845 Naval Air Squadron 845 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm . Part of the Commando Helicopter Force , it is a specialist amphibious unit operating the Westland Sea King HC4 helicopter and provides troop transport and load lifting support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines . In 2012 the squadron celebrated 50 years since it was awarded " commando " status . The squadron is based at HMS " Heron " , RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset . Role . The primary role of the squadron is in supporting Royal Marine Commando troops in amphibious assaults . History . Beginnings . 845NAS formed on 1 January 1943 as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron ( TBRS ) flying the new Grumman Avenger , designed as a much needed replacement for the ageing Fairy Swordfish . The squadron took part in its first active service by dive bombing an oil refinery at Syurabaya , Java , in May 1944 . For the following year the squadron saw action over Malaya , Ceylon , and Sumatra before being disbanded in 1945 . 845 reformed on 15 March 1955 at Gosport to be an Anti Submarine unit flying the newly proved Whirlwind HAS 22 ’ s where it saw service on several ships in the Mediterranean and Indonesia . Its job was to prove the new sonar technology and the navigational reliability of the Whirlwind . After returning to the UK the squadron disbanded briefly in October before being reformed on 14 November 1955 . In April 1956 the squadron deployed on HMS Ocean and HMS Theseus to partake in the fleet review and various training exercises . Much training was conducted with the Royal Marines in the vicinity of Malta and put them in great stead for the approaching Suez Crisis . Although politically a failure , militarily , and particularly for the Navy , the Suez episode was a huge success . 845 NAS were involved in landing 515 Marines and 89 tons of equipment in history ’ s ‘ first vertical assault ’ . Several aircraft were damaged from small arms fire with one ditching on the way back to HMS Theseus . Thankfully all survived . The lessons of the Suez Crisis were not lost on the Government which set about establishing amphibious forces capable of rapid deployment and response . The backbone of these forces would be helicopters operating from large ships designed for amphibious warfare . Having re - equipped with Whirlwind HAS 7 ’ s the squadron joined HMS Bulwark for a commission in the Middle and Far East in late 1957 . During this time the squadron was involved in various exercises and troop moves as a result of the deteriorating situation in Aden . Shortly after this the squadron was heavily involved in a salvage operation when two ships collided and caught fire in the Persian Gulf . A fire party was boarded and the wounded evacuated in 845NAS helicopters . For its part in this long and difficult operation the squadron was awarded the Boyd Trophy for the Navy ’ s most outstanding piece of aviation in the year . During the 1950s 845 NAS was the only squadron to operate as a front line ASW unit and was responsible for developing most of the doctrine used by today ’ s ASW squadrons . After disbanding yet again in mid - 1959 the squadron was reformed on 10 April 1962 as a Commando Helicopter Squadron with Wessex HAS 1 ’ s . It was the first commando squadron to have these helicopters . While embarked aboard HMS Albion later that year , the ship was ordered to make best speed for Singapore to help quell the rebellion in Brunei and the subsequent Indonesian inspired insurrection . Troops were landed in Borneo and the squadron was immediately committed to supporting British Forces ashore . They alone facilitated troops in being able to patrol vast areas of the Jungle while operating from the most basic of clearings . In 1964 the squadron won the Boyd Trophy for a second time as a result of this operation , and the nickname ‘ Junglies ’ was born . After being relieved in 1965 by 848 Squadron , 845 returned to Culdrose to re - equip with the new twin - turbine Wessex HU 5 . B Flight of 845 returned to Borneo in June 1966 and were the last Junglies . HMS Bulwark embarked B Flight in October 1966 in Labuan . After a few quiet years involving exercise all round the globe and the inclusion of Lieutenant The Prince Of Wales on Red Dragon flight , the Ministry of Defence announced that a permanent presence was to be established in Northern Ireland which resulted in a 6 weeks rolling roulement for all commando aircrew . 845NAS established a hard earned reputation for trying its utmost to help the troops in all weathers . Its aircraft were some of the first to render help to the mortar devastated Forkhill Special Forces base . In one month alone the Squadron flew 80 % of all support helicopter task hours with just one third of the available assets . Falklands . The 2 April 1982 brought the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands which resulted in all crews being recalled from Ireland on 4 May to be on 24 hrs notice . Others had already departed to the South Atlantic with the rest of the task force . After initially being tasked with resupplying the convoy while passing the Ascension Islands the squadron inserted SAS troops into South Georgia which preceded its recapture . The squadron continued to assist ground troops during the war before the white flag was eventually raised over Port Stanley . 20th Century and Beyond . After the Falklands War , 845 NAS caught up with its sister squadron 846 in being equipped with the Sea King HC4 helicopter . Since then 845 NAS has trained hard to be the UK ’ s main contingency force capable of operating around the world . 1990 brought Operation Granby which saw a force normally used to operating in arctic conditions , deployed to the Arabian deserts of the Gulf . Consequently , the squadron was heavily involved in Gulf War 1 , before returning to the UK and re - establishing a presence in Northern Ireland between 1992 and 2002 . The 1990s also saw 845NAS deploy on operations in Bosnia during the Yugoslav Wars . It supported UNPROFOR and NATO peacekeeping missions in the country , providing transportation and evacuating refugees and casualties . The first British helicopter squadron into Bosnia , 845NAS was also the last squadron to leave in 2005 . During the same period 845 NAS also met commitments in Sierra Leone , and in 2003 took the first troops into Iraq during the assault on the Al - Faw Peninsula . Having left Iraq in 2007 , the squadron then deployed to Afghanistan where they have been operating in Helmand Province and primarily based at Camp Bastion . In October 2011 they returned from Afghanistan to their base in Somerset . Back in the UK , the squadron provides aviation support to infantry training , and takes part in numerous amphibious exercises thereby ensuring the UK is able to effectively operate in the littoral environment and so is prepared for any contingency . This was showed in 2011 during Operation Ellamy in and around Libya . It is stated that it is one of the FAA squadrons for the Response Force Task Group . The Future . 845 NAS will convert to Merlin helicopters being transferred from service with the RAF over the coming years . The process starts with 846 NAS converting onto the Merlin from 2012 . Notable Officers . HRH Charles , Prince of Wales served in the squadron in the 1970s .