The 7th CAG was assigned to the Implacable-class aircraft carrier, HMS Indefatigable for service in the British Pacific Fleet.

The coast of Japan was reached on 20 July and the air group aircraft began attacking targets near Osaka and in the Inland Sea, four days later.

Large external fuel tanks were now used by the CAG's Supermarine Seafire aircraft, therefore, were now no longer limited to combat air patrol due to restricted range.

[3] At the end of July, a combination of poor weather, refuelling, along with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, meant any air operations were paused until the 9 August.

The group was then attacked by a number of Mitsubishi A6M Zero aircraft, in the last British air combat of the war.

The target changed to a chemical factory at Odaki Bay, south of Tokyo, and the formation was attacked from behind by a number of Mitsubishi Zero aircraft.

Hockley's radio had failed, therefore, did not hear any warning call and as lead aircraft, was unable to see his formation break.

814 Naval Air Squadron was awarded the Boyd Trophy for its high standard of operational efficiency, night flying with the Fairey Firefly aircraft whilst deployed onboard Vengeance, in 1951.