714 Naval Air Squadron

714 Naval Air Squadron (714 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). The unit was initially established as 714 (Catapult) Flight in July 1936. By 1939, it had evolved from a flight into a squadron and was actively operating from the cruisers HMS Gloucester, HMS Liverpool, and HMS Manchester at the onset of the Second World War, utilising Supermarine Walrus aircraft, with RAF Seletar and RAF China Bay serving as its shore bases. In 1940, it was incorporated into 700 Naval Air Squadron. Subsequently, in August 1944, it was reestablished at HMS Owl, RNAS Fearn, as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Training Squadron, equipped with Fairey Barracuda aircraft. The squadron relocated to HMS Merganser, RNAS Rattray, in October and was disbanded nearly one year later, almost to the exact day.

714 Naval Air Squadron 714 (Catapult) Flight FAA
Fairey Barracuda; an example of the type used by 714 NAS
Active	Royal Air Force 15 July 1936 - 24 May 1939 Royal Navy 24 May 1939 - 21 January 1940 1 August 1944 - 29 October 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Fleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role	Catapult Flight Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Training Squadron
Size	Squadron
Part of	Fleet Air Arm
Home station	See Naval air stations section for full list.
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lieutenant Commander J R Godley, RN
Insignia
Identification Markings	305, 307 (Walrus) J9A+ (Walrus May 1939) F1A+ & F2A+ (Barracuda) AT1A+ & AT2A+ (Barracuda October 1944) I1A+ & I2A+ (Barracuda later)
Aircraft flown
Bomber	Fairey Barracuda
Patrol	Supermarine Walrus
Reconnaissance	Fairey III Hawker Osprey Fairey Seafox

History

Catapult flight / squadron (1936-1940)

It was first formed as 714 (Catapult) Flight on 15 July 1936, by renumbering 406 (Catapult) Flight, and operated Fairey IIIF floatplanes from cruisers in the East Indies (probably principally 4th Cruiser Squadron). The Fairey IIFs were quickly replaced by Hawker Osprey floatplanes and Supermarine Walrus flying boats, and in 1937 these were supplemented by Fairey Seafox floatplanes. By July 1938 it had consolidated on the Walrus as equipment, and in early 1939 it was upgraded to full squadron status.^[1] It was disbanded on 21 January 1940, when all the Fleet Air Arm's catapult units were merged to form 700 Naval Air Squadron.^[2]

Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Training squadron (1944-1945)

The squadron was reformed on 1 August 1944 at RNAS Fearn (HMS Owl) near Tain, Scotland, as an operational training squadron equipped with the Fairey Barracuda. It moved to RNAS Rattray (HMS Merganser) near Crimond, Aberdeenshire in October 1944. Its commanding officers included Lieutenant Commander J R Godley, who transferred from the disbanded 835 Naval Air Squadron, taking over in May 1945. The squadron disbanded on 29 October 1945.^[1]

Aircraft flown

714 Naval Air Squadron operated a number of different aircraft types:^[3]

• Fairey IIIF reconnaissance biplane (July - October 1936)
• Hawker Osprey FP fighter and reconnaissance biplane (July 1936 - July 1938)
• Supermarine Walrus Amphibious maritime patrol aircraft (October 1936 - January 1940)
• Fairey Seafox reconnaissance seaplane (June 1937 - July 1938)
• Fairey Barracuda Mk II torpedo and dive bomber (August 1944 - October 1945)
• Fairey Barracuda Mk III torpedo and dive bomber (October 1945)

Naval air stations

714 Naval Air Squadron operated from a couple of naval air station of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom and a couple Royal Air Force stations overseas:^[3]

1936 - 1940

• Royal Air Force Seletar (15 July 1936 - 21 January 1940)
  • Royal Air Force China Bay (Detachments 1938 - 1939)
• disbanded - (21 January 1940)

1944 - 1945

• Royal Naval Air Station Fearn (HMS Owl) (1 August 1944 - 30 October 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Rattray (HMS Merganser) (30 October 1944 - 29 October 1945)
• disbanded - (29 October 1945)

Ships' Flights

List of Royal Navy ships where responsibility for the aircraft belonged to 714 Flight, between 1936 and 1940:^[3]

• HMS Emerald 1936-38
• HMS Enterprise 1936-38
• HMS Norfolk 1936-39
• HMS Liverpool 1938-40
• HMS Manchester 1938-40
• HMS Gloucester 1939-40

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 714 Naval Air Squadron with date of appointment:^[3][4]

1936 - 1940

• Lieutenant Commander H.H. Caddy, RN, (Flight Lieutenant, RAF), from 15 July 1936
• Lieutenant R.C. Tillard, RN, (Flight Lieutenant, RAF), from 15 June 1937
• Lieutenant Commander P.W. Humphreys, RN, (Squadron Leader, RAF), RN, from 26 October 1937
• Lieutenant H.J.F. Lane, RN, from 27 January 1939
• Lieutenant Commander A.S. Webb, RN, from 24 May 1939
• disbanded - 21 January 1940

1944 - 1945

• Lieutenant Commander(A) V.R. Crane, RNVR, from 1 August 1944
• Lieutenant(A) P.D. Buckland, RNVR, from 15 May 1945
• Lieutenant Commander(A) J.R. Godley, DSC, RNVR, from 19 May 1945
• disbanded - 29 October 1945