819 Naval Air Squadron
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History |
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| 15. January 1940 | 819 NAS formed at RNAS Ford, Sussex |
| 14. January 1941 | 819 NAS absorbed into 815 NAS |
| 1. October 1941 | 819 NAS reformed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent |
| 10. March 1945 | 819 NAS disbanded at Bircham Newton |
| 5. October 1961 | 819 NAS reformed at RNAS Eglinton by renumbering 718 NAS |
| 29. January 1971 | 819 NAS disbanded at RNAS Ballykelly |
| 8. February 1971 | 819 NAS reformed at RNAS Culdrose |
| ? | 819 NAS disbanded at RNAS Culdrose |
| Planes: |
Swordfish I
Swordfish I
Swordfish II
Swordfish III
Wildcat IV & V & VI
| 819 NAS Deployments | ||||
| 819 NAS Commanding Officers | ||
| Lt-Cdr J. W. Hale, DSO, RN | 15. Feb. 1940 | Jan 1941 |
| Lt-Cdr D. G. Goodwin, DSC, RN | Oct 1941 | Apr 1942 |
| Lt-Cdr HSMcN Davenport, RN | Apr 1942 | Jan 1943 |
| Lt(A) O. A. G. Oxley, RN | Jan 1943 | Apr 1944 |
| Lt-Cdr(A) P. D. T. Stevens, RNVR | Apr 1944 | Mar 1945 |
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History |
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The squadron formed at Ford, Sussex in January 1940 equipped with 12 Swordfish Is for torpedo spotter reconnaissance duties, following a period at West Freugh, the squadron returned to Ford and a detachment of 6 aircraft flew to Detling to search for U-boats off the Belgian coast just before the Dunkirk evacuation. On joining HMS Illustrious for Bermuda, the squadron then escorted a Malta convoy remaining with the Mediterranean Fleet at Dekheila from August 1940. From September 1940 the squadron took part a series of attacks on enemy targets in the Eastern Mediterranean including in a dive bombing attack on Calato airfield, Rhodes. In the night of 11-12 November 1940 the squadron took part in the attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto, including sinking of the Italian battleship Conte Di Cavour. In January 1941 the carrier was badly damaged by German dive-bombers and several squadron aircrew killed and aircraft destroyed, the remnants of the squadron were absorbed into 815 squadron and disbanded. In October 1941 the squadron was reformed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron with 9 Swordfish, embarking on HMS Avenger in June 1942 for trials. In July 1942 the squadron joined RAF Coastal Command minelaying in the North Sea and English Channel, and subsequently joined HMS Archer for escort duty in the North Atlantic. On 23 May 1943 U-752 was sunk by squadron aircraft, the first such rocket projectile success. In August 1943 the squadron joined HMS Activity, a fighter flight of 3 wildcat being added whilst on escort duty, and a further 5 added in March 1944.
On 3 April 1944 whilst
escorting an Arctic convoy, aircraft sank U-288 jointly with 846
NAS, and later on squadron Wildcats shot down 4 enemy aircraft. That
month the squadron joined RAF Coastal Command for night patrols in
the North Sea, the wildcats being withdrawn to 833 NAS. After D-Day
the squadron operated in the south and east coast and then from
October at St Croix, Maldeghem and Knocke-le-Zoute in Belgium where
it formed part of 155 and subsequently 157 RAF Wing.
- Has anyone more Informations about this Squadron - |