811 Naval Air Squadron

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History 

3. April 1933 811 NAS formed from 465 Flt and 466 Flt.
24. May 1939 811 NAS renumbered 767 NAS
15. May 1939 811A NAS formed at RNAS Donibristle
24. May 1939 811A NAS renumbered 811 NAS
17. September 1939 811 NAS ceased to exist with sinking of HMS Courageous
15. July 1941 811 NAS reformed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent
9. December 1944 811 NAS disbanded in the UK
15. September 1945 811 NAS reformed at RNAS Ford
1. July 1947 811 NAS disbanded at RNAS Brawdy
17. August 1953 811 NAS reformed at RNAS Arbrorath
30. December 1954 811 NAS disbanded at RNAS Lee-on-Solent
16. March 1955 811 NAS reformed at RNAS Lossimouth
16. May 1956 811 NAS disbanded at RNAS Lee-on-Solent
Planes:
 

 

 

Ripon    
 

 

 

Baffin      
 

 

 

Oct 1936 - Sep 1939
Swordfish I
 
 

 

 

Jul 1941 - Nov 1941
Chesapeake I
 

 

 

Jul 1941 - Sep 1941
Sea Hurricane
     
 

 

 

Jul 1941 - Mar 1942
Anson I
     
 

 

 

Nov 1941 - Dec 1944
Swordfish II
     
 

 

 

Jan 1943 - Apr 1944
Wildcat IV
     
 

 

 

Mar 1944 - Dec 1944
Wildcat V
     
 

 

 

Sep 1945 - 19??
Mosquito FB.VIs
     
  ....
 

 

 

Aug. 1953 - Dec. 1954
Sea Fury FB.11
   
  ....
 

 

 

Mar. 1955 - May 1955
Sea Hawk FGA.4
   
 

 

 

Mar. 1955 - May 1956
Sea Hawk FB.3
 
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811 NAS Deployments 
8.6.55-23.6.55 HMS Bullwark - Sea Hawk FGA.4 -
23. October 1956 - 29. October 1956 HMS Albion - Sea Hawk FGA.4 158-169 C
10. January 1956 - 16.May 1956 HMS Centauer - Sea Hawk FB.3 240-251 C
         
..
811 NAS Commanding Officers 
Lt-Cdr S. Borrett, RN Jul 1939 Sep 1939
Lt-Cdr R. D. Wall, RN July 1941 Oct 1941
Lt-Cdr W. J. Lucas, RN Oct 1941 Feb 1942
Lt-Cdr H. S. Hayes, DSC, RN Feb 1942 Jan 1943
Lt J. G. Baldwin, RN Jan 1943 April 1943
Lt A. S. Kennard, DSC, RN April 1943 Nov 1943
Lt-Cdr E. B. Morgan, RANVR Nov 19430 July 1944
Lt-Cdr (A) E .E. G. Emsley, RNVR July 1944 Dec 1944
Lt-Cdr (A) S. M. P. Walsh, DSO, DSC & Bar, RNVR Sep 1945 ?
.

History 

On the outbreak of war this Swordfish squadron transferred from RNAS Donibristle to HMS Courageous, but all aircraft were lost when the ship was sunk on 17 September 1939.

The squadron was reformed in July 1941 as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance (TBR) squadron intended for service with escort carriers, with 14 Chesapeakes and 2 Sea Hurricanes. The unsuitability of the Chesapeakes gave way to replacement with 6 Swordfish IIs in November 1941.

From August 1942 the squadron undertook anti-shipping and mine-laying night operations from Bircham Newton under the control of RAF Coastal Command till December when absorbed into 812 NAS.

In January 1943, the squadron received 3 Wildcat IVs and embarked the following month in HMS Biter for escort duties, damaging U-203 on 25 April, and damaging U-89 on 12 May after which RN ships were able to sink both U-boats. Six later attacks were unsuccessful.

On 16 February 1944 the Wildcats shot down a Ju 290B and its attached glider bomb.

Over the rest of 1944 the squadron operated from Limavady, under Coastal Command on further operations, and in September embarked on HMS Vindex with 12 Swordfish and 4 Wildcats on North Russian Convoys, disbanding on its return in December 1944.

The squadron was not to be reformed till September 1945, equipped with 15 Mosquito FB.VIs.

    

- Has anyone more Informations about this Squadron -

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last update 1. Februay 2013

written 1. March 2011

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