How Royal Navy aircraft and pilots contributed to the successful defence of Britain during 1940
Commemoration of the Battle of Britain tends to focus, quite understandably, on the RAF fighter squadrons that took part. The official qualification for both aircrew and units’ involvement in the Battle is those falling under RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 1 November 1940. It is important to remember, though, in this 75th anniversary year, that contributions were not only made by Fighter Command, nor even necessarily RAF squadrons or personnel. The involvement of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is relatively little-known and, while numerically small, had a significant impact on the Battle.
Two squadrons of the FAA are officially classed as having taken an active part in the Battle of Britain, together with 56 pilots of the total of nearly 3,000. This is to say nothing of the units and men that contributed in other ways to the defence of Britain during the summer and autumn of 1940, in less visible but equally valuable roles.
The reality of a pilot shortage in Fighter Command emerged in early June 1940. The creation of new squadrons and the increased production of aircraft to equip them had highlighted the marginal numb…
