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No.815 Sqn FAA - Squadron Profile.

No.815 Sqn FAA

Founded :
Country : UK
Fate :

Fleet Air Arm

No.815 Sqn FAA

Aircraft for : No.815 Sqn FAA
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by No.815 Sqn FAA. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Swordfish




Click the name above to see prints featuring Swordfish aircraft.

Manufacturer : Fairey
Number Built : 2399

Swordfish

Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance biplane, crewed by three, with a top speed of 154mph, reduced to 136mph as a float plane. Maximum ceiling 19,000 feet, reduced as a float plane. Armed with a .303 Vickers machine gun fixed forward and one in the rear cockpit. One 1610lb torpedo or up to 1500lb bomb load. At the outbreak of world war two the fleet air arm had 13 operational squadrons. The Fairey Swordfish has earned its place in history for major contributions to naval warfare, during the Norwegian campaign, and especially during the raid on Taranto. In November1940, twenty Swordfish took off from HMS Illustrious to attack the Italian fleet in their Harbour of Taranto. At Least nine torpedoes hit their targets. Seven Italian ships were badly damaged including the battleships, Caio Duillio, Littorio and Conte De Cavour. This was followed in February 1942, by a heroic but suicidal attack on German battlecruisers in the English Channel by six Swordfish of 825 squadron from RAF Manston. All aircraft and crews were lost. This resulted in a Victoria Cross for the leader Lieutenant Commander E Esmonde. The next major event was the torpedo attack on the Bismarck by Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal, which badly damaged the steering gear of the Bismarck which helped in the final destruction of the German battleship by Royal Navy battleships. The Fairey Swordfish was also used in anti-submarine and anti-shipping roles. The Swordfish sunk more enemy ships (by tonnage) than any other aircraft acting in the same role. By the end of the war the Fleet Air Arm still had nine active squadrons, but these were finally disbanded in May 1945. A total of 2399 Swordfish were built.
Signatures for : No.815 Sqn FAA
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
NameInfo

Richard Boas
Click the name above to see prints signed by Richard Boas		 Richard Boas

Captain Richard Boas joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1959 as an anti-submarine helicopter pilot, and on completion of training was posted to 815 Squadron, the first to be equipped with the Wessex HAS1, on Ark Royal. Subsequently served as an instructor at the Operational Flying Training School at Portland. On leaving the Service in 1964, joined BEA and flew as a co-pilot on the Heron, Viscount and BAC1-11 before gaining command back on the Viscount. Converted to the Trident and then, in 1985, was selected for Concorde as one of the first short haul pilots to be allowed to apply after the merger of BEA and BOAC to form British Airways. Appointment as a Training Captain followed soon afterwards, and retired from the Concorde fleet in 1996.



Vice-Admiral Sir Hugh Dick Janvrin KCB CB DSO Royal Navy
Click the name above to see prints signed by Vice-Admiral Sir Hugh Dick Janvrin KCB CB DSO Royal Navy

15 / 1 / 1993Died : 15 / 1 / 1993
 Vice-Admiral Sir Hugh Dick Janvrin KCB CB DSO Royal Navy

“Dick” Janvrin joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet in 1929, working his way up the service before joining the fleet Air Arm before the war. He became a qualified FAA Observer, flying Swordfish. He was in the front line of some of the most daring Swordfish missions, including the legendary attack at Taranto, where he flew as Observer with 815 Squadron on the lead Pathfinder aircraft. After the war “Dick” Janvrin commanded several warships, including HMS Broadsword, and the aircraft carrier HMS victorious. He died on 15th January 1993.



