765 Naval Air Squadron

765 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), situated next to Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire, on the 24 May 1939,^[4] as a Basic Seaplane Training and Pool Squadron. It was initially equipped with Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, along with, Fairey Seafox, a reconnaissance floatplane and Fairey Swordfish seaplane variant, a torpedo bomber aircraft. The squadron trained pilots in operating seaplane aircraft and provided a pilot reserve for Fleet Air Arm catapult squadrons. In February 1940, 765 Naval Air Squadron received two Blackburn Roc turret fighter aircraft fitted with floats, for evaluation.^[5]

On the 26 August 1940, the squadron moved to RNAS Sandbanks, located on the premises of the Royal Motor Yacht Club (RMYC) at Sandbanks, Poole Harbour, Dorset, which had been requisitioned as a Seaplane base by the Admiralty, taking its collection of Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft, and Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Seafox and Blackburn Roc floatplane aircraft. Here it had a new role, providing the Seaplane Flying Training Course Part I, of the basic Seaplane training.^[6]

In June 1941 both the Fairey Swordfish and Blackburn Roc aircraft were withdrawn from squadron use; The Fairey Seafox aircraft were withdrawn one year later in June 1942, however, at the same time, United States built Vought Kingfisher seaplane aircraft arrived.^[5] By mid 1943, the need for dedicated Seaplane Training squadrons had passed and on 25 October 1943, 765 Naval Air Squadron disbanded.^[6]

765 Naval Air Squadron reformed, on the 10 February 1944, at RNAS Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II), situated in the hamlet of Sigwells in Somerset, England, as a Travelling Recording Unit. The squadron briefly moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), on the 18 March 1944.^[7] One month later, on the 18 April 1944, it relocated to RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel), located 3.5 miles (6 km) north of Winchester, Hampshire, England, then on the last day of May, it travelled to RNAS Stretton (HMS Blackcap), in the village of Appleton Thorn, south of Warrington, in Cheshire, England. However, at the beginning of August, the squadron returned to RNAS Lee-on-Solent.^[5]

In the same month, the squadron was equipped with Vickers Wellington, initially designed as a medium bomber aircraft.^[4] It received three Vickers Wellington GR Mark XI, maritime reconnaissance aircraft. They were ex-RAF Coastal Command and were fitted with ASV Mark II radar. A fourth Vickers Wellington aircraft arrived, a T Mark XVII training aircraft, in the following December and this was fitted with a nose-mounted aircraft interception (AI) radar. The squadron primarily operated these aircraft to test the efficiency of radar units, however, as the Vickers Wellington was also capable of, and used for, long-range aerial reconnaissance, experienced aerial photographers were assigned to the squadron.

On the 30 September, 765 Naval Air Squadron moved to RNAS Twatt (HMS Tern), located near Twatt, Orkney, Scotland. It remained on Orkney for ten days, before relocating to RAF Hornchurch, located in the parish of Hornchurch, southeast of Romford, Essex, going via RAF Eastchurch, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England, arriving at RAF Hornchurch on the 14 November, where the role of the squadron was to provide naval co-operation in liaison with No. 567 Squadron RAF, an anti-aircraft co-operation unit. However, seven months later, 765 Naval Air Squadron moved to RAF Manston, located in the north-east of Kent, on the Isle of Thanet, on the 14 June 1945.^[5]

In August, 765 Naval Air Squadron was repurposed as a Transport Squadron. It operated three Vickers Wellington B Mark X aircraft, however, these were equipped with troop transport type seating.^[5] On 6 October 1945, the squadron moved to RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon), which was located at the southern extreme of Malta.^[4] It provided air transport for personnel, to and from different parts of the Mediterranean Basin, but primarily bringing them back to Malta for onward travel home.^[5]

765 Naval Air Squadron continued in this role until disbanding at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon) on 30 April 1946.^[2]

765 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk),^[4] near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall, England, on 14 February 1955, as a Piston Engine Pilot Pool.^[2] The squadron was initially equipped with Fairey Firefly a Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft, but specifically the T.Mk 2, an armed operational training aircraft and T.Mk 7 an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training aircraft^[4] and also provided refresher flying for FAA pilots.^[2] In May 1955, the squadron added Airspeed Oxford II, a twin-engined training aircraft, to its inventory.

In February 1957, Boulton Paul Sea Balliol T.Mk 21, a Fleet Air Arm advanced trainer aircraft and de Havilland Sea Devon C Mk 20, a transport and communications version, for the Royal Navy, of the de Havilland Dove short-haul airliner, were also added, however, the squadron only lasted around one more month, with 765 Naval Air Squadron disbanding at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) on 25 March 1957.^[4]

During its two years of existence, the squadron converted two-hundred and forty-four pilots to either Fairey Firefly or Airspeed Oxford aircraft.^[2]

The squadron has operated a number of different aircraft types, including:^[5]

• Fairey Seafox I ship-borne reconnaissance seaplane (May 1939 - June 1942)
• Fairey Swordfish I version equipped with floats torpedo bomber (May 1939 - June 1941)
• Supermarine Walrus I amphibious maritime patrol aircraft (May 1939 - October 1942)
• Blackburn Roc equipped with floats fighter aircraft (February 1940 - June 1941)
• Vought Kingfisher I observation floatplane (July 1942 - October 1943)
• Vickers Wellington GR Mark XI anti-submarine aircraft (August 1944 - October 1945)
• Vickers Wellington T Mark XVII training aircraft with Air Intercept radar (December 1944 - October 1945)
• Vickers Wellington B Mark X medium bomber (July 1945 - April 1946)
• Fairey Firefly T.Mk 2 fighter and anti-submarine trainer aircraft (February 1955 - March 1957)
• Fairey Firefly T.Mk 7 fighter and anti-submarine trainer aircraft (February 1955 - November 1956)
• Airspeed Oxford II trainer aircraft (May 1955 - February 1957)
• Boulton Paul Sea Balliol T.Mk 21 advanced trainer aircraft (February 1957 - March 1957)
• de Havilland Sea Devon C Mk 20 transport and communications aircraft (February 1957 - March 1957)

765 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in Scotland and England and a number of Royal Air Force stations in England:^[4][5]

List of Commanding Officers of 765 Naval Air Squadron with date, month and year of appointment:^[4][2]