Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

I – OPERATIONS.

1944-12-02 / 1944-12-03

BRINDISI

16.20 to 02.25. 6 Halifaxes and 2 Liberators for Supply in Italy. One Halifax was unsuccessful owing to no reception and another owing to 10/10 cloud in target area. The two Liberators were also unsuccessful one owing to engine trouble and the other owing to 10/10 cloud in target area.

1944-12-06

BRINDISI

08.20 to 17.10. 7 Halifaxes and 3 Liberators for Supply-dropping in Italy. All were unsuccessful owing to bad weather en route and in target area, but four dropped Nickels in the Genoa – La Spezia area through a break in the clouds.

1944-12-15 - 1944-12-16

BRINDISI

16.00 to 03.00. 9 Halifaxes and three Liberators for Supply-dropping in Italy. 4 Halifaxes were unsuccessful, two owing to no reception, one owing to cloud over target area and no reception visible and one returning early with engine trouble. Two Liberators were also unsuccessful, one owing to no reception and the other to inability to identify the target in bad visibility. The remaining aircraft successfully dropped full loads.

1944-12-21 - 1944-12-22

BRINDISI

16.30 to 02.05. 4 Halifaxes for supply dropping in CZECHO-SLOVAKIA and JUGO-SLAVIA. One Halifax returned early owing to weather conditions en route, the remaining aircraft dropping full loads.

1944-12-25 - 1944-12-26

BRINDISI

16.00 to 03.40. 4 Liberators and 1 Halifax for supply dropping in POLAND. One Liberator was unsuccessful owing to no reception, one owing to weather en route, one owing to failure of the heating system, and the fourth was recalled by W/T. The Halifax successfully dropped its full load.

1944-12-26 - 1944-12-27

BRINDISI

15.50 to 03.10. 6 Halifaxes and 4 Liberators for Supply-dropping in the Italy and POLAND. 2 Liberators brought back full loads, one owing to cloud over target area and the other to novreception. 2 Halifaxes also brought back full loads, one owing to weather en route, and the other to no reception at Primary Target and no reception at Alternative being extinguished and not coming on again.

1944-12-27- 1944-12-28

BRINDISI

15.50 to 03.10. 9 Halifaxes and 3 Liberators for Supply-dropping in POLAND, AUSTRIA, CZECHO-SLOVAKIA, JUGO-SLAVIA, and Italy. 1 Halifax brought back full load owing to no receptions. 2 Liberators also brought back full loads, one owing to engine trouble, and the other to an accident to the mid-upper turret gunner, which involved his death. The remaining aircraft dropped full loads.

1944-12-28 - 1944-12-29

BRINDISI

15.55 to 03.10. 6 Halifaxes and 4 Liberators for Supply-dropping in POLAND. 3 Halifaxes brought back full loads, one owing to no reception at Primary and incorrect reception at alternative, one owing to cloud over primary and no reception at alternative, and the third owing to no receptions at both primary and alternative targets. 2 Liberators also brought back full loads, one owing to cloud over primary and no reception at alternative, and the other owing to engine trouble. One Liberator was partly successful, dropping package load blind, to a definite pinpoint, the container load being brought back owing to Distributor and Jettison being u/s. One Halifax is missing from these operations. The remaining two Halifaxes and one Liberator successfully dropped full loads.

II PERSONNEL.

1944-12-01

784040 W/O. LEWANDOWSKI, J. (Air Bomber) and 784470 Sgt. SZEJNOWSKI, P. (Flight Engineer) previously reported missing on 1st Aug. 1944 are now known to be Prisoners of War. 704177 F/Sgt. Rygielski, J.W. (Air Gunner), 792425 Sgt. OGLEDZKI, S. (Flight Engineer) and 794574 F/Sgt. JAWOROWSKI, W. (Wireless Operator); F/O. DATA, A. (Navigator – P-2081) previously reported missing from operations on the night of 1st / 2nd Sept. 1945, are also known to be prisoners of war.

1944-12-04

793200 W/O. OWSIANY, L. (Pilot), previously reported missing from operations on the night of 16th /17th August, 1944, is now known to be prisoner of war.
703913 F/S. HANUSZ, L. (Navigator), 705043 F/S. SOWINSKI, C. (Wireless Operator), 705568 F/S. KRALL, A. (Air Gunner), 781382 F/S. BECKER, S. (Flight Engineer), 793442 F/S. BRONISZ, M. (Air Bomber), and 794418 W/O. GORNY, K. (Pilot) posted from the Squadron to 56 P.T.C.

