801 Naval Air Squadron

801 Naval Air Squadron
Naval Ensign
Active	1933
Country
Branch	Fleet Air Arm
Role	Maritime Strike
Motto	On Les Aura (We'll have them)
Battle honours	Dunkirk 1940, Atlantic 1940, Norway 1940 - 4, Malta Convoys 1942, North Africa 1942 - 3, Japan 1945
Disbanded	9th March 2007

801 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm squadron of the Royal Navy formed in 1933 which fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Falklands War.

On the 9th March 2007, 801 and 800 Naval Air Squadron combined to form the Naval Strike Wing (NSW) effectively organised as a single unit. Part of Joint Force Harrier and based at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, NSW operates Harrier GR7 and GR9 aircraft in the Close Air Support(CAS) role and is the Royal Navy’s only front line fast jet squadron.

Contents 1 Second World War 2 Korean War 3 1960's to 1980's 4 Falklands War 4.1 Losses 4.2 Gallantry Awards 5 Decommissioning 6 Aircraft flown 7 Notes and references 8 External links

Second World War

The Squadron was formed on the same day as 800NAS from No 401 Flight on the 3rd April 1933 with Fairey Flycatchers and Hawker Nimrods. In January 1940, 801 NAS was based at RNAS Donibristle with the Blackburn Skua, playing a key role in the early part of the war with operations in Norway from HMS Ark Royal. In September, 801 Squadron embarked on HMS Furious for raids on the northerly parts of the Norwegian coast. Following an attack on Trondheim on 22nd September, Skua L2942 piloted by Sub Lt Bernard Wigginton with Leading Aircraftman Kenneth King as his gunner, was unable to find their Carrier and crash landed in neutral Sweden.

In 1943 880 Naval Air Squadron formed the 30 Naval Fighter Wing on HMS Implacable. In June 1945, Naval Fighter Wings were reformed as Carrier Groups with 801 NAS, 880 and 1771 NAS becoming the 8th Carrier Air Group. In August 1941 they re-equipped with Sea Hurricanes at RNAS Yeovilton. The squadron deployed to the Mediterranean aboard HMS Argus. then to HMS Eagle. During this deployment 801 NAS claimed thirteen enemy aircraft of various types, for the loss of three Hurricanes and four Fulmars. Two of the Fulmars were brought down by friendly fire.

Korean War

In March 1951, 801 NAS received Hawker Sea Furys and the squadron saw active service during the Korean War flying from HMS Glory. HMS Glory was deployed in theatre from 3 April 1951 to 30 September 1951 and from 8 November 1952 to the ceasefire on 27 July 1953. 801 NAS was embarked on the second tour of duty.

Sea Furys could be armed with either two bombs or four rockets and drop tanks in both cases. The aircraft were mainly used in the ground attack role armed with bombs and rockets, but they were also engaged in air-to-air combat with the much faster MiG-15.

The squadron suffered seven casualties ^[1]

1960's to 1980's

On the 18th of March 1962, 801 squadron was reformed at Lossiemouth in the strike role with Buccaneers. In July 1962 they embarked on HMS Victorious (10 aircraft) for the Far East. The squadron subsequently received the 1967 Boyd Trophy, an annual award for the best squadron in the Fleet Air Arm, for its efforts in bringing the Buccaneer into service.

801 transferred to HMS Hermes (7 aircraft) in 1968 for a further spell in Eastern waters. In March 1969 the ship returned home to spend the next year in Home and Mediterranean waters. The squadron eventually disbanded at Lossiemouth on the 21st of July 1970.

In January 1981, the squadron re-equipped with the Sea Harrier FRS1 at RNAS Yeovilton.

Falklands War

The squadron operated eight Sea Harrier FRS.1s aboard HMS Invincible during the Falklands War under the command of Commander Nigel "Sharkey" Ward. The Squadron was supplemented by five pilots from 899 NAS.

