782 Naval Air Squadron


782 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It initially formed in October 1939 as an Armament Training Squadron but disbanded in November to provide personnel for 774 Naval Air Squadron. In December 1940 it reformed at, RNAS Donibristle, as the Northern Communications Squadron, providing links between the Naval Air Stations in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Shetland and Orkney islands. It finally disbanded in October 1953.

History

Armament Training Squadron (1939)

782 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine) on 23 October 1939 as an Armament Training Squadron, but before it’s intended aircraft could be delivered the squadron disbanded on 10 November, its personnel being amalgamated with those of 815 Naval Air Squadron to form 774 Naval Air Squadron.

Northern Communications Squadron (1940–1953)

782 Naval Air Squadron reformed on 1 December 1940, out of an unnumbered communications flight, at RNAS Donibristle (HMS Merlin), in Fife, Scotland, as the Northern Communications Squadron. It operated connecting the Royal Navy's naval air stations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Northern Isles and to and from RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), in Hampshire, England. Squadron personnel were former Jersey Airways ground and aircrews. Aircraft were also ex-airline and the squadron was equipped with de Havilland Flamingo, a twin-engined airliner and communications aircraft and de Havilland Express, a four-engined passenger aircraft, as well as Percival Proctor, a radio trainer and communications aircraft. The squadron provided a Flight at Inverness Airport to enable a connection with trains from London.
Additional aircraft were soon acquired and included Beech Expeditor, a 6- to 11-seat trainer, transport and utility aircraft, Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine trainer aircraft and Beech Traveller, a utility aircraft. Handley Page Harrow were also acquired, designed as a bomber-transport hybrid, some of these aircraft were modified to carry aero engines and other larger freight items. Identification markings comprised the air station name Merlin and an individual number on most of the aircraft.
When 781 Naval Air Squadron disbanded on 31 July 1945, 782 NAS took over part of its role and had detached Flights of de Havilland Dominie, a short-haul biplane airliner, being by then stationed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, in Hampshire, England, RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet), in County Down, Northern Ireland and Inverness In the Scottish Highlands. Around this time the squadron mainly supported the Flag Officer, Flying Training headquarters and it was equipped with Fairey Firefly, a carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft, Supermarine Seafire, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft and Hawker Sea Fury, a fighter aircraft. In July 1953 the FOFT moved to RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), in Somerset, England, which meant the squadron’s tasks were reduced and it eventually disbanded on 9 October 1953.

Aircraft operated

The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft, including:

Naval air stations

782 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy and other airbases, including for detachments, in the United Kingdom:
1939
1940 - 1953

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 782 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:
  • Lieutenant Commander A. Goodfellow, RNVR, from 1 December 1940
  • Lieutenant Commander W.T.D. Gardner, RNVR, from 21 March 1941
  • Lieutenant Commander G.H.G.S. Rayer,, RNVR, from 7 December 1944
  • Lieutenant Commander J.K.N. Evans, RNVR, from 27 July 1945
  • Lieutenant Commander G.P. Barlass,, RN, from 28 December 1945
  • Lieutenant Commander H. Whitaker, RNVR, from 1 October 1946
  • Lieutenant Commander T.E. Sargent, RN, from 2 December 1947
  • Lieutenant Commander C.C. Thornton, RN, from 26 October 1949
  • Lieutenant Commander V. Barrington, RN, from 1 April 1953
  • disbanded 9 October 1953
Note: Abbreviation signifies Air Branch of the RN or RNVR.