894 Naval Air Squadron

 

"Omnium capax ubique" - "Capable of anything, anywhere"

 
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History 

15. August 1942 894 NAS formed at NAS Noffolk VA, USA
15. March 1946 894 NAS disbanded at RNAS Gosport
14. January 1957 894 NAS reformed at RNAS Merryflied
17. November 1960 894 NAS disbanded at RNAS Yeovilton
Planes:
 

 

 

Aug. 1942 - Feb. 1943
Martlet IV
     
 

 

 

Mar. 1943 - Apr. 1943
Spitfire Vb
     
 

 

 

Mar. 1943 - Nov. 1943
Seafire Ib & IIc
     
 

 

 

Nov. 1943 - Mar. 1946
Seafire F.III & LIII
     
....
 

 

 

Jan. 1957 - Mar. 1957
Sea Venom FAW.21
 
 

 

 

Mar. 1957 - Nov. 1960
Sea Venom FAW.22
 
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894 NAS Deployments 
1942 - 1946
8. December 1942 - 8. January 1943

HMS Battler

- Martlet VI (6) -
24. July 1944 - 24. August 1943 HMS Illustrious - Seafire IIc -
11. September 1943 - 16. September 1943 HMS Unicorn - Seafire IIc -
20. September 1943 - 20 October 1943 HMS Illustrious - Seafire IIc -
24. July 1944 - 24. September 1944 HMS Indefatigable - Seafire F.III (12) -
16. October 1944 - 21. November 1944 HMS Implacable - Seafire F.III (12) -
24. December 1944 - 10. February 1945 HMS Indefatigable - Seafire L.III (24) -
27. February 1945 - 5. June 1945 HMS Indefatigable - Seafire L.III (24) -
7. July 1945 - 18 September 1945 HMS Indefatigable - Seafire L.III (24) -
22. November  1945 - 22. December 1945 HMS Indefatigable - Seafire L.III (24) -
31. December 1945 - 15. March 1946 HMS Indefatigable - Seafire L.III (24) -
1957 - 1960
5. August 1957 - 30. August 1957 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (14) 485-499 J
10. September 1957 - 30. September 1957 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (14) 485-499 J
10. October 1957 - 2. November 1957 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (14) 485-499 J
14. November 1957 - 27. November 1957 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (14) 485-499 J
28. January 1958 - 31. March 1958 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (12) 485-499 E
20. May 1958 - 2. December 1958 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (12) 485-499 E
14. January 1959 - 23. March 1959 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (12) 485-499 E
13. April 1959 - 29. April 1959 HMS Eagle - Sea Venom FAW.21 (12) 485-499 E
9. June 1959 - 22. June 1959 HMS Victorious Dt.6 - Sea Venom FAW.22 485-499 E
30. June 1959 - 9. August 1959 HMS Victorious Dt.6 - Sea Venom FAW.22 485-499 E
5. February 1960 - 15. December 1960 HMS Albion - Sea Venom FAW.22 (12) 485-499 A
..
894 NAS Commanding Officers 
1942 - 1946
Lt-Cdr (A) D. A. Van Epps, RNVR 15. Aug. 1942 17. Jun. 1943
Lt-Cdr F. R. A. Turnbull, DSC, RN 17. Jun. 1943 17. Jan. 1944
Lt-Cdr (A) C. Walker, RN 17. Jan. 1944 22. Nov. 1944
Lt-Cdr (A) J. Crossman, DSO, RNVR 22. Nov. 1944 9. Aug. 1945
Lt(A) A.S. Macleod, DSC RNZNVR   9. Aug. 1945 24. Oct. 1945
Lt-Cdr (A) J. R. Routley, RNVR 24. Oct. 1945 7. Jan. 1946
Lt-Cdr (A) R. M. Cossley, DSC, RNVR 7. Jan. 1946 15. Mar. 1946
1957 - 1960
Lt-Cdr P. G. Young, RN 14. Jan. 1957 17. Apr. 1958
Lt-Cdr W. G. B. Black, RN 17. Apr. 1958 27. Aug. 1959
Lt-Cdr H. E. R. Bain, RN 27. Aug. 1959 17. Dec. 1960
.

History 

1942 - 1946
894 NAS personnel assembld at RNAS Stretton 15. July 1942 and were shipped to the USA where they formed up at NAS Norfolk, Virginia on 15. August 1942 as a single seater fighter squadron. Equipped with 6 Martlet IVs, the squadron sailed for the UK in December in HMS Battler, re-equipping at RNAS Hatston in March 1943 with 9 Seafire IIcs.
In July 1943 894 NAS joined HMS lllustrious for a trip to Iceland, followed by an operation off the Norwegian coast
. Taking passage to Malta in August, the squadron was engaged the next month in support of the Salerno landings, some aircraft operating from a captured airstrip. On returning home the squadron became part of the 24th Naval Fighter Wing at RNAS Henstridge, re-equipping with 12 Seafire F.IIIs in November.
In April 1944, these accompanied RAF Typhoons carrying out anti-shipping attacks in the English Channel. Embarking in HMS Indefatigable in July 1944, operations were carried out over Norway, including providing cover for two attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz, two enemy alrcraft being shot down on 22. August 1944.
In November the squadron re-quipped with 24 Seafire LIIIs, then sailed for Ceylon to provide cover in January for attacks on Sumatran oil installations. Similar cover was provided in March and April for attacks on the Sakishima Gunto group of lslands in the South China Seas, and shortly before VJ-Day attacks ms made on the Japanese mainland. Some time was then spent in Australia, followed by a visit to New Zealand in November 1944. Returning hone in the New Year. 894 NAS disbanded at RNAS Gosport on arrival on 15. March 1946.

1957 - 1960
Reformed at RNAS Merryfield on 14. January 1957 as an aIl-weather fighter squadron, 894 NAS received 12 Sea Venom FAW.22s, though some FAW.21s were used at first until the full complement arrived. It embarked in HMS Eagle ln August 1957, spending much of 1958 in the Mediterranean. Most of 1959 was spent at Yeovilton, but in February 1960 the squadron joined HMS Albion for a spell in the Far East before retuning home to disband at RNAS Yeovilton on 17. December 1960.

- Has anyone more Informations about this Squadron -

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last update 1. Februay 2013

written 1. March 2011

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