After a brief spell hunting U-boats off the Belgian coast in the spring, the squadron joined HMS Illustrious, first in the Atlantic and then in the Mediterranean.

Swordfish Is from 819 took part in the successful attack on the Italians at Taranto on the night of November 11-12, 1940, inflicting heavy damage on targets ashore and in the harbour - the battleship Conte di Cavour was sunk.

In January 1941 Illustrious was attacked by German bombers off Malta, with several crew being killed and aircraft damaged. A number were in the air as the attack took place, and they flew to Fal Har where they were absorbed into 815 Squadron and 819 temporarily ceased to exist.

It reformed at Lee-on-the-Solent in October 1941, taking in Swordfish Mk in the following months. It was an aircraft from 819 NAS which carried out the first successful attack on a submarine using rocket projectiles, the victim being U-752.

By now on North Atlantic escort duties, the squadron took on Wildcat aircraft as well, though these were removed in April 1944 as the Swordfish element carried out night patrols in the North Sea under Coastal Command, latterly from Belgian airfields.

Returning to Bircham Newton in the UK in 1945, the squadron disbanded in March of that year, and was not resurrected for more than 16 years.

Now boasting Wessex HAS Is, the new 819 reformed at Eglinton in October 1961 by renumbering 719 Squadron, and began training in anti-submarine warfare in conjunction with the joint ASW school in Northern Ireland.

The squadron briefly disbanded at the beginning of 1971, but reformed within a few days, its obsolete Wessex helicopters having been replaced by Sea King Mk Is, and the unit moved to its final home at Prestwick in October the same year.

As well as supporting submarines from Faslane, and Search and Rescue work, Sea King flights were also provided for ships when required, predominantly RFAs and Type 22 frigates.

The squadron lists seven Battle Honours; Mediterranean (1940-41), Libya (1940), Taranto (1940), English Channel (1942), Atlantic (1943), Normandy (1944) and Arctic (1944).

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