824 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON

Motto: - 'Spectat ubique spiritus - The wind everywhere looks on'

Role: - Aircrew and Maintainer Training Squadron for Merlin HM Mk 1

Base: - RNAS Culdrose

SQUADRON HISTORY

824 Naval Air Squadron first formed at Gosport in 1933 as a reconnaissance unit equipped with Fairey 111F5 seaplanes. During World War 2, the Squadron earned Battle Honours for the protection of Maltese Convoys and the Battle of Taranto, to name but two. Disbanded in 1946, 824 NAS reformed in the early 1950s in the Anti-Submarine role (ASW).

The Squadron first arrived at RNAS Culdrose in 1954 with the Gannet AS1. The Squadron’s first taste of helicopters came in 1958 when they reformed at Eglington in Northern Ireland with the Whirlwind for ASW duties. In 1963 the Squadron once again disbanded.

Reforming in 1970, the arrival of the Sea King HAS 1 saw development of the ASW role. Continuing with ASW, the squadron reformed in 2001 using the Merlin HM Mk 1 heliicopter.

PREVIOUS AIRCRAFT TYPES

Fairey 111F, Seal, Swordfish, Sea Hurricane, Wildcat, Barracuda, Firefly, Avenger, Gannet, Whirlwind, Sea King, Merlin

BATTLE HONOURS

Calabria 1940, Mediterranean 1940, Taranto 1940, Libya 1940-41, Malta Convoys 1942, Atlantic 1942, Arctic 1944, Falkland Islands 1982