813 Naval Air Squadron
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History |
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| 18. January 1937 | 813 NAS formed at RNAS Gosport |
| 18. October 1943 | 813 NAS disbanded in the UK |
| 1.November 1943 | 813 NAS reformed at RNAS Donibristle |
| 15. May 1945 | 813 NAS disbanded in the UK |
| 1. September 1945 | 813 NAS reformed at RNAS Ford |
| 30. November 1946 | 813 NAS disbanded at RNAS |
| 1. May 1947 | 813 NAS reformed at RNAS Ford |
| 21. November 1955 | 813 NAS disbanded at RNAS Ford |
| 1. May 1947 | 813 NAS reformed at RNAS Ford |
| 21. November 1955 | 813 NAS disbanded at RNAS Ford |
| 1. May 1947 | 813 NAS reformed at RNAS Ford |
| 21. November 1955 | 813 NAS disbanded at RNAS Ford |
| Planes: |
Swordfish I
Ripon
Sea Hurricane Ib
Swordfish II & III
Wildcat V & VI
Firebrand TF.5
Wyvern S.4
Wyvern S.4
| 813 NAS Deployments | ||||
| 17. September 1954 - 31. March 1955 | HMS Albion | - | Wyvern S.4 | 180 Z |
| 7. June 1955 - 4. November 1955 | HMS Eagle | - | Wyvern S.4 | 120 J |
| - | ||||
| 813 NAS Commanding Officers | ||
| Lt-Cdr N. Kennedy, DSC, RN | Sept 1938 | Jan 1941 |
| ? | Jan 1941 | Nov 1941 |
| Lt-Cdr A. V. Lyle, RN | Nov 1941 | Mar 1942 |
| Lt-Cdr C. Hutchnson, RN | Mar 1942 | Jun 1943 |
| Lt J. H. Ree, RN | Jun 1943 | Aug 1943 |
| Lt-Cdr D. A. P. Weatherall, RN | Aug 1943 | Oct 1943 |
| Lt-Cdr(A) J. R. Parish, DSC, RNVR | Nov 1943 | Sep 1944 |
| Lt-Cdr(A) C. R. Allen, RNVR | Sep 1944 | Oct 1944 |
| Lt-Cdr(A) S. G. Cooke, RNVR | Oct 1944 | May 1945 |
| Sq Ldr K. Lee-White, RN | Sep 1945 | ? |
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History |
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On the outbreak of war, the Swordfish squadron saw service in the China Station with HMS Eagle providing convoy protection and searches for enemy shipping in the Indian Ocean from Ceylon. In March 1940 she sailed to Singapore and, after a refit, to the Mediterranean where 4 Sea Gladiators were added to the squadron in June. Initial success opened with the Gladiators shooting down 2 Italian bombers and a number of others over subsequent months. On 5 July 1940, the Swordfish sank a destroyer and a merchant ship, damaged another destroyer and 2 merchant ships in an attack on Tobruk, and three days later sank a destroyer at Port Augusta, Sicily. On 11 November 1940 the squadron took part in the successful attack at Taranto from HMS Illustrious. In March 1941 the squadron was sent to Port Sudan and the Sea Gladiators withdrawn, succeeding in destroying 5 Italian destroyers north of Massawa (2 sunk, 2 beached and the 5th scuttled). On 6 June 1941 whilst operating from HMS Eagle, the squadron sank the U-Boat supply ship Elbe and forced the tanker Lothringen to surrender and returned home in October to re-equip with Swordfish and Sea Hurricane Ib’s. In January 1942 the squadron sailed with HMS Eagle and undertook a number of operations delivering RAF Spitfires to Malta, being shore based at Gibraltar when the ship was sunk on 11 August 1942. The squadron carried out anti-submarine patrols from Gibraltar and took part in the North African landings, operating in North Africa till March 1943 when it returned to Gibraltar, and disbanded in UK in October 1943. In November 1943 the squadron reformed at RNAS Donibristle with 9 Swordfish, and subsequently augmented with 3 Fulmars and 4 Wildcat Vs, the squadron embarked on HMS Campania in April 1944 for Atlantic and Arctic convoy duties. On 30 September 1944 the Swordfish sank U-Boat 921, and on 13 December sank U-365, and the Wildcats shot down 4 enemy aircraft. In April 1945 the squadron embarked on HMS Vindex for its last Arctic convoy to Russia, disbanding in May 1945. The squadron reformed as a torpedo fighter squadron with 15 Firebrand TF.IVs on 1 September 1945.
- Has anyone more Informations about this Squadron - |