808 Squadron RAN

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 808 Squadron RAN


caption=
start_date= 1940-45; 1950-58
country= Australia
allegiance=
branch= Royal Australian Navy
type=
role=
size= 6,200 personnel
200 aircraft
command_structure= Royal Australian Navy
garrison= Jervis Bay
garrison_label=
equipment=
equipment_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War II
Korean War
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=Battle of Britain
current_commander=
current_commander_label=
ceremonial_chief=HRH
ceremonial_chief_label=Commodore-in-Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label= Roundels
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=
aircraft_attack= Supermarine Seafire
Hawker Sea Fury Mk II
aircraft_bomber=
aircraft_Airborne Early Warning=
aircraft_fighter=
aircraft_interceptor=
aircraft_recon=
aircraft_patrol=
aircraft_trainer=
aircraft_transport=

808 Squadron was a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron, initially a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron formed as 808 Naval Air Squadron during World War II as a naval fighter attack squadron. It was disbanded at then end of the war, only to be reformed as a carrier based attack squadron in 1950 and transferred to the Australian Fleet Air Arm. It served during the Korean War, and disbanded again in 1958.

History

Royal Navy

808 Squadron was first formed as a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm fighter squadron in June 1940, before being merged with 807 Naval Air Squadron, and was one of two Royal Navy Squadrons that took part in the Battle of Britain, the other being 804 Naval Air Squadron. 808 Squadron was also involved in the providing ground-attack support for the D-Day landings.

Towards the end of the war the squadron was re-deployed to the East Indies, where they remained until the end of the war.

The Squadron operated Supermarine Seafire in a strike attack combat role.

Royal Australian Navy

808 Squadron was reformed in 1950 in Cornwall, under the command of Lieutenant Commander John Appleby, RN,however this time as a Royal Australian Navy squadron, deployed to serve aboard the aircraft carrier HMAS "Sydney". They were immediately dispatched to the Korea War. 808 Squadron arrived in Korea on 31 August 1951, and immediately joined carriers of the Royal Navy and United States Navy as part of Taskforce 95 which was a United Nations blockade and escort force.

808 Squadron's tour of Korea primarily consisted of Combat Air patrols, ground attack support, armed reconnaissance and anti-shipping strikes.

Aircraft

World War II

*Fairey Fulmar
*Supermarine Seafire (Strike)
*F6F Hellcat Mk I and II

Korean War

*Hawker Sea Fury Mk II
*de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.53

Commanding Officers

*25/04/1950 Lieutenant Commander J.L. Appleby, RN
*20/07/1952 Lieutenant Commander J.H.G. Cavanagh
*18/05/1953 Lieutenant Commander C.A. Beange, DSC
*26/05/1954 Lieutenant Commander R.G. Owen, RN
*10/08/1955 Lieutenant Commander G.McC. Jude
*04/11/1956 Lieutenant Commander P.W. Seed
*10/01/1957 Lieutenant Commander A.G. Cordell
*05/08/1957 Lieutenant Commander G. Kable
*07/03/1958 Lieutenant Commander G.J.G. Hanchard-Goodwin

References

ources

[http://www.navy.gov.au/808_Squadron 808 Squadron Official Website]