721 Naval Air Squadron

Aircrew and squadron personnel

The list below is complied from various sources: Commissioned officers are as they appear in the relevant editions of the Navy List [note, because of a time lag between appointments and the publication of the lists some officers are not included]. Names of Telegraphist Air Gunners are primarily drawn from incident reports. Maintenance and other squadron personnel from Admiralty Fleet Orders.

Abbreviations: A = Air Branch, P = Pilot, O = Observer, TAG = Telegraphist Air Gunner, RNVR = Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, RANVR = Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve, RCNVR = Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, RNZNVR = Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve, Tpy = Temporary, Mid = Midshipman, KIA = Killed in Action, MPK = Missing Presumed Killed.

Dates: Dates for commanding officers are taken from Sturtivant, R & Balance, T., (1994)'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' All other dates are taken from the Navy Lists and may not accurately reflect the exact date of appointment. Date of death is taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records.

Rank	Name	Appointed	Notes
Tpy. Lieut. Comn. (A) R.N.V.R. (P)	F. A. Simpson	01 Mar 45	In command

Lieut. (A) (P)	J. L. Moore	07 Mar 46	In command
	R. B. Head DSC*	19 Nov 46	In command
	J. D. Nunn	—July 47

*Lieut. (A) (O)*	F. H. Henderson	21 Mar 47

Tpy. Lieut. (A) R.N.V.R. (P)	H. Kirby	- Apr 45
	W. J. Anderson	- Apr 45

*Sub- Lieut. (A) (P)*	M. H. Simpson	- May 46
	A. Hamilton	30 Aug 46

*Sub- Lieut. (A)*	J. p. Keane	—July 47
	R. F. West	—July 47

*Tpy. act. Sub- Lieut. (A) R.N.V.R. (P)*	A. E. Baxter	- Apr 45
	A. M. Brodie	?	Killed, air crash 01 March 1946
	N. Burrage	?
	P. Builder	- Apr 45
	W. M. C. Hardy	- Apr 45
	I. Houghton	15 Apr 46
	A. Jackson	- Apr 46
	J. S. Kennedy	?	Killed, air crash 11 March 1947
	C. E. S. Minshaw	15 Apr 46
	J. Payne	—July 45
	D. E. Rimmington	15 Apr 46
	A. Roscoe	14 Nov 46
	F. C. Sabatini	15 Apr 46
	S.A. Thompson	- Apr 46
	W.T. Wheelton
	D. A. Thomson	—July 45
	R. F. Rhymer	15 July 45
	H. C .Stokes	—July 45
	A. H. Shapley	21 May 45
	R. E. Grimshaw	12 Aug 45
	G. K. Brewin	12 Aug 45
	P. L. Owen	15 Aug 45

*Tpy. Sub- Lieut. (A) R.N.V.R. (P)*	I. A. Owen	5 Apr 46
	T. M. Telford	5 Apr 46

*Tpy. Act. Sub- Lieut. (A) R.N.V.R. (P)*	G. G. Taylor	15 Apr 46
	J. C. Revill	15 Apr 46


*S.N.C.O.s*	*Name*	*Joined Sqn*
PO Airman	FAA/FX 523614 E. J. Desborough		Killed, air crash 01 March 1946

Information drawn from the Navy list April 945 through October 1947 (final edition which mentions the squadron)

In Memoriam

The Fleet Air Arm memorial at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. Located outside the former Naval Air Station and Fleet Air Arm Barracks this records the names of almost 2,000 men of that service who died during the Second World War and who have no known grave.

Details taken from the records of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission

Name & Rank	CWGC details	Date of death	Cemetery/Memorial
Sub-Lieut. (A) (P) Archibald Mowbray BRODIE, R.N.V.R.	CWGC Record	01 March 1946	LEE-ON-SOLENT MEMORIAL Bay 6, Panel 6.
Sub-Lieut. (A) (P) John Sussex KENNEDY, RNVR	CWGC Record	11 March 1947	LEE-ON-SOLENT MEMORIAL Bay 6, Panel 7.
Petty Officer Airman L/FX. 523614 Ernest Jack DESBOROUGH	CWGC record	01 March 1946	LEE-ON-SOLENT MEMORIAL Bay 6, Panel 6.

721 Naval Air Squadron

Aircrew and squadron personnel

March 1945- Decemebr 1947

In Memoriam

The Fleet Air Arm memorial at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. Located outside the former Naval Air Station and Fleet Air Arm Barracks this records the names of almost 2,000 men of that service who died during the Second World War and who have no known grave.