802 Naval Air Squadron

The 802 Naval Air Squadron was a unit of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.

World War II

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the 802 Squadron was stationed aboard the aircraft carrier Glorious. The equipment included twelve aircraft of type Gloster Sea Gladiator. The aircraft carrier was moved from the Mediterranean to the coast of Norway. After the Glorious was sunk by the battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst on June 8 1940 heard the first unit to exist.

On November 21, 1941, the 802 Squadron was erected from parts of the 804th Squadron again and equipped with Grumman Martlets Mk. In July 1941, the unit was embarked with six aircraft, led by Lt Cdr John Wintour on the escort carrier Audacity Empire. The unit was again lost when the Empire Audacity was sunk on 21 December 1941 by U 751 on 21 December 1941.

In February 1942, the unit was set up with Hawker Sea Hurricanes Mk Ib again and moved to the escort carrier Avenger to accompany the Nordmeergeleitzug PQ 18. After a participation in the invasion of North Africa, the Avenger was sunk on the return trip to the UK on 15 November 1942 by U 155.

In May 1945 the unit was again drawn with 24 Supermarine SEAFIRES L.III.