Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance squadron (1943-1945)
851 Naval Air Squadron convened at (RNAE) Townhill (HMS Waxwing), Fife, starting on 1 September 1943, in preparation for their journey to the USA on the RMS Queen Mary, which departed on 10 September, to officially establish themselves at Squantum, Massachusetts. The Squadron was established in the United States on 1 October at the US Naval Air Station Squantum in Massachusetts, which had been loaned to the Admiralty from September and know as Royal Naval Air Station Squantum, [2] [3] under the leadership of Lieutenant Commander(A)(P) A.M. Tuke, DSC , RN.
The Commanding Officer and ground personnel were from the UK, pilots from 738 Pilot Training Squadron based at RNAS Lewiston, Maine, Observers from RNAS Piarco, Trinidad and Telegragphist Air Gunners (TAGs) from Canada. The squadron was equipped with twelve Tarpon Mk I aircraft designated for Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance operations. [5] The Grumman Avengers delivered to the FAA were provided under Lend-Lease agreements, commencing in 1943. Until January 1944, the British designation Tarpon was employed. The Tarpon Mk I (subsequently referred to as the Avenger Mk I) functioned as the British equivalent of the US Navy TBF-1.
Following familiarisation with the aircraft and equipment, the squadron commenced rigorous training to prepare for active duty. The twelve-week work-up period encompassed various facets of the operations of torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadrons, which included navigation drills, low-altitude flying, formation flying, and combat strategies, as well as techniques for torpedo and depth charge attacks. On 14 December, the squadron departed for the US Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, to engage in a brief period of deck landing training (DLT), operating with the training carrier USS Charger in Chesapeake Bay. Upon completion on 16, they returned to RNAS Squantum. [5]
Indian Ocean
In January 1944, after traversing the United States to reach California with overnight stops in Virginia, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Arizona, the squadron boarded the Ruler-class escort carrier, HMS Shah, for their journey to India.HMS Shah was among the few escort carriers that were activated for service prior to her journey to the UK; she was assigned to the 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron within the East Indies Fleet, serving as an anti-submarine carrier. She reached San Francisco Bay on 7 January, where she began preparations to take on her squadron, 851 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron arrived at the US Naval Air Station Alameda on 14 January, and the aircraft were lifted aboard later that same day, being stored in the hangar; there would be no flying during the voyage. HMS Shah departed from San Francisco in the afternoon of 15 January and ultimately, 851 Squadron was flown off to RNAS Colombo Racecourse in Ceylon on 21 March. [7]
The squadron moved to RNAS Katukurunda (HMS Ukussa), Ceylon, on 1 April to continue their training. Upon their arrival, a fighter flight comprising four Grumman Wildcat fighter aircraft was formed, and the squadron was classified as a composite anti-submarine (A/S) sweeps unit. [5] The squadron alternated between this and other shore bases as well as the carrier. From mid-May, the ship conducted patrols in the Indian Ocean.
Sinking of U-198
At the conclusion of July, HMS Shah was designated to join Task Force 66 (TF66), a naval force dedicated to trade protection operations in the northern Indian Ocean. On 6 August, TF66 departed to locate a U-Boat that had been targeting shipping along the East African coast. On the same day, MV Empire City was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Portuguese East Africa. The subsequent day, MV Empire Day also fell victim to a torpedo attack and was sunk. On 10 August, Lieutenant Commander Tuke, the commanding officer of 851 Squadron, observed a U-boat on the surface and initiated an attack run; however, the submarine submerged to evade capture. Nevertheless, on 12 August, Tuke once again spotted the U-boat, was sufficiently close to launch an attack, and successfully straddled it with the two depth charges he carried, both detonating on either side of the conning tower. Although damage could not be clearly ascertained the aircraft directed the RN River-class frigate HMS Findhorn and the Royal Indian Navy's Black Swan-class sloop HMIS Godavari to the submarine and they were able to sink U-198 with the loss of all hands. [7]
Sinking of Haguro
In February 1945 Shah sailed to Durban for a refit, and the Wildcats were withdrawn. Sailing to Burma in May 1945, Shah with 851 Squadron's Avengers supported Operation Dracula, the invasion of Rangoon. 851 Squadron dive-bombed the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro, suffering losses in the attacks for little return. This was the longest range Fleet Air Arm round-trip carrier borne attack of the Second World War. [8] However, they did direct ships of the 26th Destroyer Flotilla which sank Haguro in a night torpedo action known as Operation Dukedom.
Decommissioning
The squadron subsequently returned to RNAS Katukurunda, RNAS Colombo Racecourse and RNAS Trincomalee, all Ceylon. After VJ-Day the squadron left their aircraft and sailed on HMS Shah to the UK where the squadron was disbanded at Gourock, Renffrewshire, on 7 October 1945 and the escort carrier returned to the United States. [7]
851 Squadron was subsequently reactivated as a squadron of the Royal Australian Navy.
United Kingdom 
Royal Navy