753 Naval Air Squadron


753 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It was active as an Observer Training Squadron from 1939 to 1946 as part of No. 2 Observer School, forming out of the School of Naval Co-operation RAF, in May 1939. Initially at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, the squadron moved to RNAS Arbroath just over one year later in August 1940, following a German bombing attack on the air station. It spent four years operating out of Arbroath, before relocating again, this time to RNAS Rattray, where the squadron disbanded in August 1946.

History

Observer Training Squadron (1939-1946)

753 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 Blackburn Shark Mk II, a biplane torpedo bomber and Fairey Seal spotter-reconnaissance aircraft. In the following December the squadron then acquired Fairey Swordfish I, another torpedo bomber.
753 Naval Air Squadron moved to RNAS Arbroath (HMS Condor), located near Arbroath in East Angus, Scotland, on 19 August 1940. Discarding the Fairey Seal, but keeping the Blackburn Shark Mk II and the Fairey Swordfish I during the move, the squadron then also operated Fairey Albacore Mk I, a biplane torpedo bomber, from August 1941, which was soon followed by de Havilland Tiger Moth in the December. In November 1943 Stinson Reliant I was received and was used by the squadron for almost one year, up until September 1944. Lastly, from December 1944, the squadron operated Fairey Barracuda Mk II up until disbandment.
On the 1 November 1945, 753 Naval Air Squadron left RNAS Arbroath and moved to RNAS Rattray (HMS Merganser), near Crimond, Aberdeenshire. The squadron remained at the base, operating Fairey Barracuda, until disbanding on 9 August 1946.

Aircraft operated

753 Naval Air Squadron has operated a small number of different aircraft types, including:

Naval air stations

753 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in Scotland and England:

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 753 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:
Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.