History 

History 

The squadron was formed as a torpedo spotter reconnaissance Albacore squadron at RNAS Ford, East Sussex in March 1940.
In May 1940, the squadron provided cover for the Dunkirk evacuation from Detling, and on 31 May bombed targets at Westende, and E-boats off Zeebrugge. The squadron then operated from Bircham Newton under RAF Coastal Command carrying out operations in Holland, Belgium and France when 5 enemy aircraft were destroyed or damaged. 
In November 1940 the squadron embarked on HMS Formidable for convoy duties via Capetown to Egypt, and in February 1941 the squadron attacked Mogadishu, Somalia, and Massawa, Eritrea before joining the Mediterranean Fleet.
In March 1941 the squadron, now also with Swordfish, took part in the Battle of Matapan and damaged the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto by torpedo, subsequently taking part in operations against Tripoli and Bardia.
In May 1941, when the ship was badly damaged after raids against Scarpanto island, the squadron disembarked to Dekheila and then Fuka and Maaten Bagush in the Western Desert.
In July operations from Nicosia, Cyprus, were made against Vichy French ships at Beirut, followed by a return to Maaten Bagush to support the 8th Army, where it provided night illumination flares for the 7th Cruiser squadron – operations that were so successful that the squadron then carried out these duties for the army and Desert Air Force as well as attacking enemy harbours and shipping strikes.
In December 1942, half the squadron was temporarily attached to 821 NAS on Malta for attacks on enemy convoys between Sicily and North Africa, returning in January 1943 to Dekheila. The squadron moved to Malta in June 1943 to provide support for the Sicily landings, and was disbanded in August 1943.
The squadron reformed as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron with 12 Barracuda IIs in December 1943 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, and joined the 9th Naval TBR Wing.
In June 1944 it embarked on HMS Indefatigable for the 17 July Operation Mascot against the German battleship Tirpitz at Kaa Fjord, North Norway, and subsequent patrols off the Norwegian coast. The squadron later embarking on HMS Formidable for further strikes against the Tirpitz in the Operations Goodwood in August 1944, followed by strikes against enemy shipping and shore targets in Norway. The squadron subsequently disbanded at RAF Machrihanish in October 1944.

The squadron reformed on 15 August 1945 at East Haven as a Canadian-manned torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron with 12 Barracuda IIs with ASH radar. 826 NAS remained as part of the Royal Navy until it was disbanded in February 1946. It was then reformed as part of the RCN in May 1947 and later renumbered to 881 NAS (RCN) in May 1951 whereupon the 826 designation returned to the Royal Navy.