854 Naval Air Squadron
Encyclopedia
854 Naval Air Squadron was first formed on 1 January 1944, at Squantum Naval Air Station in the USA. It was later disbanded in December 1945. It was reformed December 2006 as a helicopter squadron designed for Airborne Surveillance and Control.
IIs to operate as an anti-shipping squadron. In May 1944, it arrived back in the United Kingdom
, to become part of No.157 Wing, RAF Coastal Command
. It operated over the English Channel
to carry out anti shipping patrols in the run-up to D-Day
. It left for the Far East
in September 1944. The squadron carried out operations onbroad HMS Illustrious against Sumatra
in December and January 1945. In March and April the squadron attacked targets on the Sakishima Islands
. 854 NAS received new Avenger IIIs in July to join the 3rd Carrier Air Group
. But shortly afterwards, 854 left its Avenger IIIs behind and sailed for the UK, to disband on 8 December 1945.
After a ceremony on 13 Dec 2006 at RNAS Culdrose
, the unit reformed with the Sea King
ASaC.7, previously A Flight, 849 Squadron. From March to July 2007 the squadron carried out counter drug operations onboard HMS Ocean
, helped to seize a tonne of cocaine
.
History
The squadron was formed in January 1944 equipped with Grumman AvengerTBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
IIs to operate as an anti-shipping squadron. In May 1944, it arrived back in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, to become part of No.157 Wing, RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
. It operated over the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
to carry out anti shipping patrols in the run-up to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. It left for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
in September 1944. The squadron carried out operations onbroad HMS Illustrious against Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
in December and January 1945. In March and April the squadron attacked targets on the Sakishima Islands
Sakishima Islands
The are an island chain located at the southernmost end of the Japanese Archipelago. They are part of the Nansei Islands and include the Miyako Islands and the Yaeyama Islands...
. 854 NAS received new Avenger IIIs in July to join the 3rd Carrier Air Group
3rd Carrier Air Group
The 3rd Carrier Air Group of the Fleet Air Arm was formed on 2 August 1945. It was a spare air group for the British Pacific Fleet based at Nowra. It was formed too late for service in the war, and it contained No. 854 NAS flying the TBF Avenger, No. 1843 NAS and No. 1845 NAS flying the F4U Corsair...
. But shortly afterwards, 854 left its Avenger IIIs behind and sailed for the UK, to disband on 8 December 1945.
After a ceremony on 13 Dec 2006 at RNAS Culdrose
RNAS Culdrose
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose , based in Cornwall, near Helston, on the Lizard Peninsula, has three major roles: serving the Fleet Air Arm's front line Sea King and Merlin helicopter squadrons; providing search and rescue for the South West region; and training specialists for the Royal Navy...
, the unit reformed with the Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
ASaC.7, previously A Flight, 849 Squadron. From March to July 2007 the squadron carried out counter drug operations onboard HMS Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
, helped to seize a tonne of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
.