836 Naval Air Squadron 836 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Navy ' s Fleet Air Arm . History . 836 Naval Air Squadron officially formed for the first time at Palisadoes , Jamaica in March 1942 as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron flying the Fairey Swordfish . It operated from HMS Buzzard at Palisadoes , Jamaica in spring 1942 and it subsequently embarked on HMS Biter in June 1942 for the UK , where it joined RAF Coastal Command in January 1943 for operations in the English Channel from RAF Thorney Island . 836 returned aboard the Woolworth - class carrier HMS Biter to be re - formed to provide personnel and aircraft for the MAC ships , 836 was later based at Maydown , known as HMS Shrike , in Northern Ireland , not far from Lough Foyle , and commanded by Lieutenant - Commander Ransford Slater . He took command in July 1942 and worked up the squadron at Thorney Island until March 1943 when it was based at Machrihanish . Under L / C Slater . Slater had personally led the squadron ' s ' A ' flight in the first attachment to MV " Empire MacAlpine " in April 1943 and he was the only regular Royal Navy officer in the unit , all others being wartime RNVR . Slater had recognised from the outset that successful operations required the aircrew and ships crew to work together as a team . That was going to be a problem since traditionally the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy disagree on just about everything . " During the weeks of training , Slater was in his element . His leadership was evident in every aspect . His skill in unlocking the secrets of how to land on a floating postage - stamp were passed on to his pilots , while , at the same time , he made the team feel that their contribution to the success of the enterprise was vital . . " One thing he arranged was that the air party on the ships signed ships articles and hence placed themselves under the orders of the Ship ' s Master . For this they were supposed to receive one shilling per month and a bottle of beer per day . They got the beer - seven bottles every Sunday . It also entitled them to wear the small silver ' MN ' lapel badge on their uniforms , which caused not a little upset with more traditional senior RN officers . Another of Slater ' s rules for the squadron was that flight commanders must have completed a full round trip under another flight commander before being eligible to take over . The squadron operated the Fairey Swordfish Mark II and they were painted all white ( apparently the best camouflage for daylight flight over water ) . Some flights got carried away and replaced the " Royal Navy " legend on the rear fuselage with " Merchant Navy " - to the consternation of some observers . With a flight for each of 19 ships , plus a few spare flights for training and relief , the squadron eventually grew to a strength of 91 aircraft , certainly a Fleet Air Arm record and probably a world one . Slater was awarded the military OBE for his efforts , particularly for landing on a MAC ship carrying 2 depth - charges after his arrester hook had been torn away . He was killed by flying into powerlines near Derry on 28 June 1944 . Some of the crews and aircraft were lent to 816 Naval Air Squadron during the middle of 1944 . 816 NAS were based at Perranporth Airfield and carried out anti - submarine patrols under the control of Coastal Command . The loan was due to the expected increase of U - Boat activity in the Channel area as a result of the D - Day landings . After VE - Day , 836 squadron was disbanded in July 1945 .