821 Naval Air Squadron
Encyclopedia
821 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy
Fleet Air Arm
carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 with the transferral and amalgamation of the Fairey III
aircraft from 446 and half of 455 Flight (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flights Royal Air Force
to the newly formed Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force. The squadron operated during the Second World War.
aircraft, and then embarked aboard with the Home Fleet in May 1933. The Abyssinian crisis in August 1935 caused the squadron to be briefly transferred to the Mediterranean, but it returned to the UK in February 1936. It then transferred its Seals to 822 Naval Air Squadron and received as replacements Blackburn Shark IIs
, which it used to take up the role of Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance. By September 1937 the Sharks had been replaced by Fairey Swordfish
and the Squadron transferred to the new aircraft carrier in November 1938. They sailed to the Mediterranean in spring 1939, and as war loomed they were transferred to Admiralty
control on 24 May 1939.
kill of the war, when they sank , after she had unsuccessfully tried to torpedo
Ark Royal. The squadron sailed with the carrier to the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean
, searching for German shipping and commerce raiders. After briefly operating in the Mediterranean, the German invasion of Norway
in April 1940 caused Ark Royal to be recalled to support allied operations in Norway. The squadron was used to attack enemy positions, but on 21 June an attempt was made to sink the . The squadron sustained heavy losses in this unsuccessful operation and was forced to disband in December. A single flight, X Flight, continued in service though, with six aircraft. They sailed to Gibraltar
aboard and then to Malta
aboard HMS Ark Royal. They covered the Malta Convoys
, before being absorbed in 815 Naval Air Squadron
.
821 Squadron was re-formed at Detling
in July 1941, initially tasked with carrying out anti-submarine duties in Orkney. In November they were transferred to Egypt
, and in March 1942 they were re-equipped with six Fairey Albacore
s. They carried out bombing raids on Rhodes
, and in Egypt were active in supporting ground forces at Maaten Bagush, Gambut and Daba. 821 Squadron was transferred again in November 1942 to operate out of RAF Hal Far
, on Malta, attacking enemy supply convoys headed to North Africa. Four of the squadron's aircraft were transferred to Castel Benito, Tripoli
in March 1943 to support night bombing raids by the Royal Air Force
in Libya
. In July of 1943 at the time of Operation Husky, 821 squadron was based at Hal Far on Malta with Albacores for torpedo/spotter/reconnaissance. The entire squadron then transferred to Tunis
in June to attack enemy shipping. 821 Squadron returned to the UK by October and was disbanded again.
It reformed again in May 1944, this time equipped with 12 Fairey Barracuda IIs
and operating as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron. The squadron was embarked aboard in November and sailed to the Far East. They carried out mine-laying operations in February 1945, with Barracuda IIIs, and from April with six F4F Wildcat
s until June 1945. The squadron was active until February 1946.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 with the transferral and amalgamation of the Fairey III
Fairey III
The Fairey Aviation Company Fairey III was a family of British reconnaissance biplanes that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and seaplane variants...
aircraft from 446 and half of 455 Flight (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flights Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
to the newly formed Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force. The squadron operated during the Second World War.
Pre war
The squadron was upgraded to use the Fairey SealFairey Seal
|-Operators:*Argentine Navy* Latvian Navy* Peruvian Air Force* Peruvian Navy* Royal Air Force* Fleet Air Arm-See also:-References:*Sturtivant, R...
aircraft, and then embarked aboard with the Home Fleet in May 1933. The Abyssinian crisis in August 1935 caused the squadron to be briefly transferred to the Mediterranean, but it returned to the UK in February 1936. It then transferred its Seals to 822 Naval Air Squadron and received as replacements Blackburn Shark IIs
Blackburn Shark
-Bibliography:* Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.* Shores, Christopher, Brian Cull and Yasuho Izawa. Bloody Shambles:Volume One:The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore. London:Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-50-X.*...
, which it used to take up the role of Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance. By September 1937 the Sharks had been replaced by Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
and the Squadron transferred to the new aircraft carrier in November 1938. They sailed to the Mediterranean in spring 1939, and as war loomed they were transferred to Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
control on 24 May 1939.
Second World War
Operating off Ark Royal the squadron was responsible for the first allied U-boatU-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
kill of the war, when they sank , after she had unsuccessfully tried to torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
Ark Royal. The squadron sailed with the carrier to the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, searching for German shipping and commerce raiders. After briefly operating in the Mediterranean, the German invasion of Norway
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in April 1940 caused Ark Royal to be recalled to support allied operations in Norway. The squadron was used to attack enemy positions, but on 21 June an attempt was made to sink the . The squadron sustained heavy losses in this unsuccessful operation and was forced to disband in December. A single flight, X Flight, continued in service though, with six aircraft. They sailed to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
aboard and then to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
aboard HMS Ark Royal. They covered the Malta Convoys
Malta Convoys
The Malta Convoys were a series of Allied supply convoys that sustained the besieged island of Malta during the Mediterranean Theatre of the Second World War...
, before being absorbed in 815 Naval Air Squadron
815 Naval Air Squadron
815 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm, part of the Royal Navy. The squadron is currently based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, United Kingdom and it is the Navy's front line Lynx Naval Air Squadron. It currently comprises more than 30 Lynx helicopters of various types...
.
821 Squadron was re-formed at Detling
Detling
Detling is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is located on the slope of the North Downs, north east of Maidstone, and on the Pilgrims' Way....
in July 1941, initially tasked with carrying out anti-submarine duties in Orkney. In November they were transferred to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and in March 1942 they were re-equipped with six Fairey Albacore
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering...
s. They carried out bombing raids on Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, and in Egypt were active in supporting ground forces at Maaten Bagush, Gambut and Daba. 821 Squadron was transferred again in November 1942 to operate out of RAF Hal Far
RAF Hal Far
The RAF Hal Far airfield in Malta, titled HMS Falcon during the Royal Navy base, was constructed and opened on 1 April 1929, and was used by Royal Navy air crews. It was the first permanent airfield to be built in Malta. It was transferred to the Maltese Government and redeveloped as from January...
, on Malta, attacking enemy supply convoys headed to North Africa. Four of the squadron's aircraft were transferred to Castel Benito, Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in March 1943 to support night bombing raids by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. In July of 1943 at the time of Operation Husky, 821 squadron was based at Hal Far on Malta with Albacores for torpedo/spotter/reconnaissance. The entire squadron then transferred to Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
in June to attack enemy shipping. 821 Squadron returned to the UK by October and was disbanded again.
It reformed again in May 1944, this time equipped with 12 Fairey Barracuda IIs
Fairey Barracuda
The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo- and dive bomber used during the Second World War, the first of its type used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to be fabricated entirely from metal. It was introduced as a replacement for the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore biplanes...
and operating as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron. The squadron was embarked aboard in November and sailed to the Far East. They carried out mine-laying operations in February 1945, with Barracuda IIIs, and from April with six F4F Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
s until June 1945. The squadron was active until February 1946.