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The
squadron was formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent in June 1941 as a Fleet
Fighter squadron with 6 Martlet Is and IIs.
The squadron was destined for HMS Ark Royal, but when the ship was
sunk on 13 November 1941 the squadron was allocated to HMS
Illustrious, sailing for the Indian Ocean in March 1942.
In May 1942, the squadron, joining 882 NAS, supported the capture of
Diego Suarez in Madagascar, jointly shooting down 7 enemy aircraft.
In the middle of the month 882 NAS was absorbed into 881 NAS, and
the squadron returned to the UK in 1943.
In July 1943 a detachment of 7 aircraft from the squadron embarked
on HMS Furious, for a mock invasion of Norway, and succeeded in
shooting down 1 enemy aircraft. At the end of the month, the entire
squadron embarked briefly on HMS Unicorn and subsequently was based
at Hatston, Eglington and Stretton.
In November 1943 the squadron joined the 7th Naval Fighter Wing
having re-equipped with 12 Wildcat Vs, and embarked on HMS Pursuer
for Gibraltar convoys from November 1943 till February 1944, when it
shot down 2 enemy aircraft and damaged another aircraft.
Whilst still operating from HMS Pursuer, on 3 April 1944, the
squadron provided fighter cover for Operation Tungsten attack
against the German Battleship Tirpitz in Kaa Fjord, northern Norway,
and returned to Burscough in early May. Further brief operations
were underataken from HMS Furious in the second half of the month.
In June whilst providing escort support from HMS Pursuer, squadron
aircraft shot down 1 enemy aircraft, and later in the month it
carried out further strikes off the coast of Norway.
The squadron embarked on HMS Pursuer in July 1944 for Ta Kali, Malta
and subsequently to Dekheila, taking part in the landings in
southern France in August 1944, and in September saw action in the
Aegean, returning to Long Kesh in October 1944, and remaining at
Grimsetter till November 1944.
Subsequent operations to Norway were carried out by squadron
detachments from HMS Pursuer, HMS Puncher, HMS Trumpeter and HMS
Premier till February 1945. In March 1945 the squadron embarked on
HMS Pursuer for Capetown, where it was re-equipped with 30 Hellcat
IIs at Wingfield.
The squadron was due to join the 12th Carrier Air Group with the
British Pacific Fleet, but with VJ-Day the squadron was still at
Wingfield and returned to the UK to disband in October 1945.
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