1770 Naval Air Squadron

1770 Naval Air Squadron
1770 NAS badge
Active	10 September 1943 - 30 September 1945[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Two-seat fighter squadron
Role	Fighter Squadron
Size	twelve aircraft
Part of	Fleet Air Arm
Home station	See Naval air stations section for full list.
Motto(s)	Videre est vincere (Latin for 'To see is to conquer')
Engagements	World War II European theatre of World War II Operation Mascot Pacific War Operation Meridian Operation Iceberg
Battle honours	Norway 1944 East Indies Palembang 1945 Okinawa 1945
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major V.B.G. Cheesman, DSO, MBE, DSC, RM[2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge Description	Blue, issuant from a base barry wavy of four white and blue a trident gold on the centre tine a firefly lambent proper (1943)[3]
Identification Markings	single letters 5A+ 4A+ 270-281 (March 1945) single letters (August 1945)
Tail Code	S (March 1945)
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Fairey Firefly

1770 Naval Air Squadron (1770 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), on 10 September 1943, as a two-seat Fighter Squadron and embarked on HMS Indefatigable in May 1944. It took part in several attacks on the German Battleship Tirpitzand other operations in Norwegian waters before sailing for the Far East. In 1945, as part of the British Pacific Fleet, the squadron took part in attacks on Sumatra, Sakishima Gunto and Formosa. It disembarked to Australia in June 1945 and then disbanded on 30 September 1945 at RNAS Maryborough (HMS Nabstock)]], Queensland, Australia.

1770 Naval Air Squadron formed at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Somerset, on 10 September 1943 as a two-seater fighter squadron, led by Lieutenant Commander(A) I.P. Godfrey, RNVR. It was equipped with twelve Fairey Firefly I, a carrier-borne fighter, anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft.^[3]

During the middle of December the squadron flew north to the Orkney Islands. Initially based at RNAS Grimsetter (HMS Robin), near Kirkwall, Mainland. Major V.B.G. Cheesman, DSO, MBE, DSC, RM took command and it then moved the short distance to RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk), in the middle of February 1944.^[4]

The squadron embarked in the newly completed Implacable-class aircraft carrier, HMS Indefatigable, in May 1944. It took part in operations against the German battleship Tirpitz in July, as part of Operation Mascot, where it attacked German auxiliary vessels and shore-based gun positions.^[3]

More sorties were later conducted off Norway, along with another attack on the Tirpitz, before Indefatigable sailed along with the squadron for the Far East, and subsequently joined the British Pacific Fleet.^[4]

During April 1945, the squadron was part of the attacks on the Japanese-held oil refineries situated at Palembang on the Dutch East Indies island of Sumatra. It also operated over the Sakishima Islands between March and May 1945, and later against Formosa, the main island of Taiwan.^[3]

1770 Naval Air Squadron disembarked to RNAS Schofields (HMS Nabthorne), New South Wales, Australia, in June, where it became part of the 7th Carrier Air Group, but it disbanded, shortly after the Second World War ended, on 30 September 1945.^[4]

1770 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:^[3]

• Fairey Firefly I fighter and anti-submarine aircraft (September 1943 - September 1945)

The battle honours awarded to 1771 Naval Air Squadron are:^[4]

• Norway 1944
• East Indies 1945
• Palembang 1945
• Okinawa 1945

1770 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the United Kingdom, a number overseas, and a Royal Navy fleet carrier:^[4][3]

• Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton (HMS Heron) (10 September - 14 December 1943)
• Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (14 December 1943 - 15 February 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (15 February - 18 May 1944)
• HMS Indefatigable (18 - 29 May 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Ауг (HMS Wagtail) (29 May - 10 June 1944)
• HMS Indefatigable (10 June - 5 July 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (5 - 9 July - 1944)
• HMS Indefatigable (9 - 25 July 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (transit) (25 July 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Donibristle (HMS Merlin) (25 - 27 July 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Burscough (HMS Ringtail) (27 July - 2 August 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (2 - 7 August 1944)
• HMS Indefatigable (7 August - 26 September 1944)
  • Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter (HMS Robin) (Detachment 6 - 17 September 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Ayr (HMS Wagtail) (26 September - 16 November 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Dale (HMS Goldcrest) (16 - 21 November 1944)
• HMS Indefatigable (21 November - 16 December 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Puttalam (HMS Rajaliya) (16 - 24 December 1944)
• HMS Indefatigable (24 December 1944 - 10 February 1945)
• Royal Naval Air Station Schofields (HMS Nabthorpe) (10 - 27 February 1945)
• HMS Indefatigable (27 February - 5 June 1945)
• Royal Naval Air Station Schofields (HMS Nabthorpe) (5 June - 29 August 1945)
• Royal Naval Air Station Maryborough (HMS Nabstock) (29 August - 30 September 1945)
• disbanded - (30 September 1945)

List of commanding officers of 1770 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment.^[4][3]

• Lieutenant Commander(A) I.P. Godfrey, RNVR, from 10 September 1943
• Major V.B.G. Cheesman, DSO, MBE, DSC, RM, from 5 February 1944
• Lieutenant Commander(A) D.J. Holmes, RN, 22 June 1945
• disbanded 30 September 1945

• Squadron memoir, 1945