The squadron joined HMS Vindex on 24 June, bound for Australia, with the ship arriving at HMS Nabthorpe (the Mobile Naval Air Base at RAAF Station Schofields) 2 days before the war in the Far East ended.

It was initially equipped with Fairey Firefly I, a carrier-borne fighter, anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft.

These were replaced with the NF.Mk I night fighter variant during May,[1] which was fitted with radar in a centre-line container.

[4] Around the end of May / beginning of June the squadron was embarked in the Ruler-class escort carrier HMS Puncher for deck landing practice[2] and later it embarked in the Nairana-class escort carrier HMS Vindex for passage to Australia.

[2] It disembarked from the carrier on 28 March to RNAS Schofields remaining there for around one month, however, it was one of the last front-line units to depart the airbase along with 801 Naval Air Squadron when they both re-joined HMS Implacable for passage to the United Kingdom on 29 April.