1835 (1) July 1943 - November 1943

Formation and work-up

No. 1835 Squadron personnel assembled at the Fleet Air Arm transit camp Townhill, Dunfermline on July 1st 1943 for passage to the USA. It officially formed at US Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode island, on August 15th as a single seater fighter squadron, Lt. Cdr (A) M.S. Godson RN in command. Initial equipment was 10 Corsair Mk.I. After familiarisation with the aircraft and equipment the squadron began training in earnest to prepare for active service.
 

After familiarisation, flying training included navigation exercises, low flying, formation flying and combat tactics, Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landing (ADDL) training and night flying. The first recorded flying incident occurred on August 25th when Sub-Lt I. A. M. Williamson RNZNVR in Corsair JT172 ('5P') suffered brake failure while taxying and swung into JT150 ('SF') which was parked.
 

The personnel of  1835 Squadron pose with one of their Corsairs at USNAS Brunswick. C. October 1943. Click on image to see larger version

 

The squadron moved to US Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine on August 30th to continue working up. There were 5 more incidents involving taxying, take-off, and landing during the months of October and November; Sub-Lt E. H. S. Wright RNZNVR put JT147 onto its nose after braking to avoid an aircraft which crossed his path while landing at Brunswick on October 7th, the following day Sub-Lt Williamson had his second accident when he inadvertently retracted the undercarriage of JTI45 ('SA') on landing. The same pilot was involved in a collision with another aircraft on October 11th after his aircraft JT172 ('5P') Swung on its take-off run and hit JT170 parked off the runway. In November the squadron was focusing on ADDLs; Sub-Lt P. A. Swift RNVR swerved off the runway onto the grass on take-off in JT142 ('5L') on the 5th and Sub-Lt D. J. Sheppard RCNVR in JT170 stalled on approach to make an ADDL, he recovered and went around a second time to make a normal landing on the 11th. During a live air firing exercise on October 19th the squadron CO, Lt. Cdr Godson was involved in a collision with an unidentified object which nearly tor off his port aileron, he managed to make a safe landing. At the end of October the squadron received the improved Corsair Mk.II.

Corsair Mk.I JT172 of  1835 Squadron, flies over the New England landscape.. C. August 1943.

On completion of their ADDL sessions in mid- November the squadron pilots flew out to the training carrier USS CHARGER operating off the Maine coast to make their required number of landings to qualify as certified for carrier deck landing. Only one pilot is recorded as having a deck crash; on the November 22nd Sub-Lt D. T. Chute in JT275 ("5A") went over port aide into the sea, he was rescued with minor injuries.
 

During October the squadron had re-equipped with Corsair Mk. IIs, with which it was to have become part of the 47th Naval Fighter Wing along with 1834 and 1836 squadrons. However revised planning saw the squadron being disbanded on November 23rd 1943 to form the basis of the new 732 Squadron Corsair Operational Training Unit at Brunswick.
 

1835 (2) December 1944 - September 1945
 

Formation and work-up

No. 835 Squadron re-formed at US Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine on December 1st 1944, again as a single seater fighter squadron, Lt. Cdr (A) T.J.A. King-Joyce RN in command. The squadron was issued with 18 Corsair Iv.
 

After familiarisation, flying training included navigation exercises, low flying, formation flying and combat tactics, Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landing (ADDL) training and night flying. Training progressed well with only two flying incidents recorded; Sub-Lt S. W. Dooley RNVR hit a treetop on recovery from an inadvertent spin in Corsair KD785 on January 22nd, he landed safely. On March 4th Sub-Lt C. W. Thomas RNVR flying in KD765 dropped his starboard wing on landing and the tip struck the ground.

On completion of their work-up in the US the squadron personnel departed from USNAS Brunswick on March 20th 1945 leaving their aircraft behind. It is believed that they travelled by train to New York for passage across the Atlantic, possibly as passengers in Convoy CU.63 which sailed from New York march 23rd and arrived Liverpool on April 3rd.
 

Corsair Mk.IV ('1V11') of  1835 Squadron, during a DLT session. Probably on the USS CHARGER date unknown.

Training in the UK

The squadron personnel disembarked in the UK on April 4th, and regrouped at RNAS Eglinton, Northern Ireland on the 21st where 18 new Corsair IIIs were received. Training resumed at Eglinton including more ADDL sessions (it is unclear whether any of the squadron pilots received any DLT sessions while at USNAS Brunswick). In June the squadron discarded the Corsair IIIs when 21 Corsair IVs were issued prior to a move to RNAS Belfast on June 29th (the discarded aircraft were issued to 1837 squadron which was to reform at Eglinton on July 1st).

During the period at RNAS Eglinton there were two landing incidents; on May 29th Sub-Lt W. G. Goodeve RNVR made a heavy landing in JS839 and on June 22nd Sub-Lt F. P. N. Lake RNVR crashed landing in Corsair IV KD296, he was conducting a night ADDL session and stalled over the runway, the starboard wing hit the ground and the aircraft pitched onto its nose and port wing tip and kidded off the runway still on its on nose.

Three weeks after arriving at RNAS Belfast the squadron embarked in the escort carrier HMS PREMIER on July 25th for a week of intensive DLT. During the first day of training Sub-Lt R. S. O.  Pryka RNVR in KD217 ('G’) drifted port on landing and his port wing hit the Deck Landing Control Officer's screen. On the second day Sub-Lt I. D. Keith RNVR in KD450 ('N'), bounced into the barrier. Sub-Lt F. P. N. Lake RNVR in KD280 ('B') caught No.4 wire landing and the prop pecked the flight dock on August 1s, on the same day Sub-Lt S. W. Dedcy RNVR was in the cockpit of KD512 ('P') on the flight deck wait to be called forward to launch when a chock was removed early, the brakes were off so the aircraft slewed to port and the port wing tip hit the prop of another aircraft on deck. The squadron disembarked to RNAS Belfast on August 2nd.

Disbanded

When the surrender of the Japanese was announced on August 15th the future of the squadron was uncertain and under review. They moved again on August 23rd to RNAS Nutts Corner where it was to disband on September 3rd 1945.
 

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Content revised: 26 September 2021

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