In his account of his wartime experiences,
(‘Nine Lives’, ISBN 0 907579 82 5, and a good read, BTW) Al Deere says this on page 93, regarding the situation in early July at the very start of the battle:
The pilot situation was more unfavourable. Despite the invaluable intake into the Command of fifty-two pilots from the Fleet Air Arm – and what good pilots they were too – the squadrons were still under strength and embarrassingly short of experienced leaders.