swordfish II (Jun 1944 - Mar 1945)

Naval Air Stations

754 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in England, Scotland and overseas in Canada:
* Royal Naval Air Station LEE-ON-SOLENT (24 May 1939 - 7 September 1940)
* Royal Naval Air Station ARBROATH (7 September 1940 - 27 March 1944)
* R.N. Air Section YARMOUTH ''renumbered from 744 NAS'' (1 June 1944 - 12 March 1945)

Commanding Officers

List of commanding officers of 754 Naval Air Squadron with month and year of appointment and end:

1939 - 1944
* Lt-Cdr E. Esmonde, RN (May 1939-May 1940)
*Lt-Cdr E. J. E. Burt, RN (May 1940-Jan 1941)
*Lt-Cdr H. E. S. Pritchett, RNVR (Jan 1941-Apr 1942)
*Lt-Cdr A. F. E. Payen, RNVR (Apr 1942-May 1942)
*Lt-Cdr D. A. Horton, RNVR (May 1942-Oct 1943)
*Lt-Cdr W. E. Davis, RNVR (Oct 1943-Mar 1944)

1944 - 1945
* Lt ( A) E. J. Trerise, RNVR (Jun 1944-Mar 1945) - ''Lt Cdr from 1 Dec 1944''

References

Citations

Bibliography

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700 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons
Military units and formations established in 1939
Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II

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