742 Naval Air Squadron
742 Naval Air Squadron (742 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active as a Communications Squadron and a Royal Navy Air Transport Squadron, operating in Sri Lanka during and after World War II.
742 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1943–46[1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Type | Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron |
Role | Communications Squadron Air Transport Squadron |
Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
History of 742 NAS
Communications Squadron (1943 - 1945)
742 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Colombo Racecourse (HMS Bherunda), located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka, on the 6 December 1943, as a Communications Squadron. It was equipped primarily with Expeditor C.II and Beech AT.7 aircraft, however, it also operated a small number of Anson, Reliant, Sea Otter, Swordfish and Walrus. The squadron operated out of RNAS Colombo for the next nine months before moving to the Aircraft Repair Yard at Royal Navy Aircraft Repair Yard Coimbatore (HMS Garuda), in Southern India, on the 15 September 1944.
Air Transport Squadron (1945 - 1946)
742 NAS relocated seven miles South East to RNAS Sullur (HMS Vairi), located at Sulur near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in India, on 1 February 1945, as a Royal Navy Air Transport Squadron, utilising its existing aircraft. It operated out of RNAS Sullur for approximately one year before moving to RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa) on the 26 February 1946. While based at Sullur, 742 NAS operated a detachment from Royal Naval Air Establishment Ratmalana (HMS Seruwa), located 10 miles south of Colombo, Sri Lanka, between the 1 November and the 1 December 1945. 'Round Robin' communication flights by the squadron regularly called at Ratmalana.
The squadron disbanded on the 31 August 1946 at RNAS Katukurunda.
Aircraft flown
The squadron has flown a number of different aircraft types, including:
Fleet Air Arm Bases
729 NAS operated from a number of air bases:
- Royal Naval Air Station COLOMBO RACECOURSE (6 December 1943 - 15 September 1944)
- Royal Naval Aircraft Repair Yard COIMBATORE (15 September 1944 - 1 February 1945)
- Royal Naval Air Station SULLUR (1 February 1945 - 26 February 1946)
- Royal Naval Air Station KATUKURUNDA (26 February 1946 - 31 August 1946)
Commanders
742 NAS had a number of commanding officers:
- Lt (A) T.N. Stack RNR (Dec 1943-Jan 1944)
- Lt-Cdr (A) R. MacDermont RNVR (Jan 1944-Sep 1944)
- Lt-Cdr (A) T.N. Stack RNR (Sep 1944-Aug 1946)
References
Citations
- Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 64.
Bibliography
- Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
- Thetford, Owen (1991). British Naval Aircraft since 1912. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, an imprint of Conway Maritime Press Ltd. ISBN 0-85177-849-6.