HISTORY OF CHINA BAY

The Navigational Aids available from this station were, ASV Beacon, H.F. D/F. and M.F. Beacon. No 4429 RAF Regiment Anti Aircraft Unit stationed at China Bay W.E.F. 16th October 1943. No 235 ASRU was formed at China Bay on 1st October 1943 to operate with 3 High Speed Launches. Torpedo Reconnaissance Unit set up at China Bay and Colombo with pinnaces No 90, 96, and 1259 June 1943. Opened as Trincomalee 1st August 1939 with No 273 Squadron with aircraft Vilderbeest, Fulmars and Seals,(2 Seals on Floats). March 12th 1942 saw 261 Squadron with 8 Hurricanes Mk 1, and 23 HURRICANE Mk 2 arrive along with 788 and 990 Balloon Squadron. April 9th 1942 the first raid on China Bay by the Japanese, 8 Hurricanes and 1 Fulmar were destroyed. June 30th 1943 work started on the extension of China Bay runway with 1400 cochin labourers. January 4th 1944 RNAS take over the running of China Bay and re name it HMS Bambara, at this time it was built mostly of cadjun. March 31st 1944 the runway extension was completed along with fuel tanks for the RAF to hold 43,560 gallons and Admiralty tanks for 250,000 Gallons. The new Bellman hangar completed. 1st April 1944 the airfield to be lengthened from 1500 Yards to 2,500 Yards, work started with 2,000 cochin labourers. 16/17th July 1944, the extension to the runway was completed and an American B25 and B29 arrived to view and test the runway for the United States Air Force to base aircraft for the bombing of Palembang, Sumatra. November 14th 1944, RAF China Bay handed over to the Royal Navy. 321 (Dutch) Squadron now have 8 liberators. Lodger facilities from 1st August 1940 on this RAF Station. The Air section being borne on the books of HMS Lanka, the local naval base. The FAA base moved to Mombasa after the Japanese strike on Ceylon on Easter day 1942, but FAA Squadrons continued to use the station,

and these came under HMS Highflyer until 1st January 1944 when HMS Bambara commissioned to comprise the RN section at China Bay and the RNAMY at Clappenburg Bay. On 1st November 1944 the name of the station was changed to RNAS Trincomalee, being the name of the nearby port and naval base. The Air station was transferred from RAF to naval charge on 15th November 1944, being eventually paid off on 31st December 1947. Fleet Air Arm Squadrons Stationed At China Bay (Trincomalee) during its history are;- 733, 788, 791, 800, 802, 803, 804, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 812, 814, 817, 818, 822, 824, 828, 830, 831, 832, 834, 837, 845, 847, 851, 854, 879, 880, 888, 896, 898, 1700, 1830, 1831, 1833, 1839, 1844, and 1851. Handed over to RN 0n 15th November and commissioned as RNAS Trincomalee. 30th November 1959 handed over to the Royal Ceylon Air Force.