Dread Squadron / DRSQ

817 Squadron has its origins in the Royal Navy (RN) where it was commissioned as a torpedo/reconnaissance squadron at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Crail, Scotland on 15 March 1941. The Squadron served in Norway, Biscay, North Africa and Sicily primarily as a patrol unit for anti-submarine operations but was also used for torpedo and bombing missions against enemy ports and shipping. The Squadron disbanded on 23 August 1945.

817 Squadron recommissioned as a Royal Australian Naval Air Squadron at RNAS St Merryn, Cornwall on 25 April 1950. Equipped with Fairey Firefly AS.6 aircraft and commanded by Lieutenant Commander Ronald Lunberg, RN, 817 Squadron formed part of the 21st Carrier Air Group (CAG) along with 808 Squadron. The CAG embarked in the aircraft carrier, HMAS Sydney (III) in October and disembarked at Jervis Bay in December.

21st CAG began carrier qualifications aboard Sydney in April 1951. On 14 May, 817 Squadron were advised that they, along with 805 and 808 Squadrons, would form part of a new Sydney Carrier Air Group under the command of Commander (later Vice Admiral Sir) Mike Fell, RN, and deploy to Korea later that year. New pilots, many straight out of training, hurriedly converted to local operating procedures and the squadron’s aircraft, Firefly AS.6s, had to be replaced temporarily with AS.5 aircraft borrowed from 816 Squadron and the Royal Navy. The reason for this was that the AS.6 model Firefly did not have any guns whereas the AS.5 did. The AS.5’s guns were considered necessary for the types of operations that the Fireflies would be undertaking in Korea, a consideration which was subsequently proven to be correct. 817 Squadron departed for Korea aboard Sydney on 31 August 1951. Sydney arrived in Japan on 19 September and prepared for a handover from HMS Glory. The aircraft of the Sydney CAG now bore black and white markings signifying that they were on operations with the United Nations (UN).

And now its 2950. And we are back from the past.

- Dread Squadron