Fairey Swordfish of 825 Squadron in aviation art print by M A Kinnear. 825 Squadron served on HMS Glorious, HMS Furious and HMS Victorious on reconnaissance duties and carried out attacks on German U-Boats. Whilst on Victorious, 825 squadron located and damaged the battleship Bismarck. Aviation art print of the Fairey Swordfish of Lieutenant Eugene Esmonde is available from Cranston Fine Arts.

Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear.  Fairey Swordfish Mk I W5984 H.  

Aircraft History: W5984 was built by Blackburn Aircraft Ltd at Sherburn-in-Elmet near Leeds and was delivered to 825 Squadron 1st January 1942. The aircraft was crewed by Lieutenant Commander E Esmonde DSO (Pilot), Lieutenant W H Williams (Observer) and Leading Airman W J Clinton (Telegraphist/ Air Gunner). Sadly on 12th February 1942, W5984 was shot down over the English Channel whilst leading Operation Fuller, the attack against the German ships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen. All three crew were killed.

Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde VC DSO: Born 1st March 1909 in Ireland, Esmonde joined the Royal Air Force in 1928 as a fighter pilot. He left the RAF in 1933 and joined Imperial Airways, flying passengers, mail and freight to Australia and the Far East. In January 1939 he was offered a commission in the Fleet Air Arm as a Lieutenant Commander of 825 squadron. On 23rd May 1941, Esmonde led his squadron on a search for the Bismarck. After locating the target, he led 825 into the attack. Flying through heavy anti-aircraft fire, one of 825's torpedoes hit the Bismarck amidships. For his courage and skill Esmonde was awarded the DSO. On 12th February 1942, 825 took off from RAF Manston to attack the German ships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen, in the English Channel. Despite heavy anti aircraft fire, and ferocious attacks by enemy fighters, the six Swordfish bravely pressed home their attack, but all 6 were shot down. Out of a total of 18 aircrew only five survived, four of whom were wounded. Esmonde's aircraft was seen crashing in flames into the sea. His body was later found washed ashore at the mouth of the River Medway, April 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. 

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.