751 Naval Air Squadron

751 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It was initially active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1944 as part of No.1 Observer School. 751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford in May 1939. Ford was attacked and bombed, in August 1940, and the following day the squadron relocated to RNAS Arbroath. Twelve months later it moved to RNAS Dundee, remaining there until disbanding at Dundee in May 1944.
In 1945 it had a brief existence as a Trials Unit, at RNAS Machrihanish, followed by another short reformation, during 1947, this time at RAF Watton. The squadron reformed for a second longer spell at Watton, from 1951, remaining there for the next six years, before moving to RNAS Culdrose, in September 1957. During this period the squadron went on frequent detachments, on exercises, however, it eventually disbanded at RNAS Culdrose in May 1958 when it was renumbered as 831 Naval Air Squadron

History

Observer Training (1939-1944)

751 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), in West Sussex, on 24 May 1939, as an Observer Training Squadron and being part of No.1 Observer School. The squadron was equipped with Supermarine Walrus, a biplane amphibious aircraft.
On 18 August 1940, a formation of Junkers Ju 87, or 'Stuka', dive bombers, attacked RNAS Ford as part of a large Luftwaffe force attacking airfields around Hampshire and Sussex. twenty-eight personnel were killed and seventy-five wounded in the raid, which also destroyed seventeen aircraft, damaged twenty-six more and caused significant infrastructure damage.
The following day, 751 Naval Air Squadron moved from RNAS Ford to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), in East Angus, Scotland, then as part of the No.2 Observer Training School. The squadron remained at RNAS Arbroath for around twelve months, before moving to the satellite station and Seaplane base at RNAS Dundee, Dundee, Angus, on 13 August 1941, operating as a Seaplane Observer Training Squadron and continuing to use Supermarine Walrus aircraft. The squadron disbanded at Dundee on 2 May 1944.

Trials Unit (1945)

751 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), close to Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on the 22 September 1945, as a Trials Unit when 846 Naval Air Squadron disbanded and re-numbered as 751 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron was equipped with Grumman Avenger Mk.II, an American torpedo bomber aircraft, however, the unit only lasted just over one month and it disbanded on the 31 October 1945 at Machrihanish.

Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit (1947)

751 Naval Air Squadron reformed at RAF Watton, located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England, on the 1 March 1947. It operated Avro Anson, a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft, and Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine monoplane aircraft. The squadron was active for six months, disbanding on the 30 September 1947.

Naval Air Radio Warfare Unit (1951-1958)

Four years later, 751 Naval Air Squadron reformed, again at RAF Watton, on the 3 December 1951, remaining there for around the next six years until 27 September 1957 when the squadron moved to RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), located near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall, England.
While at Watton, it participated in four separate aircraft carrier deployments, between August 1953 and November 1957. From the 31 August to the 2 October 1953, a detachment was embarked in the lead ship of her class, the aircraft carrier, operating with Grumman Avenger ECM.6 aircraft. In 1955, between the 19 February and the 15 March, a detachment spent the time operating from another lead ship of her class, the light aircraft carrier, again with Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In June 1955, a detachment spent approximately two weeks, from the 7 to the 23, deployed to the light fleet aircraft carrier,, again operating the Grumman Avenger ECM.6. In November 1957, the squadron saw an approximate one week deployment, aboard the,.
751 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on 1 May 1958 when it was renumbered as 831 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose.