725 Squadron
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725 Squadron has its origins in the Royal Navy (RN) where it was formed as a Fleet Requirements Unit on 27 August 1943. The Squadron's aircraft and operations were varied before moving to Cornwall to become an Air Target-towing unit in August 1945. The Squadron was disbanded in December that year.
725 Squadron re-commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Nowra as a Fleet Requirements and Communications Unit on 13 January 1958. Under the command of Lieutenant Commander John Brown, the Squadron flew a variety of aircraft including a Douglas C47A Dakota, Auster J5-G Autocar, Hawker Sea Fury Mark 11, Fairey Firefly AS-5s and Fairey Gannet AS1s and added De Havilland Sea Venom F.A.W. Mk 53s to its complement shortly afterwards. In May 1959, the Squadron's role was changed to Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training.
725 Squadron suffered its only fatality on 28 December 1959 when Sub Lieutenant L.A. Mauritz's Gannet crashed attempting to land at NAS Nowra. The Gannet's unusual twin-engine configuration, driving two counter-rotating propellers located one behind the other, enabled the Gannet to fly with only one engine engaged in order to conserve fuel and extend endurance, however, both engines had to be engaged when taking-off or landing. Mauritz was attempting a single-engine landing with tragic consequences.
Part of 725 Squadron's responsibilities was to provide interception practice for Direction Officers training at HMAS Watson in the Radar Plot branch. The Squadron also provided aircraft for ships working up at sea near Jervis Bay performing varied tasks such as radar and communications calibration exercises through to mock attacks with multiple aircraft.
Early in 1958, the Squadron's Sea Venoms also started to provide targets for air-to-air live firing practice along with the Sea Furies and Fireflies. The Sea Venoms could tow target at speeds of up to 250 knots (over 460 kph) whereas the Sea Furies and Fireflies could only manage 140 knots (about 260 kph).
The Squadron was de-commissioned on 31 May 1961 and absorbed into 724 Squadron.
725 Squadron re-commissioned on 1 November 1962 flying the first two Westland Wessex 31A helicopters delivered to the RAN for ASW training and support to 817 Squadron, the Fleet Air Arm's (FAA) front-line Wessex Squadron. 725 Squadron was eventually equipped with ten Wessex helicopters.
On 10 February 1964 at 8.56pm, HMAS Melbourne (II) collided with HMAS Voyager (II) in one of the most tragic accidents in Australian naval history. The disaster resulted in the loss of 82 lives, all from Voyager. 725 Squadron participated in search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the collision.
The Squadron also embarked in HMAS Sydney (III) throughout the 1960's providing anti-submarine escort duties during her many troop transport voyages to Vietnam, a responsibility it shared with 817 Squadron. The Wessex's were equipped with dipping sonar and an offensive armament of torpedoes and depth charges in its ASW role. While in the operational area, the normal routine was to have one Wessex screening the ship while another was fully armed and prepared on her deck. Shortly afterwards the RAN's FAA Squadrons adopted US Navy prefixes and 725 Squadron became HT725 Squadron indicating that it was classed as a rotary-wing training unit.
The FAA became embroiled in industrial unrest in July 1974 when the Storeman and Packers Union black-banned the RAN resulting in fuel shortages and flying restrictions. This became a serious, and even life-threatening, issue the following month when heavy rain and flooding inundated the Nowra area. The FAA, including HT725 Squadron, was called upon for disaster relief operations but the fuel shortage gave rise to concerns about whether rescue efforts would have to cease. Eventually common sense prevailed and fuel tankers began to arrive allowing personnel from NAS Nowra to rescue some 352 people.
725 Squadron de-commissioned on 27 December 1975 following a very successful period of both training and operations.
Chronology
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 27/08/1943 | Formed as a RN Squadron |
| 12/1945 | Disbanded |
| 13/01/1958 | Re-commissioned into the RAN at NAS Nowra as a fleet requirements and communications unit flying a range of aircraft |
| 31/5/1961 | De-commissioned at NAS Nowra |
| 1/11/1962 | Re-commissioned at NAS Nowra with Wessex helicopters for ASW training |
| 10/02/1964 | HMAS Voyager disaster. 725 Squadron assists in search and rescue efforts |
| 27/12/1975 | De-commissioned at NAS Nowra |
Commanding Officers
| Assumed Command | Commanding Officer |
|---|---|
| 13/01/1958 | Lieutenant Commander J.M.W. Brown |
| 05/01/1959 | Lieutenant Commander K.M. Barnett |
| 20/07/1959 | Lieutenant Commander P. Goldrick |
| 27/07/1959 | Lieutenant Commander A.E. Payne |
| 01/11/1962 | Lieutenant Commander D.G. Hilliard |
| 08/11/1962 | Lieutenant Commander B.F. Matthews |
| 06/10/1965 | Lieutenant Commander N. Ralph |
| 19/06/1967 | Lieutenant Commander P.D. Campbell |
| 23/10/1967 | Lieutenant Commander S.B.E. Courtier |
| 22/01/1968 | Lieutenant Commander A.G. Whitton |
| 05/01/1970 | Lieutenant Commander D.N. Rogers |
| 01/06/1970 | Lieutenant Commander E.S. Bell |
| 08/02/1971 | Lieutenant Commander D.N. Rogers |
| 18/10/1971 | Lieutenant Commander E.S. Bell |
| 14/10/1972 | Lieutenant Commander G.R. Rhorsheim |
| 23/01/1974 | Lieutenant Commander B.J. Boettcher |
| 17/01/1975 | Lieutenant Commander W.P. James, DSC |
Further Reading
- Australian Naval Aviation Museum, Flying Stations: A Story of Australian Naval Aviation, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, 1998
- Eather, Steve, Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force, Aerospace Publications, Canberra, 1995
- Gillett, Ross, Wings Across the Sea, Aerospace Publications, Canberra, 1988
- Perryman, John and Brett Mitchell, Australia's Navy in Vietnam, Topmill Pty Ltd, Silverwater NSW, 2007
