885 Naval Air Squadron

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History 

1. March 1941 885 NAS formed at Dekheila
1. May 1941 885 NAS disbanded at Dekheila
1. December 1941 885 NAS reformed at RNAS Yeovilton
15. November 1943 885 NAS disbanded at RNAS Lee-on-Solent
15. February 1944 885 NAS reformed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent
25. September 1945 885 NAS disbanded at Schofields, Australia
Planes:
  Mar 1941 - May 1941
Buffalo I
   
  Mar 1941 - May 1941
Sea Gladiator
 

 

   
  Dec 1941 - Aug 1942
Sea Hurricane Ib
 

 

   
  Sep 1942 - Oct 1942
Spitfire Va & Vb
 

 

   
  Dec 1941 - Aug 1942
Sea Hurricane Ib
 

 

   
  Aug 1942 - Nov 1943
Seafire L.III & F.III
 

 

   
  Feb 1944 - Nov 1944
Seafire L.IIc & L.III
 

 

   
  Oct 1944 - Sep 1945
Hellcat I & II
 

 

   
  Jun 1945 - Sep 1945
SCorsair II & IV
 

 

   
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885 NAS Deployments 
         
         
         
         
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885 NAS Commanding Officers 
Lt-Cdr J.N. Garnett, RN  Mar 1941 May 1941
Lt E. D. G. Lewin, RN  Dec 1941 Feb 1942
Lt-Cdr (A) R. H. P. Carver, DSC, RN Feb 1942 Nov 1943
Lt-Cdr (A) S. L. Devonald, RN Feb 1944 Nov 1944
Lt-Cdr (A) J. R. Routley, RNVR Nov 1944 Sep 1945

..

History 

1941
The squadron formed at Dekheila as a Fleet Fighter squadron in March 1941 with 6 Sea Gladiators and 3 Buffaloes.  The squadron embarked, 2 days after forming, on HMS Eagle, returning a week later to Dekheila. The squadron disbanded in May 1941.

1941 - 1943
In December 1941 the squadron was next officially reformed, at RNAS Yeovilton with 6 Sea Hurricane IBs for duties with HMS Charger, but instead after a period at Yeovilton, St Merryn, Sherburn-in-Elmet and Hutton Cranswick joined HMS Victorious from Hatston in June 1942 for Malta convoy duties.
The summer was spent at RNAS Lee-on-Solent and RAF Machrihanish from where the squadron, with Seafire Ibs and IICs, embarked on HMS Formidable in October 1942 to take part in fighter duties during the landings in North Africa, and further Mediterranean operations until October 1943, with shore bases of La Senia, Gibraltar, Tafaroui, Ta Kali, Dekheila, and Paestrum, disembarking at Lee-on-Solent where it disbanded in November 1943. One small detachment having spent September and October 1943 with HMS Unicorn.

1944 - 1945
In February 1944 the squadron reformed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent with 12 Seafire F.IIIs and L.IIIs, as part of the 3rd Naval Fighter Wing, moving to St Merryn, Henstridge and Dundonald.
In May 1944 the squadron moved back to RNAS Lee-on-Solent in preparation for D-Day. The squadron now equipped with 20 Seafire L,IIIs formed part of the Air Spotting Pool of No 34 Reconnaissance Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force, providing offensive sweeps and bombardment spotting duties, remaining at Lee-on-Solent until August 1944.
In December 1944, the squadron embarked on HMS Ruler for the British Pacific Fleet, having re-equipped with 24 Hellcat Is and IIs the previous month.
After providing fighter cover for the Fleet, the squadron disembarked at Ponam in June 1945, and the aircraft refitted with rocket projectiles. The squadron was due to join the new 12th Carrier Air Group, and embarked on HMS Indefatigable, but with VJ-Day the squadron disbanded at Schofields in September 1945.

- Has anyone more Informations about this Squadron -

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last update 1. Februay 2013

written 1. March 2011

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