After the outbreak of
war this torpedo spotter reconnaissance squadron of 9 Swordfish
sailed with HMS Ark Royal for the South Atlantic and thence the
Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
In April 1940 the
squadron carried out bombing attacks on Vaernes airfield, when the
ship was recalled for the defence of Norway, then with the Fall of
France attacked French battleships at Oran, and subsequently
attacked Cagliari and Dakar.
In November 1940 the
squadron attempted an attack on the Italian battleship Littorio off
Sardinia, and remained in the Mediterranean the rest of the year.
In May 1941 the squadron
was involved in the successful torpedo attack on the German
Battleship Bismarck which was subsequently sunk by the Fleet. In
June 1941 the squadron was involved in Malta convoys, returning on
HMS Victorious to Iceland in November, and to the Indian Ocean with
HMS Formidable in February 1942.
In April 1942 the
squadron participated in the Madagascar operations, and subsequently
the North African landings during which it sunk U-331 on 17
November, and remaining in the Mediterranean for the Sicily and
Salerno landings. The squadron disbanded in November 1943 at RNAS
Donibristle.
The squadron reformed in
January 1944 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent as a torpedo bomber
reconnaissance squadron with 12 Barracuda IIs, embarking in June on
HMS Indefatigable to take part in attacks on the German battleship
Tirpitz in Kaa Fjord, Alta, North Norway Norway (Operation Mascot 17
July 1944, and Operations Goodwood in August 1944).
In September 1944 it
re-equipped with 21 Avengers and embarked on HMS Indefatigable in
November for the Far East. At Ceylon the squadron joined No 2 Strike
Wing with 849 NAS, and took part in the attack on the oil refineries
at Palembang, Sumatra in January 1945. It subsequently was involved
in strikes on the Sakashima Gunto islands. In June 1945 the squadron
joined 7th Carrier Air Group, and was involved in strikes around
Tokyo just before VJ-Day. The ship and squadrons finally returned to
the UK in March 1946.
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