801 NAS Pilots

• Lt Cdrs Nigel 'Sharkey' Ward (CO), Doug Hamilton
• Lts Charlie Cantan, Alan Curtis (KIA), Brian Haigh, Steve Thomas and Flt Lt Ian Mortimer

899 NAS Pilots

• Lt Cdrs Robin Kent, John Eyton-Jones (KIA) and Mike Broadwater.
• Flt Lt Paul Barton and Lt Mike Watson.

From an Air Combat perspective 801 Squadron were effective to the extent of shooting down eight Argentine Aircraft ^[2]

• 1 May 1982 - A Mirage III of FAA Grupo 8 shot down north of West Falkland using a Sidewinder, Argentine pilot ejected.

• 1 May 1982 - A Mirage III of FAA Grupo 8 damaged in same incident north of West Falkland using a Sidewinder. The Mirage was then shot down over Stanley by Argentine AA defences killing the pilot.

• 1 May 1982 - A Canberra B62 of FAA Grupo 2 was shot down north of Falklands using a Sidewinder. The Argentine pilots ejected but were not rescued.

• 21 May 1982 - A Pucara of FAA Grupo 3 was shot down near Darwin by Cmdr Sharky Ward RN in one of three Sea Harriers using 30mm cannon fire, the pilot ejected from the aircraft at about 40ft above the ground, he survived and walked back to Goose Green. ^{[3] [4]}

• 21 May 1982 - Three Dagger A's of FAA Grupo 6 were shot down north of Port Howard, West Falkland using Sidewinders, all three Argentine pilots successfully eject.

• 1 June 1982 - A C-130E Hercules of FAA Transport Grupo 1 was shot down 50 miles North of Pebble Island by Cmdr Sharky Ward RN using two AIM-9 Sidewinders and cannon. The crew of seven were killed.

Losses

801 NAS lost four aircraft and two pilots during the conflict. ^[5]

• 6 May 1982 - Two aircraft collided in bad weather while flying a night sortie south east of East Falkland, investigating a radar contact close to the Burt-Out Wreck of HMS Sheffield. Both Pilots were killed and no trace of either aircraft found.

• 29 May 1982 - A Sea Harrier was being made ready for take-off, and slid off the deck when HMS Invincible turned sharply into the wind. The pilot ejected, and was picked up.

• 1 June 1982 - One aircaft was shot down while on an armed recce by a Roland Surface-to-Air Missile(SAM) to the south of Port Stanley, by GADA 601. The pilot ejected and was rescued by a Sea King from 820 NAS after nine hours in the water.

Gallantry Awards

Cmdr N D Ward and Lt S R Thomas RN were each awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for their conduct and leadership throughout the campaign.

Decommissioning

On Tuesday 28 March 2006 a ceremony held at RNAS Yeovilton to mark the withdrawal from service of the Royal Navy’s Sea Harrier FA2s. The final Sea Harrier was withdrawn from service on 31 March 2006 at RNAS Yeovilton and the Squadron disbanded. Prior to decommissioning, all aircraft adopted the omega symbol on their tail-fin in recognition of 801 NAS being the last operators of an all-British fixed-wing fighter aircraft. This harks back to the use of this symbol by 892 Naval Air Squadron, whose McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1s were the last conventional fixed-wing aircraft used by the Fleet Air Arm.

801 NAS was due to recommission in March 2007, under the command of Cdr K Seymour RN, to operate the Harrier GR7 and GR9 from RAF Cottesmore. However due to lack of manpower all former 801 and 800 NAS (their sister Squadron) personnel have now formed a "Naval Strike Wing" within RAF Cottesmore, thus severing all remaining ties to their former home at RNAS Yeovilton.^[6]

Aircraft flown

During its LifeSpan 801 squadron has flown Nine different aircraft types, including

• BAE Sea Harrier
• Blackburn Buccaneer
• Sea Hurricanes
• Blackburn Skua
• Blackburn Roc
• Fairey Fulmar
• Sea Gladiator
• Hawker Nimrod
• Hawker Sea Fury

Notes and references

External links

• RAF Cottesmore entry on squadron
• Fleet Air Arm Archive
• SHAR swansong

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