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| Aviation Art Collecton - No.825 Sqn |
825 Squadron was formed 8th October 1934 as a reconnaissance squadron equipped with the Fairey IIIF. In July 1936, 825 re-equipped with the Fairey Swordfish Mk I bi-plane whilst on HMS Glorious. In May 1940, 825 disembarked to UK land bases, carrying out operations against U-Boats and E-Boats in the Calais area during Operation Dynamo - the Dunkirk evacuation. They joined HMS Furious in July, taking part in operations off Norway during September. In May 1941, 825 joined HMS Victorious and successfully located the German battleship Bismarck. Damage inflicted by the squadron enabled surface vessels to sink the battleship on 26th May. They transferred to HMS Ark Royal in June for Malta convoy protection duties. Following the sinking of HMS Ark Royal in November the squadron was reformed at Lee-on-Solent in January 1942. Six aircraft on detachment at RAF Manston attacked the German ships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen in the English Channel. No hits were made and all aircraft were lost. 825 was on convoy escort duty in the Arctic and Atlantic until its disbandment in April 1945. Since 1945, 825 has been reformed and disbanded several times. They reformed at RNAS Culdros in May 1982 seeing action in the Falkland Islands. 825 returned to the UK and was finally disbanded September 1982. Crews of the swordfish which attacked the Bismarck on May 24th, 1941 flown from HMS Victorious |
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| Aircraft for : No.825 Sqn FAA | ||
| A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by No.825 Sqn FAA. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
IIIF
Manufacturer : Fairey | IIIF Full profile not yet available. | |
Swordfish 
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.825 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. | |||
| Name | Info | ||
Lieutenant Leslie Bill Bailey RN Click the name above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Leslie Bill Bailey RN | Lieutenant Leslie Bill Bailey RN HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA Observer | ||
 CPO Donald Bunce CGM Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by CPO Donald Bunce CGM | CPO Donald Bunce CGM Joined FAA in January 1940 and trained as a Telegraphist Air Gunner (TAG). Don was drafted to 825 Squadron and then transferred to HMS Victorious at Scapa Flow, joining HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales. Torpedo attack on Bismarck same day as HMS Hood was sunk. His Squadron later transferred to HMS Ark Royal for Malta Convoys etc until she was torpedoed and sunk. The Squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent and sent to Manston, Kent where they prepared for the night attack on Scharnhorst, Gneisehau and Prinz Eugen. This turned into a daylight raid on 12th February 1942 and all the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors – four officers and CPO Bunce himself. From then on Don transferred to training squadrons. He was demobbed in January 1946. | ||
Rear Admiral Philip David Percy Glick CBE OBE DSC Click the name above to see prints signed by Rear Admiral Philip David Percy Glick CBE OBE DSC | Rear Admiral Philip David Percy Glick CBE OBE DSC HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA. Pilot F | ||
Commander Patrick Bernard Pat Jackson RN Click the name above to see prints signed by Commander Patrick Bernard Pat Jackson RN
| Commander Patrick Bernard Pat Jackson RN HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA. Pilot H. Born 25th May 1917, Pat Jackson became a Fleet Air Arm Pilot and on the 6th of August 1940 joined 825 Squadron onbaord HMS Furious until February 1941. He transferred to HMS Victorious where on the 24th of May 1941, Jackson along with his crew A/S-Lt. David Anthony Berrill, RN and LA F. G. Sparkes participated in the attack on the Bismarck in Swordfish 5H:V4337 along with another 8 Swordfish from 825 squadron. On the 5th of July 1941 Jackson transferred to 768 Squadron at HMS Condor (air station at Arbroath) and on the 15th of March 1942, Patrick Bernard Jackson became Commanding Officer of 768 Squadron. He moved to HMS Daedalus (RN air station at Lee-on-Solonet) in February 1943 and again transferred in March 1943 to HMS Saker (as part of the British Admiralty Delegation, Washington, DC) until March 1944. when he became Lieutenant Commander (Flying), HMS Searcher (escort carrier) until July 1945. Sadly Commander Patrick Bernard Jackson passed away on the 2nd of October 2004. | ||
  Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO
| Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO Joined the Royal Navy in May 1940, two days before his nineteenth birthday and after initial training began a flying course in Trinidad in September 1940. He qualified as Observer in April 1941 and was commissioned as Midshipman (A) RNVR. Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant (A) RNVR at the age of 20 in May 1941 and appointed to 825 Squadron in HMS Ark Royal in June 1941, flying operationally with 825 Squadron in Swordfish TBR until the Ark Royal was sunk in November 1941. Edgar returned to England and the squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent - again in Swordfish in late December 1941, still under the command of Lt Commander E Esmonde DSO, RM. He took part in the Channel attack on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on 12th February 1942. All the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors; Edgar and his pilot were rescued from a dingy by MTB. He joined the new 825 Squadron in March 1942 and flew in that squadron until July 1942, then sent for re-posting to RNAS St Merryn on Flying Control duties. At the end of February 1943, Edgar was seconded to 106 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, flying in Lancaster, under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, DSO DFC RAF. Six Naval Observers were seconded to 5 Group Bomber Command, three were lost and three returned to naval duties at the end of July 1943. Edgar was promoted to Lieutnant (A) RNVR in November 1943. Instructing in Canada, August 1943 to November 1944 and returned to England to qualify as a Signals Officer in August 1945. From Staff Signals Officer to Rear Admiral reserve Aircraft from September 1945 until demob in July 1947. Edgar rejoined the reserve in 1956 and was promoted to Lt Cdr RNR in November 1961 serving in most NATO and National exercises until 1981 and as Acting Commander RNR in exercises from 1969 until retirement at 60 in 1981. Sadly Lieutenant-Commander Edgar Lee died on October 29th, 2009, aged 88. Edgar Lee was the last surviving member of those gallant aircrew of 825 Squadron Fleet Air Arm that in February 1942 made the attack in Swordfish torpedo bombers on the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau accompanied by the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. | ||
Lieutenant Commander Peter Meadway Royal Navy Click the name above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Commander Peter Meadway Royal Navy
| Lieutenant Commander Peter Meadway Royal Navy Peter Meadway joined the Royal Navy in 1939, and was posted as Observer to 825 Squadron FAA flying Swordfish from HMS Furious. Transferring to 810 Squadron FAA on HMS Ark Royal he took part in the successful torpedo attacks on the German Battleship Bismarck on the night of 26th/27th May 1941, and was witness to her sinking the following day. Peter Meadway passed away on 2nd March 2006. | ||
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