1944-12-06

704995 Sgt. DANIELKIEWICZ, A. (Wireless Operator) previously reported missing from operations on 27/28 Aug. 1944 is now known to be a prisoner of war.
781135 Cpl. (F.M.E.) ZIESCH, W. accidentally injured as a result of a Motor Cycle accident and placed on „seriously ill” list.

1944-12-08

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1944-12-09

782592 F/S. SZCZERBA, E. (Flight Engineer) posted to 56 P.T.C. w.e.f. 4.12.44.
Cpl. ZIESCH (see entry above) died as result of injures.
704092 F/Sgt. JAWOR, T. (Navigator) previously reported missing from operations on Sept. 2nd 1944 is now known to be prisoner of war.

1944-12-10

P/O. L. SCHEDLIN-CZARLINSKI discharged from hospital.

1944-12-14

704225 Sgt, PROSZEK, A. (Air Gunner), 781049 F/S Raflewski, W. (Pilot), 782621 W/O. WOLSKI, K. (Pilot), 794895 F/Sgt. CHMARUK, B. (Wireless Operator) and P-2401 F/O. DOMANSKI, L. (Navigator) previously reported missing from operations on 1st August, 1944 are now known to be prisoners of war.

1944-12-15

704055 F/Sgt. ZEMBROWSKI (Air Gunner) and 794199 F/Sgt. KLIMCZAK, M. (Air Bomber), previously reported missing from operations on 1st / 2nd Sept. 1944 are now known to be prisoners of war.

1944-12-20

784107 W/O. JASTREBSKI, H. (Pilot) awarded D.F.C. 704326 W/O. RUMAN, T. (Air Gunner) awarded D.F.M. as F/Sgt. and 782592 F/Sgt. SZCZERBA, E. (Flight Engineer) awarded D.F.M.

1944-12-21

703909 Sgt. FALC, S. (Navigator), 705038 Sgt. STOREK, T.C. (Wireless Operator), 783338 F/Sgt. WIECZORKIEWICZ, L. (Pilot) and 793406 Sgt. ROUBO, W. (Flight Engineer) previously reported missing from operations on 10th Sept. 1944 are now known to be prisoners of war. P784633 W/O. Bohanes S. (Wireless Operator), also reported missing, now reported killed.
704207 W/O. IMIELSKI, A. (Air Gunner) posted to 56 P.T.C. w.e.f. 4.12.44.
792260 W/O. NALEPA, W. (Air Gunner) „ „ „ „ „ 21.12.44

1944-12-26

704125 Sgt. KOSTRYCA, A. (Wireless Operator) posted to 56 P.T.C. w.e.f. 23.12.44.

1944-12-27

794931 F/S. KRUSZYNA, E. Accidentally killed on an operational flight.

1944-12-28

781379 Sgt. ZEISKE, A.M. (Flight Engineer); 781897 W/O. RATALINSKI, S. (Air Gunner); 794421 W/O. BOGDANOWICZ, H. (Air Gunner) previously reported missing from operations on 10th September, 1944 are now know to be prisoners of war.
P-0512 F/L Kryszczuk, f. (Navigator); P-0072 F/L WIANECKI, T. (Navigator); 781379 Sgt. MAJER, T. (Flight Engineer); 781609 W.O. KRZECZEWSKI, E. (Wireless Operator); 783104 F/S. LISIK, S. (Air Bomber); 783221 W/O. URAM, B. (Pilot); 793941 W/O. MACIERZYNSKI, K. (Air Gunner) and 794032 F/S. MULLER, W. (Air Bomber) missing from Polish Operations in aircraft “H”.

STATISTIC FOR MONTH OF DECEMBER, 1944.

Operationel Flying – Day 73 hrs. 37 mins.
Operational Flying – Day 487 hrs. 38 mins.
Non-operational Flying – Day 62 hrs. 40 mins.

Operational Sorties attempted 71
Operational Sorties successful 35 (includes on partly successful)

Personnel dropped 27

Weight of Stores etc. dropped.
385 containers 86,184 lbs. nett.
73 packages 47,251 lbs. nett.
5 leg-bags 500 lbs.

STORES 139,935 lbs. nett.
Nickels 8,400 lbs. nett.
Personnel 5,400 lbs.

Total nett weight dropped 147,735 lbs. or 66 tons.

COMMANDING OFFICERS REMARKS. Again bad weather conditions lowered the efficiency of the Squadron. Taking each opportunity for Ops. even in very doubtful Met. Conditions, we had were not able to take full advantage of it in sending full effort to POLAND. Due to policy effort was limited to five aircraft on each night. Aircrew and ground personnel were warned to be ready to take over Liberators. The old flight is already organised as a squadron but is still working with flight establishment. It’s a long way from London.

[Illegible] S/Ldr.
Officer Commanding, No. 301 (Polish) Squadron.