1772 Naval Air Squadron

Inactive flying squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm February 2018 February 2018 1772 Naval Air Squadron 1772 Naval Air Squadron Badge.png 200px Squadron badge 1944–1945 10 March 1946Sturtivant Ballance 1994 339 UK Two-seat fighter squadron Fighter Squadron twelve aircraft Fleet Air Arm See Naval air stations section for full list. Home station la Tenax propositi Steadfast of purpose yes World War II Pacific War Air raids on Japan Japan 1945 Per 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)Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 Squadron Badge Description single lettersWragg 2019 1904A+ (October 1943)270-281 (June 1945)Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 Identification Markings S (June 1945) Fin Carrier Codes Fairey Firefly 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. History Two-seater Fighter Squadron (1944–1946) thumb|left|Fairey Firefly, an example of the type used by 1772 NAS 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 escort carrier Empress D42 6.Wragg 2019 190 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.Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 The squadron travelled to RNAS Belfast (HMS Gadwall), Belfast, Northern Ireland in January 1945Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 where it prepared for embarking on the name ship of her class, Ruler D72 6, for passage to the Pacific, for operations with the British Pacific Fleet, and departed on 20 January.Wragg 2019 190 disembarking for RNAS Schofields (HMS Nabstock), New South Wales, on 18 March 1945.Schofields https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/FAA-Bases/Schofields.htm Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day 8 May 2024 It embarked in the Implacable aircraft carrier Indefatigable R10 6 on 7 July, becoming part of the 7th Carrier Air Group, for attacks against the Japanese home islands.Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 After V-J Day the squadron dropped supplies on PoW camps in JapanWragg 2019 190 and HMS Indefatigable spent four days anchored in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender in September. The aircraft carrier with its air group sailed for the United Kingdom at the end of January 1946. 1772 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on arrival at Portsmouth on 10 March.Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 Aircraft flown 1772 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 Fairey Firefly I fighter and anti-submarine aircraft (May 1944 - March 1946) Battle honours The battle honours awarded to 1772 Naval Air Squadron are: Japan 1945Wragg 2019 190 Assignments 1772 Naval Air Squadron was assigned as needed to form part of a number of larger units: Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278-306 7th Carrier Air Group (July 1945 - March 1946) Naval air stations 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 Royal Navy escort carriers and a Royal Navy fleet carrier:Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 thumb|Indefatigable R10 6 Royal Naval Air Station Burscough (HMS Ringtail), Lancashire, (1 May 1944 - 16 January 1945) Empress D42 6 (Detachment deck landing training (DLT) 25 - 27 November 1944) Royal Naval Air Station Belfast (HMS Gadwall), County Antrim, (16 - 20 January 1945) Ruler D72 6 (20 January - 18 March 1945) Royal Naval Air Station Schofields (HMS Nabstock), New South Wales, (18 March - 7 July 1945) Indefatigable R10 6 (7 July - 18 September 1945) Royal Naval Air Station Schofields (HMS Nabstock), New South Wales, (18 September - 18 November 1945) HMS Indefatigable (18 November - 22 December 1945) Royal Naval Air Station Schofields (HMS Nabstock), New South Wales, (22 December 1945 - 31 January 1946) HMS Indefatigable (31 January - 10 March 1946) disbanded - (10 March 1946) Commanding officers List of commanding officers of 1772 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:Wragg 2019 190Ballance Howard Sturtivant 2016 278 Lieutenant Commander(A) A.H.D. Gough, RN, from 1 May 1944 Lieutenant Commander(A) L.C. Wort, GBR 100% , DSC, RNVR, from 3 November 1944 Lieutenant Commander(A) D.J. Holmes, RNVR, from 24 September 1945 disbanded - 10 March 1946 Note: Abbreviation (A) signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.Wragg 2019 257 References Citations Bibliography Ballance Theo Howard Lee Sturtivant Ray The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm 2016 Air Britain Historians Limited 978-0-85130-489-2 en Sturtivant R Ballance T The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm 1994 Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd Tonbridge, Kent, UK 0-85130-223-8 Wragg David The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945 2019 The History Press Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK 978-0-7509-9303-6 en Category:1700 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons Category:Military units and formations established in 1944 Category:Air squadrons of the Royal Navy in World War II Category:Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1946