891 Naval Air Squadron was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm during World War II. The unit was equipped with Hellcat IIs, operating in the Pacific as night fighters.
In August 1942 the squadron transferred from RNAS Lee-on-Solent where it had been formed to RNAS Charlton Horethorne with six Sea Hurricanes to prepare for carrier operations, later transferring to RNAS St Merryn and then embarking on HMS Dasher to take part in Operation Torch.[1]
On 8 November 1954 891NAS recommissioned with De Havilland Sea Venom FAW 20s under the command of Lt Cmdr M. A. Birrell DSC. The sqn initially equipped with two Sea Venoms and four Sea Vampire T22s, then on 1 March 1955 the sqn formed an 'X' flight commanded by Lt Cmdr G. M. Jude Royal Australian Navy to train RAN crews in preparation for the formation of 808RAN Squadron in August 1955. 891 replaced its MK 20 Sea Venoms with MK 21s in June 1955, then in April 1956 the sqn disbanded, only to reform in December 1957 under the command of Lt Cmdr J. F. Blunden at RNAS Merryfield with Sea Venom FAW MK 22s. 891 was the last Sea Venom sqn to see active service when operating from HMS Centaur it became involved in operation 'Damen', carrying out rocket attacks against Yemeni rebel infiltrations in Aden. 891NAS disbanded as the last frontline Sea Venom sqn in July 1961.
References[]
- ↑ Berryman, David (2006). Somerset airfields in the Second World War. Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 26–33. ISBN 1-85306-864-0.
Jackson, Robert "The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft" Parragon Books, Ltd. 2006 ISBN 1-4054-2465-6 Williams, Robert "Royal Navy Aircraft since 1945", Naval Institute Press, 1989 ISBN 0-87021-996-0
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The original article can be found at 891 Naval Air Squadron and the edit history here.