HMS Nabaron was a Royal Navy (RN) Mobile Operational Naval Air Base (MONAB) which was situated at the United States Navy (USN) airfield NAS Ponam Airfield on Ponam Island, Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea, which had been transferred to RN on loan.
The personnel and equipment for MONAB IV began to assemble at Royal Naval Air Station Ludham (HMS Flycatcher), Norfolk, on 15 November.
The next day, the personnel were disembarked into tented accommodations at Warwick Farm Racecourse, which served as an extension of the Royal Navy Barracks at HMS Golden Hind.
[6] The decision resulted in MONAB IV being positioned in the forward area, which subsequently necessitated its role in offering reserve aircraft storage.
By the conclusion of May, a total of forty reserve airframes had been obtained from the ferry carriers, and no aircraft-related issues had been reported by that time.
On 28 May, HMS Begum arrived off the island, bringing with it 721 Naval Air Squadron, a Fleet Requirements unit (FRU) that operated Vultee Vengeance TT.IV target tug aircraft, as well as the 'B' Flight of the 1701 Naval Air Squadron, an Air-Sea Rescue (ASR) unit equipped with Supermarine Sea Otter amphibious aircraft.
[7] On 29 May, HMS Implacable reached Manus to commence a six-week preparation period, during which RNAS Ponam was utilized for Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landing (ADDL) training.
On 31 May, the 1843 Naval Air Squadron's twenty-four Vought Corsair Mk IV aircraft disembarked from HMS Arbiter, remaining in the area until 25 June.
This airstrip was built by the United States Navy's 140th Naval Construction Battalion on Pityilu Island, located 22 miles (35 km) east of Ponam.
Lodging facilities had been arranged for the RN Forward Aircraft Pool and an Air Train test flight, with FAP1 being administratively linked to MONAB IV.
To address the overflow, temporary housing was established in the form of native-style reed huts located along the lagoon's periphery, which proved to be quite adequate for short-term lodging.
He was instructed to prepare RNAS Ponam for closure within one month and to facilitate the shutdown of the RN Forward Aircraft Pool No.
The SS Empire Charmain arrived to collect the vehicles of Mobile Air Torpedo Maintenance Unit (MATMU) No.
Subsequently, on 9 November, the members of MONAB IV boarded the escort carrier HMS Slinger for their journey back to the United Kingdom, arriving just in time for the Christmas festivities.
[11] List of commanding officers of HMS Nabaron with date of appointment:[1] List of units associated with MONAB IV, in support of disembarked front line Squadrons, the provision of reserve aircraft storage for the forward area, a fleet requirements unit and an Air-Sea rescue flight:[1] List of Fleet Air Arm first and second line squadrons, station flight and other flying units either based at or disembarked to RNAS Nowra (HMS Nabaron) and MONAB IV: List of Royal Navy aircraft carriers that Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadrons disembarked from, or embarked in, at HMS Nabaron: