Corsairs on the 24th of July 1945

[Dave Homewood]

Author Marty Irons from the USA is working on a book on Corsairs,and as part of it he has chosen the date of the 24th of July 1945, and he's trying to find all the Corsairs around the world that flew that day. A huge task, but a jolly interesting concept. I spent a couple of hours last night looking through copies of logbooks I had and have added a number of entries to his list for RNZAF and kiwi Fleet Air Arm pilots. Does anyone out there have any Corsair pilot's logbooks that might have an entry for a flight or flights on that day please?

If you do, can you please provide details like:
Pilot's name
Aircraft serial number
Squadron number
Airfield or ship flown from
Duration of the flight
Weapon load if noted
Duties carried out
Any other notes that might be applicable to that day

From my research so far the RNZAF squadron were, on that day, thus:
No. 14 Squadron - unknown yet
No. 15 Squadron - unknown yet
No. 16 Squadron - pilots were actively flying from Ardmore training for their next tour
No. 17 Squadron - was flying operations from Los Negros
No. 18 Squadron - was flying operations from Piva North
No. 19 Squadron - was flying operations from Jacquinot Bay
No. 20 Squadron - unknown yet
No. 21 Squadron - were on rest in NZ, no flying
No. 22 Squadron - were on rest in NZ, no flying
No. 23 Squadron - unknown yet
No. 24 Squadron - was flying operations from Bougainville (not certain which airfield but probably Piva North?)
No. 25 Squadron - unknown yet
No. 26 Squadron - pilots were actively flying from Ardmore training for their next tour

Does anyone have access to ORB's for the squadrons known to be flying to find which of their Corsairs flew on that day?

Cheers
Dave

[pepe]

I'm just in the midst of reading my uncle's memoirs (15 Squadron pilot) and they were one of the four squadrons operating off Piva North at that time.

[davidd]

Dave;
Following from my notes.

14 Sqdn, just arrived at Emirau from NZ, first flights from 22/7/45.
15 Sqdn, at Piva North on operations since 3/6/45.
16 Sqdn, at Ardmore, flying since 16/7/45.
17 Sqdn, flying on ops at Los Negros since 24/5/45.
18 Sqdn, flying on ops at Piva North since 13/6/45.
19 Sqdn, flying on ops at Jacquinot Bay since 15/7/45.
20 Sqdn, flying on ops at Jacquinot Bay since 28/5/45.
21 Sqdn, on disembarkation leave in NZ, reports to Ardmore on 27/7/45.
22 Sqdn, on disembarkation leave in NZ, last on ops at Piva North 10/7/45, reformed Ardmore 8/8/45.
23 Sqdn, flying on ops at Piva North since 23/6/45.
24 Sqdn, flying on ops at Piva North since 13/7/45.
25 Sqdn, returning to NZ after last ops at Emirau on 21/7/45, departed Emirau by air transport 22/7, to disembarkation leave.
26 Sqdn, working up at Ardmore since 7/7/45, disbanded 30/7/45.

Summary:
At Piva North (Bougainville), 4 sqdns (15, 18, 23, 24).
At Emirau, 1 (14)
At Los Negros, 1 (17)
At Jacquinot Bay, 2 (19, 20)
En route to NZ, 1 (25)
On leave in NZ, 2 (21, 22)
Working up at Ardmore, 2 (16, 26).

Special note: although Piva North (also known as Piva Uncle, or Piva Bomber strip) was the actual strip used by the squadrons on Bougainville from October 1944 onwards, their servicing area was nearer the abandoned fighter strip known variously as Piva Fighter strip, Piva South, or Piva Yoke. These two strips were also known as Piva 1 and Piva 2, but cannot at the moment remember which was which! (do you blame me?)

Unfortunately without a lot more hunting through my notes, cannot supply details of actual operations on the day in question, although I imagine that the Bougainville-based squadrons would be the busiest (mostly flying in support of the Australian Army's 2nd Corps), then the Emirau and Jacquinot Bay squadrons (over Rabaul and all along New Ireland). The squadron at Los Negros generally only flew dawn and dusk patrols and maintained a scramble alert section 24 hours a day.

David D

[camtech]

Just had a quick look at 19 Sqdn's diary and note that NZ5277 (flown by Flt Lt F Noble) who had been on patrol with Fg Off Murray, swung on landing, ran off the strip onto soft ground and overturned. The pilot was uninjured, which is more than could be said of the aircraft. NZ5277 survived to be sold as scrap in 1948.

I'll have a look through other bits later today and see if I can pinpoint any other specifics for that day.

[camtech]

Just to add further for 19 Sqdn for the day:
Murray and Noble flew the first Rabaul patrol (which in the diary states took off at 0555 and landed at 0945), followed by Fl Lt Blundell and Flt Sgt Robinson, who were relieved by Fg Off Hollis and Palmer. Flt Sgts Flintoff and Warren were scrambled to investigate a possible AA position in Sum Sum Plantation (35 min), and Flt Sgts Wilson and Deller flew a sortie (50 min) later in the day.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks very much chaps. I'd already extracted that info from the 19 Squadron diary and worked out which aircraft it was that Noble stacked on landing too.

This info is great though!

[davidd]

From Summary of bombs dropped by RNZAF in SWPA WW2, all on 24/7/45 (pus details of sqdns in NZ). As predicted most activity concerned the Bougainville-based sqdns.
14 Sqdn, 8 F4Us drop 8 x 1,000 lb bombs on various targets during New Ireland sweep (from Emirau).
15 Sqdn, 12 F4Us drop 2 x 1,000 lb and 21 x 250 lb bombs at Inus Plantation, B/Ville.
15 Sqdn, 12 F4Us drop 2 x 1,000 lb and 20 x 250 lb bombs at Muguai, B/Ville.
15 Sqdn, 2 F4Us drop 4 x 250 lb bombs at Mount Boeger, B/Ville.
16 Sqdn, presume training sorties from Ardmore, no other details as yet.
17 Sqdn, presume dawn, dusk, and local patrols, possibly also a scramble (at Los Negros).
18 Sqdn, 26 F4Us drop 5 x 650 lb D/Cs and 30 x 250 lb bombs at Maika, B/Ville (presume this comprised two separate strikes of approx. 12 each).
19 Sqdn, numerous patrols flown over Rabaul (from Jacquinot Bay).
20 Sqdn, 2 F4Us drop 4 x 100 pound smoke bombs for marking target at Varzin, west of Vunakanau (Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain)
20 Sqdn, 16 F4Us drop 32 x 1,000 lb bombs on same target as above, all bombs in target area.
21 Sqdn, nil.
22 Sqdn, nil.
23 Sqdn, 18 F4Us drop 14 x 250, 2 x 1,000 lb bombs and 2 x 650 lb D/Cs at Maika, B/Ville.
24 Sqdn, 12 F4Us drop 11 x 250 lb and 3 x 700 lb (?, 650 lb D/Cs meant?) at Inus Plantation, B/Ville.
24 Sqdn, 12 F4Us drop 3 x 1,000 and 11 x 250 lb bombs at Maguai, B/Ville.
25 Sqdn, nil.
26 Sqdn, presume training sorties from Ardmore, no other details as yet.

Also on 24/7/45, F/L J R (Jack) Day of the Corsair Assembly Unit (CAU) at Los Negros, took up FG-1D NZ5602 on its first test flight in the SWPA. This aircraft was from the first shipment to arrive at this forward airfield in the Admiralty islands. Up till this date (24/7), 17 of this shipment had been test flown by Day. No. 17 Sqdn pilots were tasked with "flying off" engine hours from 9/7/45 (equates to running them in), and they were also occasionally used for operational local patrols from 12/7. However none were allotted to an operational unit until the last day of the month when 18 were taken over by 4 SU (which serviced the aircraft for 17 Squadron) to replace early model F4U-1s.
David D

[davidd]

Not to forget two non-operational units in New Zealand, such as No. 4 OTU at Ohakea (about 25 F4Us), and the Fighter Leaders School at Ardmore (about 10 F4Us).
David D

[camtech]

Just checked the notes I had, can't pinpoint any for that date. Quite a few each side, but not specific for that date.

[Dave Homewood]

Great stuff David, really helpful I'm sure. For the record this is the info i found last night and sent to Marty, from various logbooks"

Bryan Cox (No. 16 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF) flew NZ5577 on a "Rhubarb" from RNZAF Station Ardmore, duration 2 hours

Tony Pierard DFC (No. 17 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF) flew on the 24th of July 1945 in Corsair NZ5617 in "Local Flying" for 2 hours, 10 minutes. He was based at Los Negros.

Peter Thomas (No. 18 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF) flew on the 24th of July 1945 in Corsair NZ5312.on an operation where he simply noted "Bombed Maika" - 1 hour 10 mins. He was based at Piva North, Bougainville, at that time, on his second tour with the squadron

Dave Howlett (No. 19 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF) sadly crashed the day before, on the 23rd of July, taking off in NZ5262, and ended up in hospital for the rest of the war and beyond due to burns, but his squadron was definitely active, I have a copy of the No. 19 Squadron Diary and it states for this day:

24 Jul 45 Weather conditions today permitted the full programme as scheduled to be carried out. F/O Yetton and F/S Warren were on readiness from 0530 to 1200 and P/O Grant and F/S Mcleod from 1200 to 1800. F/O Murray and F/L Noble took off at 0555 for a Rabaul patrol and it was while landing at 0945 that F/L noble was involved in the squadron’s second accident in two days. The aircraft developed a violent swing to port after touching down and “Fred” was unable to check it in time to prevent the aircraft running into soft ground at the side of strip where it overturned. Fortunately Freddie, after using up one of his lives crawled to safety from the wreckage of a crushed canopy and an otherwise generally devastated machine. The patrol was absolutely negative – no sightings of interest whatsoever.
F/L Brundell and F/S Robinson relieved Murray and Noble and patrolled Rabaul until relieved by F/O Holliss and Palmer at 1245. This last patrol of the day began rather badly, Palmer experiencing the odd spot of finger trouble and of course, unserviceability before finally getting away. On the return journey, “Pinky” sighted two flashes from the AA position in Sum Sum Plantation, which had previously been spotted by F/O Yetton. F/S Flintoff and F/S Warren were scrambled at 1050 for a 35-minute sector recce, F/S Wilson and Pud Deller for 1445 to 1535.

Neville Jackson (No. 21 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF) finished his tour at Jacquinot Bay in mid-June 1945 and was on leave back in NZ on 24th of July 1945, the squadron reforming on the 27/7/45 at Ardmore

F/Lt Allan "Skip" Watson (No. 22 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF) did not fly because the squadron was on leave, having come back from a tour on Bougainvile, his last flight there on the tour being on 10th of July 1945

Norman Rosser (No. 24 Fighter Squadron) flew NZ5455 on the 25th of July 1945, from Bougainville on a strike to Inus with two 250lb bombs, flight was 1 hour 5 minutes, and he noted "lead in by Wirraway. Very accurate bombing. Several large trees felled."

Allan Emett (No. 26 Fighter Squadron) NZ5567 on air-to-ground training from Ardmore. It was a 2 hour training flight.

Sub Lt Bob Glading (No. 1841 Naval Air Squadron, FAA onboard HMS Formidable) on the 24th of July 1945 flew Corsair '127' on 'Ops C.A.P.' - duration 3 hours 10 mins, 1 deck landing (the abbreviation I believe means Close Air Patrol)

[Dave Homewood]

The aircraft damaged on that day by Fred Noble will surely be NZ5277.

[camtech]

Correct, Dave - noted in 19 Sqdn diary

[flymac]

Aug 11, 2015 20:25:03 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

24 Jul 45 Weather conditions today permitted the full programme as scheduled to be carried out. F/O Yetton and F/S Warren were on readiness from 0530 to 1200 and P/O Grant and F/S Mcleod from 1200 to 1800. F/O Murray and F/L Noble took off at 0555 for a Rabaul patrol and it was while landing at 0945 that F/L noble was involved in the squadron’s second accident in two days. 

Thank you David for that information about 19 Squadron.

"F/S Mcleod" I believe is in fact my late father, John Ewen MacLeod, who served for a short period in 19 Squadron at Jacquinot Bay, at about this time.

Can you confirm this with your access to these records? 

[Dave Homewood]

Hi Flymac,

You are correct. Many members of the squadron, including your father, left Whenuapai on the 30th of June 1945 flying to Tontouta in a C-47; and by the 14th of July 1945 the squadron was settled into their new home at Jacquinot Bay. Your father was placed into Blue Section of No. 19 Squadron at Jacquinot Bay.

On 17 July 145 P/O Grant and F/Sgt MacLeod were on Readiness from 0600 to 1200hrs, including 'a short hop on sector recce' before weather closed in.

On the 23rd of July 1945 the records state that your father replaced Dave Howlett on the patrol which Dave had crashed on take-off in. This was a patrol to Rabaul, and your father and F/O Ross Yetton completed the patrol, sighting two medium anti aircraft flashes coming from the Sum Sum Plantation.

The entry for the 24th of July is as above. The only times his surname was mispelled as McLeod are the 23rd and 24th.

On the 28th of July 1945 your father and P/O Grant strafed a hut at Kerawara Island in the Duke of Yorks, with 'undiscerned results'.

On the 29th of July 1945 weather washed out all flying but your father was on readiness with P/O Grant from 1200 to 1800hrs.

On the 17th of August 1945 your father was Medically Boarded home.

On the 11th of September 1945 the squadron received a letter from your father saying he was going to be well again.

[Dave Homewood]

Do you have your father's service number, Flymac?

[starr]

Saw Bryan Cox in Whangarei for a few minutes last Monday. He was visiting my youngest sister Shona Bryan. He was just leaving to head south when I called in. He is looking well.

[Dave Homewood]

I met Shona a few years ago when I was up visiting my late Great Uncle Bluey Homewood, they lived in the same village and Shona was a good friend of Bluey's. Small world, eh?

[flymac]

Aug 22, 2015 11:36:30 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Do you have your father's service number, Flymac?

Hi Dave, the RNZAF service number I have is 439810. He passed away 10/8/2000.
Thank you so much for the information above.
I do know he was shipped home very ill with dengue fever ( I think) and he was in hospital for sometime.
Photographs I have of him at Jaquinot Bay suggest his clothing was not suitable to keep the mosquitos out.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks.

[theexplorer]

Hi. I realise that this thread is very old by now. But I have just been reading my grandfather's log book and he flew a Corsair for the RNZAF on the 24th of July 1945. As I have a copy of the logbook, I have many of the details sought. If this is still of interest, or if there is a way to get in touch with the author, happy to do so.