835 Naval Air Squadron
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| 835 Naval Air Squadron | |
|---|---|
| two wing-hilted swords in front of waves in a circle of rope Semper miseri sumus |
|
| Active | 1942-1945 |
| Country | UK |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Carrier based squadron |
| Role | torpedo bomber |
| Garrison/HQ | various |
| Anniversaries | none |
| Battles/wars | Atlantic 1943-44, Arctic 1944-45. |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
L/C M Johnstone DSC RN, L/C(A) J R Godley RNVR |
835 Naval Air Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm formed originally as a Fairey Swordfish I unit on 15 February 1942. In June 1943, six Sea Hurricanes were added as a fighter flight.
The squadron soon became a composite unit attached to the escort carrier HMS Nairana, and on 9 January 1945 Lt-Commander John Godley RNVR, who had previously been in command of 'P' Flight of 836 Naval Air Squadron, became commander of the squadron. At this time the squadron was flying the Swordfish (14 aircraft) and the Grumman Wildcat (6 aircraft of the Mark VI variety).
The squadron carried out two anti-shipping strikes off the coast of Norway before being disbanded on March 31 1945, with its aircraft transferring to 821 Naval Air Squadron. Godley transferred to command 714 Naval Air Squadron.
[edit] See also
Lieutenant-Commander John Godley served as Squadron C.O for one Murmansk Convoy in February 1945. Before that the Squadron was superbly led by Lieutenant-Commander Val Jones, a Swordfish Observer. The Senior Pilot of the squadron was Lieutenant Allen Burgham, DSC, MiD, who flew Hurricane IIcs, and later Wildcat VIs, and was Flight Commander of the Fighter Component.
835 Squadron flew off HMS Nairana for many months in 1944 and early 1945, and saw combat on the Gibralter Run and on the Murmansk Convoys where it faced the most dangerous flying conditions of the war. It also served with a successful submarine Hunter Killer Group in the North Atlantic under the overall command of Captain Frederick Walker and on coastal shipping raids along the Norwegian coast.
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