HMS Nabberley

HMS Nabberley was a Royal Navy Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Bankstown at Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia. HMS Nabberley was also known as MONAB II and Royal Naval Air Station Bankstown (or RNAS Bankstown).

HMS Nabberley Mobile Operational Naval Air Base II
at Bankstown Airport, Bankstown, New South Wales in Australia
HMS Nabberley Location within New South Wales HMS Nabberley HMS Nabberley (Australia)
Coordinates	33°55′30″S 150°59′18″E
Type	Mobile Operational Naval Air Base
Site information
Owner	Australian Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Navy
Controlled by	Fleet Air Arm
Site history
In use	1945 (1945) – 1946 (1946)
Fate	Returned to Royal Australian Air Force
Battles/wars	World War II Pacific War
Garrison information
Garrison	MONAB II
Occupants	724 Communications Squadron Receipt & Despatch Unit Aircraft Erection Unit Aircraft Equipping & Modification Unit Aircraft Storage Unit
Airfield information
Elevation	25 feet (7.6 m) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface NE/SW 2,000 yards (1,829 m) (extension) Grass NW/SE 2,000 yards (1,829 m) (extension) Grass
Source: Royal Navy Research Archive

History

Assembled at RNAS Ludham and Royal Navy Air Establishment Risley, Warrington, in October 1944. The duties of HMS Nabberley were changed from that of a MONAB to that of a Receipt and Dispatch Unit shortly after formation causing some administration problems. Due to accommodation issues 600 ratings were based at HMS Gosling, in Warrington, Lancashire. HMS Nabberley commissioned as an independent command on 18 November 1944.

The stores, equipment and vehicles sailed from Gladstone Dock, Liverpool on 20 November upon SS Perthshire (LS 1974) and personnel of MONAB II, in company with elements from HMS Nabthorpe and other units sailed from Liverpool upon RMS Athlone Castle on 22 December 1944 for passage to Australia.

HMS Unicorn carrying an advance party of MONAB II arrived in Sydney on 1 December 1944. The advance party arrived at RAAF Bankstown in Sydney, together with 16 crated aircraft (8 Corsair IIs and 8 Martinet TT.Is) requisitioned from the Royal Navy Aircraft Depot at Cochin, India. The aircraft were assembled with RAAF assistance and the first aircraft assembled (Corsair II JT537) was test flown on 18 January 1945.

After the main party arrived in Sydney on 25 January 1945, some proceeded directly to Bankstown, however most were temporarily accommodated Warwick Farm Racecourse (Camp Warwick), a part of HMS Golden Hind, the Royal Navy barracks in Sydney, until accommodation was sorted out.

RAAF Bankstown was officially transferred on a loan basis to Royal Navy on 27 January 1945 and stores and equipment began to arrive at the station. The base was commissioned as HMS Nabberley, RNAS Bankstown on 29 January 1945.

The personnel began assembling crated aircraft and carrying out pre-issue test flights as a Receipt and Dispatch Unit. A total of 2,500 test flights were undertaken during the operation of HMS Nabberley.

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the Governor-General of Australia, toured the facility on 1 June 1945.

On 23 August 1945 the aircraft from the disbanded 1834 and 1835 squadrons were delivered from HMS Victorious for disposal.

HMS Nabberley, MONAB II, was paid off on 31 March 1946. The airfield returned to RAAF control.

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of HMS Nabberley with date of appointment:

• Commander E.P.F. Atkinson, RN, from 18 November 1944

Units based at HMS Nabberley

List of units associated with MONAB II, in support of a Receipt & Despatch Unit and a Fleet Requirements Unit:

Function

• Receipt & Despatch Unit
• 724 Naval Air Communications Squadron

Aviation support components

• Aircraft Erection Unit
• Aircraft Equipping & Modification Unit
• Aircraft Storage Unit

Aircraft type supported

• Grumman Avenger Mk.I & II
• Vought Corsair Mk II & IV
• Beech Expeditor II
• Fairey Firefly I
• Grumman Hellcat F. Mk. I & II
• Miles Martinet TT. I
• Stinson Reliant I
• Supermarine Seafire F Mk III & L Mk III
• Supermarine Sea Otter I
• de Havilland Tiger Moth I
• Vultee Vengeance TT.IV

Squadrons based at HMS Nabberley

• 723 Naval Air Squadron (28 February–1 May 1945) (Martinet TT.I and Corsair II). Redesignated as 723 Fleet Requirements Unit.
• 724 Naval Air Squadron (10 April 1945) (Expediter I and Anson I)
• 1830 Naval Air Squadron (4–24 May 1945) (Corsair II)
• 1833 Naval Air Squadron (4 May 1945 only) (Corsair II)
• 'A' Flight 1701 Naval Air Squadron (24 July–7 August and 15–21 October 1945) (Sea Otter)

Aircraft carriers squadrons disembarked from/embarked to

• HMS Illustrious (87)

Satellite airfields

• Nil