HMS Nabbington
Encyclopedia
H.M.S. Nabbington, was a Royal Navy
, Mobile Naval Operating Air Base
(MONAB), at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Nowra
at Nowra, New South Wales
, Australia
. H.M.S. Nabbington was also known as MONAB I and Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Nowra.
Stores, equipment & vehicles sailed from Victoria dock, Birkenhead
aboard the S.S. Suffolk, and personnel sailed from Gladstone dock, Liverpool
upon S.S. Empress of Scotland on 20 November 1944 bound for Sydney
, Australia.
After arriving in Sydney on 20 December 1944, the personnel set up at Warwick Farm racecourse
(Camp Warwick), a part of HMS Golden Hind, the Royal Navy barracks in Sydney.
Upon arrival of the stores upon S.S. Suffolk at Sydney on 24 December 1944, No. 1 Transportation & Movements Office Work of the Royal Australian Air Force
began unloading the stores and equipment for transport to Nowra.
RAAF Nowra was officially transferred to the RN on a loan basis and commissioned as H.M.S. Nabbington, Royal Naval Air Station Nowra on 2 January 1945. RAAF Nowra was required some improvements and expansion work which was undertaken during January.
All operational flying was transferred to Nowra's satellite airfield at Jervis Bay Airfield on 7 March 1945. This was necessary to permit emergency repairs to be carried out on the runways & taxiways at Nowra which were deteriorating due to wet weather and heavy use. Flying operations returned to Nowra on 28 April 1945.
No. 3 Carrier Air Group was formed on 18 May 1945 at Nowra as a reserve Air Group.
When the Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945, Victory over Japan Day
(VJ Day) or Victory in the Pacific (VP Day), was celebrated at Nowra and the men and women of H.M.S. Nabbington marched through the streets of Nowra.
H.M.S. Nabbington, MONAB I, was paid off on 15 November 1945. RNAS Nowra re-commissioned as H.M.S. Nabswick (MONAB V) on 15 November 1945.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, Mobile Naval Operating Air Base
Mobile Naval Air Bases
Mobile Operational Naval Air Bases were a series of mobile units first formed in 1944 to provide logistical support to the Fleet Air Arm aircraft of the Royal Navy's British Pacific Fleet towards the end of World War II....
(MONAB), at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Nowra
HMAS Albatross (air station)
HMAS Albatross, also known as Naval Air Station Nowra , is an airfield operated by the Royal Australian Navy , in support of the RAN's aviation branch, the Fleet Air Arm...
at Nowra, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. H.M.S. Nabbington was also known as MONAB I and Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Nowra.
History
Assembled at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Ludham on 4 September 1944. Commissioned as independent command bearing the ships name H.M.S. Nabbington on 28 October 1944.Stores, equipment & vehicles sailed from Victoria dock, Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
aboard the S.S. Suffolk, and personnel sailed from Gladstone dock, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
upon S.S. Empress of Scotland on 20 November 1944 bound for Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia.
After arriving in Sydney on 20 December 1944, the personnel set up at Warwick Farm racecourse
Warwick Farm Racecourse
Warwick Farm Racecourse is a racecourse at Warwick Farm a south-west suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is used as a racecourse for Thoroughbred horse racing.- Races :...
(Camp Warwick), a part of HMS Golden Hind, the Royal Navy barracks in Sydney.
Upon arrival of the stores upon S.S. Suffolk at Sydney on 24 December 1944, No. 1 Transportation & Movements Office Work of the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
began unloading the stores and equipment for transport to Nowra.
RAAF Nowra was officially transferred to the RN on a loan basis and commissioned as H.M.S. Nabbington, Royal Naval Air Station Nowra on 2 January 1945. RAAF Nowra was required some improvements and expansion work which was undertaken during January.
