855 Naval Air Squadron


855 Naval Air Squadron, also referred to as 855 Squadron, was a Fleet Air Arm naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. It operated Grumman Avenger Mk.II aircraft during 1944.
A brief history began in February 1944, when this Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance squadron was established at Naval Air Station Squantum, United States. They boarded HMS Queen in June to head to the UK. After arriving at RAF Hawkinge, the squadron was quickly assigned to 157 Wing, RAF Coastal Command, and supported the Normandy landings. The squadron was disbanded in October 1944, at HMS Landrail, RNAS Machrihanish.

History

Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance squadron (1944)

The squadron was officially established on 1 February 1944 at RN Air Section Squantum, which was situated at Naval Air Station Squantum, Quincy, Massachusetts, designated as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance unit, equipped with twelve Grumman Avenger Mk.II torpedo bomber aircraft, which later embarked aboard the,.
The aircraft were disembarked at Greenock, Scotland and subsequently transported to RAF Hawkinge, Kent, England. For the following three months, the squadron operated under RAF Coastal Command, within 157 Wing, engaging in anti-shipping patrols that included operations along the coasts of occupied France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Following the successful consolidation of the Normandy invasion, the services of the squadron were deemed unnecessary, leading to its disbandment on 21 October, at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) in Scotland.

Aircraft flown

855 Naval Air Squadron flew only one aircraft type:

Battle honours

The following Battle Honours have been awarded to 855 Naval Air Squadron:

Naval air stations / Royal Air Force stations

855 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy and a number of Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom:

Commanding officers

List of commanding officers of 855 Naval Air Squadron: