777 Naval Air Squadron


777 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, which formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit in West Africa during the Second World War. Throughout most of 1943, the squadron was responsible for the air defence of Sierra Leone. It disbanded at HMS Spurwing, RNAS Hastings, Sierra Leone, during December 1944. The squadron reformed in May 1945, from 'B' Flight of 778 Naval Air Squadron, as a Carrier Trials Unit operating aboard HMS Pretoria Castle, and using shore bases at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, and HMS Peregrine, RNAS Ford in England, and HMS Wagtail, RNAS Ayr, in Scotland. 777 Naval Air Squadron number was assigned to the aircraft collection at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in April 2006.

History

777 Naval Air Squadron was originally planned to form on 15 December 1939, as a Reserve Fighter Pool squadron, at RNAS Eastleigh (HMS Raven), Hampshire, England and to have been equipped with Blackburn Roc, a naval fighter aircraft and Blackburn Skua, a dive bomber and fighter aircraft.

Fleet Requirements Unit (1941-1944)

777 Naval Air Squadron was formed at RAF Hastings in Sierra Leone, West Africa on 1 August 1941. This airfield was located south-east of the port city of Freetown, and was sited about north-east of the village of Hastings. The squadron initially operated only Fairey Swordfish, a biplane torpedo bomber and Blackburn Roc, a naval turret fighter aircraft. However, by 1942 the squadron had acquired some Boulton Paul Defiant interceptor and target tug aircraft and Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft.
Lodger facility for an R.N. Air Section on RAF station from 1 April 1940 had been granted. However, in March 1943, the control of the airfield was given over to the Admiralty and it was commissioned HMS Spurwing, and the airfield was also known as RNAS Hastings. Between 1942 and 1944, the squadron flew it's Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft on search and rescue sorties as well as anti-submarine patrols. During 1943, 777 Naval Air Squadron was involved with the air defence of Sierra Leone, a task which they fulfilled for most of the year.
During the squadron's existence, there were several accidents in April, June and October 1944, three Target Tug Boulton Paul Defiants belonging to the squadron were written off. It seems that in all three of these incidents, there were no fatalities.
Sub-Lieutenant D.R. Bentley died on 9 June 1943.
777 Naval Air Squadron disbanded at RNAS Hastings, on 25 December 1944.

Carrier Trials Unit (1945-1946)

The squadron was reformed on 23 May 1945 from 'B' Flight 778 Naval Air Squadron as a carrier trials unit for service aboard. It used a variety of aircraft including Supermarine Seafire and de Havilland Mosquito.
It was initially equipped with eight aircraft, two each of Fairey Albacore, a biplane torpedo bomber, Fairey Barracuda, a torpedo and dive bomber, Fairey Fulmar a reconnaissance and fighter aircraft and Supermarine Seafire, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, but it also utilised various aircraft from 778 Naval Air Squadron. The squadrons role was to undertake trials on aircraft and aircraft carrier equipment. It initially used RNAS Ayr (HMS Wagtail), South Ayrshire, Scotland as an operational shore base, followed by RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), Sussex, England, and then RNAS Gosport (HMS Siskin), Hampshire, England. 777 Naval Air Squadron disbanded back into 778 Naval Air Squadron on 3 January 1946.

Fleet Air Arm Museum

In April 2006, Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm allocated 777 Naval Air Squadron number to the aircraft collection at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Somerset.

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions:

Naval air stations

777 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air station of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, a Royal Navy converted Escort Carrier and airbases overseas:
1941 - 1944
1945 - 1946
2006 -

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 777 Naval Air Squadron, with date of appointment:
1941 - 1944
1945 - 1946
  • Lieutenant Commander D.R. Carter, RNVR, from 23 May 1945
  • Lieutenant Commander J.R.N. Gardner, RN, from 4 June 1945
  • disbanded - 3 January 1946
Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.