Traces of World War 2 
FAA - No. 810 Squadron
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

Fleet Air Arm 810 SQUADRON - Bomber, Fairey Swordfish Mk. I

History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks



Formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating No's 463 and 44 (Fleet Torpedo) Flights equipped with 12 Darts. The following month the squadron embarked aboard HMS Courageous as part of the Home Fleet. Ripons replaced half of the Darts in September 1933 and the first Baffins arrived in July 1934. By November the squadron was wholly equipped with the Baffin. From August 1935 to February 1936, HMS Courageous and 810 Squadron moved to the Mediterranean during the Abyssinian crisis. Sharks replaced the Baffins in April 1937 and Swordfish were received the following September. The squadron transferred to HMS Ark Royal in October 1938, embarking in January. The Squadron was transferred to Admiralty control on 24 May 1939.

On the outbreak of war, the squadron was operating from HMS Ark Royal with 12 Swordfish on anti-submarine searches, unsuccessfully attacking a U-boat on 14 September 1939.

In April 1940, the ship and her squadrons took part in the defence of Norway, including bombing Vaernes aerodrome, then subsequently sailed with the ship to Gibraltar, and in July took part in operations against the French fleet at Oran when it made an abortive attack on the battleship Strasbourg, and later participated in an attack on the French battleship Dunkerque.

The squadron was involved in the sinking of the Bismarck and saw action in the Mediterranean and Salerno during the Second World War

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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 31/06/1940
Not all operations listed; those with losses are.

08/05/1940: Ark Royal crash. 1 Plane lost, 1 DOW
13/05/1940: ?, Norway. 1 Plane lost?
09/06/1940: reconnaisance. 1 Plane lost
18/06/1940: Evacuation De Gaulle family, France, 1 KIA

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08/05/1940: Ark Royal crash

A Swordfish aircraft of 810 Squadron from aircraftcarrier ARK ROYAL crashed into the sea on landing. S/Lt W. G. Adams, S/Lt H.E. H.Pain, Leading Airman H.G. Edwards were picked up by destroyer MAORI.

Type: Swordfish
Serial number: L2733, ?
Operation: reconnaisance
Lost: 08/05/1940
Sub-Lieutenant (A) Woodrow G. Adams, RN, H.M.S. Ark Royal, [810 Sqdn.], age 22, 05/10/1940, Liverpool (Anfield) Crematorium, UK

Adams died of injuries incurred in the crash. Edwards was injured, but not seriously.

Source: Naval History.net; World War 2 Day-by-Day

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13/05/1940: ?, Norway

A Swordfish of 810 Squadron from Ark Royal landed on a forzen lake near Reisenvann. S/Lt A. N. Dixon, Midshipman H.B. Dangerfield, Naval Airman V. Labross were unhurt. The plane was later taken to Harstad and returned to the UK in French steamer Albert Lebougne. A second Swordfish with Lt N. R. Corbet-Milward, Captain K. L. Ford, RM, Leading Airman J. Black force landed at Skaanland.

Source: Naval History.net; World War 2 Day-by-Day

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09/06/1940: reconnaisance

Type: Swordfish
Serial number: ?, ?
Operation: reconnaisance
Lost: 09/06/1940
S/Lt R. C. Eborn
Midshipman G. T. Shaddick
Leading Airman P. W. Clitheroe
Ditched in the sea after missing the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal on its return from a reconnaisance mission looking for German battlecruiser Scharnhorst. Crew was picked up by Norwegian fishery protection vessel Syrian and taken to Iceland.

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18/06/1940: Evacuation De Gaulle family

See: 10 Squadron RAAF, 18/06/1940
Corporal (W.E. Mech.) Bernard F. Nowell, RAF 565931, 810 Sqdn., age 25, 18/06/1940, Ploudaniel Churchyard, F


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This page is dedicated to the men of 810 Squadron.

© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if this source is mentioned with a link to http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html