852 Naval Air Squadron (852 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN).^[1] It was established at Squantum, Massachusetts, in November 1943, as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance with Grumman Avenger Mk.I. In February 1944, the squadron traveled across the USA to California, before embarking in HMS Nabob. After training and adding a flight of four Grumman Wildcat Mk V, the squadron re-embarked for anti-shipping missions and mine-laying off the coast of Norway. The carrier was hit by a torpedo but managed to return to Scapa Flow in August. 852 Naval Air Squadron then moved to HMS Trumpeter, where the fighter flight upgraded to Grumman Wildcat Mk VI, but the squadron was disbanded in October.

The squadron was officially established on 1 November 1943 at RN Air Section Squantum, which was situated at Naval Air Station Squantum, Quincy, Massachusetts, designated as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance unit, equipped with twelve Grumman Avenger Mk.I torpedo bomber aircraft.^[2]

In February 1944, the squadron traveled across the United States to California, making overnight stops in Virginia, Arkansas, and Texas, before boarding the Ruler-class escort carrier, HMS Nabob.^[3]

The squadron arrived at RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail), Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on 6 April. In May 1944, a contingent of four Grumman Wildcat Mk V fighter aircraft was incorporated into the squadron, which subsequently re-embarked to conduct mine-laying operations and anti-shipping missions in the waters off Norway.^[4]

On 22 August, the vessel was struck by a torpedo from the German submarine U-354; nevertheless, it was able to return to Scapa Flow, arriving on 27 August.^[3] The squadron was reassigned to the Ruler-class escort channel, HMS Trumpeter, on 9 October. The fighter unit underwent re-equipment with Grumman Wildcat Mk VIs. However, on 17 October the squadron was disbanded.^[5]

A proposal to reform the squadron for deployment in the East Indies Fleet in July 1945 ultimately did not come to fruition.^[3]

The squadron has flown a couple of different aircraft types:^[3]

• Grumman Avenger Mk.I torpedo bomber (November 1943 - October 1944)
• Grumman Wildcat Mk V fighter aircraft (May - September 1944)
• Grumman Wildcat Mk VI fighter aircraft (September - October 1944)

The following Battle Honours have been awarded to 852 Naval Air Squadron:

• Norway 1944^[6]

852 Naval Air Squadron operated from a number of naval air stations of the Royal Navy, in the UK and also a number of Royal Navy escort carriers and other airbases overseas:^[3]

• RN Air Section Squantum (1 November 1943 - 2 February 1944)
• transit (2 - 10 February 1944)
• Naval Air Station Alameda (10 - 12 February 1944)
• HMS Nabob (12 February - 6 April 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (6 April - 8 May 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Maydown (HMS Shrike) (8 - 20 May 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (20 May - 29 June 1944)
• HMS Nabob (29 June - 8 July 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Abbotsinch (HMS Sanderling) (8 - 12 July 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish (HMS Landrail) (12 - 14 July 1944)
• HMS Nabob (14 July - 30 August 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (30 August - 10 September 1944)
• HMS Trumpeter (10 - 13 September 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (13 - 23 September 1944)
• HMS Trumpeter (23 September - 7 October 1944)
  • HMS Fencer (Detachment four aircraft 27 September - 7 October 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (7 - 10 October 1944)
  • HMS Trumpeter (Detachment three aircraft 12 - 17 October 1944)
• HMS Fencer (10 - 16 October 1944)
• Royal Naval Air Station Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) (16 - 17 October 1944)
• disbanded - (17 October 1944)

List of commanding officers of 852 Naval Air Squadron, with date of appointment:^[5]

• Lieutenant Commander(A) R.E. Bradshaw, DSC & Bar, RN, from 1 November 1943
• disbanded - 17 October 1944

• Ballance, Theo; Howard, Lee; Sturtivant, Ray (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air Britain Historians Limited. ISBN 978-0-85130-489-2.
• Wragg, David (2019). The Fleet Air Arm Handbook 1939-1945. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-9303-6.