847 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It operates AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 helicopters and provides armed reconnaissance and light transport support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. Along with 845 and 846 naval air squadrons, it forms part of the Commando Helicopter Force. The squadron was re-formed from 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron on 1 September 1995. The unit is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, a Royal Naval establishment, with helicopters drawn from an Army Air Corps pool and flown by Royal Marines and Royal Navy aircrews. Second World War 847 Naval Air Squadron was first formed at Lee-on-Solent on 1 June 1943, equipped with the Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber. After working up, the squadron deployed aboard the aircraft carrier in November 1943. Illustrious sailed for the Indian Ocean at the end of December, arriving at Colombo in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on 30 January 1944. On 19 April 1944, the squadron took part in Operation Cockpit, a raid by aircraft from Illustrious and the American carrier against Sabang. The squadron took part in a raid by Illustriouss air wing against Port Blair on 19 June, but disbanded at Trincomalee in Ceylon on 30 June, its personnel and aircraft being absorbed into 810 Naval Air Squadron. Post-war operations The squadron reformed at RNAS Eglinton, near Derry in Northern Ireland, on 17 March 1956, equipped with three Fairey Gannet A.S.1 anti-submarine aircraft. It deployed to Nicosia in Cyprus on 8 April, with the role of carrying patrols to stop ships smuggling arms to insurgents during the Cyprus Emergency. The squadron received newer Gannet A.S.4s in June 1958, but returned to the United Kingdom in November 1959 after the end of the Emergency, disbanding at RNAS Yeovilton on 1 December 1959. The squadron reformed again at RNAS Culdrose in the Commando (i.e. troop support) role, equipped with Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 helicopters. It was based at Sembawang in Singapore (known as HMS Simbang) from April 1964, briefly supplementing its Whirlwinds by a single Hiller Raven light helicopter in June, but disbanded on 2 December that year. The squadron reformed at Sembawang on 14 March 1969, being split off from 848 Naval Air Squadron and equipped with 10 Westland Wessex HU.5s helicopters. The squadron operated both from shore and aboard ship, with detachments flying from the amphibious assault ships and and the landing ship amongst others.