HMS Nabbington

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.

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 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 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.

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 - 6th 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. Indefatigable
* H.M.S. Indomitable
* H.M.S. Implacable
* H.M.S. Victorious

atellite Airfields

* Jervis Bay
* Vineyards

References

* [http://www.btinternet.com/~faahistoryweb/index.htm The MONAB Story]