All operational flying was transferred to Nowra's satellite airfield at Jervis Bay Airfield on 7 March 1945. This was necessary to permit emergency repairs to be carried out on the runways & taxiways at Nowra which were deteriorating due to wet weather and heavy use. Flying operations returned to Nowra on 28 April 1945.
No. 3 Carrier Air Group was formed on 18 May 1945 at Nowra as a reserve Air Group.
When the Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945, Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event...
(VJ Day) or Victory in the Pacific (VP Day), was celebrated at Nowra and the men and women of H.M.S. Nabbington marched through the streets of Nowra.
H.M.S. Nabbington, MONAB I, was paid off on 15 November 1945. RNAS Nowra re-commissioned as H.M.S. Nabswick (MONAB V) on 15 November 1945.
Commanding Officer/s
- Commander. C. A. Nunnerley - 28 October 1944
- Captain H. G. Dickinson - 9 March 1945
- Captain J. D Harvey - 1 May 1945
Units based at HMS Nabbinton
- 723 Fleet Requirements Unit (27 February - 7 March 1945) & (4 June - 15 November 1945)
- 706 Pool & Refresher Flying Training Squadron (24 October 1945)
- Mobile Maintenance 1,
- Maintenance Servicing 1& 2
- Mobile Repair 1
- Maintenance, Storage & Resave 1 & 2
- Mobile Air Torpedo Maintenance Units 3. 6 & 7
Squadrons based at HMS Nabbinton
- 820 squadron (10 - 27 February 1945) & (18 September 1945) (Avenger IIs)
- 828 squadron (24 August 1945) (Avengers)
- 837 squadron (29 October 1945) (exchanged Barracudas for 12 Firefly FR.Is)
- 848 squadron (24 August - 25 October 1945) (Avengers)
- 849 squadron (10 - 27 February 1945) & (6 - 24 June 1945) (Avengers)
- 854 squadron (11 February - 6 March 1945) & (18 May - 24 October 1945) (Avengers)
- 857 squadron (11 - 28 February 1945), (5 June - 2 August 1945) & (11 - 22 October 1945) (Avengers)
- 1771 squadron (13 September - 16 October 1945) (Firefly Is)
- 1830 squadron (9 February - 7 March 1945) (Corsairs)
- 1833 squadron (9 February - 7 March 1945) (6 Corsairs)
- 1834 squadron (10 - 27 February 1945) (Corsairs)
- 1836 squadron (10 - 27 February 1945) (Corsairs)
- 1839 squadron (11 - 27 February 1945), (1 June - 3 August 1945) & (10 - 22 October 1945) (Hellcats)
- 1841 squadron (23 August - 25 October 1945) (Corsairs)
- 1842 squadron (23 August - 25 October 1945) (Corsairs)
- 1843 squadron (15 July 1945 - 24 October 1945) (Corsair IVs)
- 1844 squadron (11 - 27 February 1945), (5 June - 3 August 1945), (11 - 16 August 1945) & (10 - 22 October 1945) (Hellcats)
- 1845 squadron (14 July - 24 October 1945) (Corsair IVs)
- 1846 squadron (14 July - 13 August 1945) (Corsair IVs)
Aircraft carriers squadrons disembarked from/embarked to
- H.M.S. Colossus
- H.M.S. Formidable
- H.M.S. Illustrious
- H.M.S. IndefatigableHMS Indefatigable (R10)HMS Indefatigable was an Implacable-class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. Indefatigable was present at the formal surrender of the Japanese on 2 September in Tokyo Bay. She later helped to repatriate Allied POWs held in Japan and was used as a spotting ship for later US nuclear tests in...
- H.M.S. Indomitable
- H.M.S. ImplacableHMS Implacable (R86)HMS Implacable was an Implacable-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy.- History :She was laid down at Fairfields Shipyard on Clydeside three months after her sister-ship Indefatigable and was clearly destined for the British Pacific Fleet once worked up...
- H.M.S. VictoriousHMS Victorious (R38)HMS Victorious was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939...