Commander Charles Lamb DSO DSC Royal Navy
Click the name above to see prints signed by Commander Charles Lamb DSO DSC Royal Navy

28 / 5 / 1981Died : 28 / 5 / 1981
 Commander Charles Lamb DSO DSC Royal Navy

Charles Lamb was born on 11 April 1914 in Bolton, Lancashire. He joined the merchant navy in 1930, and the Royal Naval Reserve in March 1933, serving aboard HMS Rodney, and competing on several occasions as a boxer. Commander Charles Lamb was to become a legend in the Royal Navy during World War II. He was one of the small bands of men who flew the slow cumbersome Swordfish bi-plane nicknamed ‘Stringbags’, all but declared obsolete before the war, but whose heroic actions changed the course of the war. Charles Lamb was the last to land on HMS Courageous before she was sunk in September 1939 and flew in the thick of the action, from mine-laying and U-boat hunting over northern Europe, harrying E-boats at Dunkirk, to being one of the two Swordfish Pathfinder pilots with 815 Squadron FAA at the Battle of Taranto.  He joined 842 Naval Air Squadron then 781 Naval Air Squadron before serving on the carriers HMS Implacable and HMS Indefatigable from 1944 - 1945. Sadly, Charles Lamb died 28th May 1981.



Captain Alan William Frank Sutton CBE DSC* RN
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Captain Alan William Frank Sutton CBE DSC* RN

6 / 11 / 2008Died : 6 / 11 / 2008
 Captain Alan William Frank Sutton CBE DSC* RN

Joined the navy as a Special Entry Cadet in 1930 and trained for one year in HMS Erebus, Devonport and then served in Battle Cruisers, Cruisers and Destroyers, before specialising as Naval Air Observer in 1937. He served in Swordfish Squadrons in Glorious and Illustrious and took part in the raid on Taranto, Italy on 11th November 1940 being in the leading aircraft of the last sub-flight of Torpedo attack aircraft, piloted by Lieut FMA Torrens- Spence. Their target was the fine modern battleship Littorio and Captain Sutton was awarded the DSC for this action. On 10th January 1941, Illustrious was badly damaged by German dive-bombers and went to the United States for repairs. Her aircrew remained ashore in Egypt and after a time Captain Sutton became the Senior Observer of 815 Squadron, operating from Greece against Italian shipping in the Adriatic in March and April 1941. The Germans invaded Greece in April 1941 and Alan was moved to Crete and served at the airfield at Maleme, Crete was in turn invaded by the Germans and Maleme was captured by airborne forces on 20th and 21st May when Alan found himself the Senior surviving officer from the airfield and formed a unit of Naval and RAF personnel who fought on the left flank of the New Zealand Brigade which was trying to retake the airfield. They were defeated and Alan escaped with a group of British, New Zealand and Australian personnel over the White Mountains to the south coast. Alan reached Sphakia where the defeated allied forces were being evacuated by the navy and became the beachmaster for the evacuation. He was awarded a Bar to the DSC he had received for Taranto for his actions in Crete. He was also twice mentioned in dispatches for operations in the Mediterranean in 1940/41. Subsequent to these operations in the Med, Alan was Staff Officer (Air) to the Admiral commanding the Eastern task force (Algiers) in operation Torch, the taking of Algeria and Morocco from the Vichy French in 1942. Then he was Air Staff Officer of the Escort Carrier Ravager in the Battle of the Atlantic, and finished the war in 1944/45 as an Acting Commander, being the operations officer of the Fleet Carrier, Implacable, operating against the Germans in Norway and against the Japanese in the Pacific. He was awarded nine months additional seniority for Meritorious War Service. Captain Sutton’s post war career was as Deputy Director of the joint Anti-submarine School (RN and RAF) Londonderry, 1947-49; Commanding Officer of the Frigate Bigbury Bay 1951-53, including a spell in the Antarctic and as guard ship in the Falkland Islands; Officer in Charge, Observer and Air Signal School, RNAS Culdrose 1954-56. He was promoted to Captain and became the Chief Staff Officer of the Aircraft Carrier Squadron 1956-58, including operation Musketeer, the action to retake the Suez Canal. He was Captain (Air) Mediterranean and Commanding Officer RNAS Halfar, Malta 1960-62 and finished his Naval career as Director of the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich 1962-65. He was Naval ADC to the Queen 1964. On retirement from the Navy Alan was awarded the CBE (Military) for Distinguished Service. He was a graduate of the Naval Staff College, Joint Services Staff College and Imperial Defence College. Sadly passed away November 6th 2008.


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