Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1942-03-01

NORTHOLT

Bad visibility prevented flying.

1942-03-02

NORTHOLT

The same.

1942-03-03

NORTHOLT

A slight improvement in the weather, it being much warmer, but low mist and cloud, mainly due to increase in temperature, prevented flying. Air firing programme which had been arranged was cancelled. F/O Ciastula and Sgt. Cybulski posted from No. 58 O.T.U. Grangemouth. F/Sgt. Belc, pilot, reposted from R.A.F. Northolt on ceasing to be N.E. sick.

1942-03-04

NORTHOLT

Heavy rain and mist reduced visibility to about 300 yards – no flying.

1942-03-05

NORTHOLT

Little or no change in the weather. A small amount of snow in the afternoon.

1942-03-06

NORTHOLT

No flying – still bad weather. Information received from No. 11 Group of promotion of following Pilot Officers to Flying Officers wef. 1.9.41. P/Os Klosin, Horbaczewski, Drobinski, Kolubinski, Majewski, Schmidt, Gladych, Lipinski, Marciniak, Pulczynski. Squadron Medical Officer F/O Wodecki, promoted F/Lieut.

1942-03-07

NORTHOLT

Slight improvement in weather but still no flying. Visit to the Station of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Thenchard.

1942-03-08

NORTHOLT

Ideal weather – brilliant sunshine, following a heavy early morning frost.
15.05. Circus No. 112. 12 aircraft as Escort cover for 6 Boston aircraft. Target Comones near Lille. Height 18000 feet. The coast crossed near Dunkuque. A number of enemy aircraft were seen, but a considerable distance away. No combats took place and the Squadron returned and landed at Base at 16.50. Formation training flying in the morning. F/Lt. Wodecki admitted to Officers Hospital Torquay.

1942-03-09

NORTHOLT

Ground mist in the morning, but fine weather. F/O Zarebski, F.O Damm & P/O Socha posted to No. 81 Squadron.

1942-03-10

NORTHOLT

Poor visibility. No flying. Squadron at 2 hours available in the afternoon. Notification received of award of decorations as follows: Virtuti Militari Sgt. Pilot M. Adamek. Krzyz Walecznych to F/O Z. Bienkowski.

1942-03-11

NORTHOLT

Mist and rain so thick the other side of aerodrome was not visible. Squadron at two hours available until afternoon. Sgt. pilot Zwierowski posted to Station Northolt non-effective.

1942-03-12

NORTHOLT

Slight improvement in weather but visibility still very low. No flying. F/O Wittele /Interpreter/ posted to R.A.F. Interpreters Depot, Blackpool. F/O A. Sapiecha posted from 315 Squadron as replacement.

1942-03-13

NORTHOLT

Weather fit for operational flying although fairly heavy haze.
14.10. Circus 114. The Polish Wing went as close escort for Bostons aircraft. This Unit being top cover at 13000 feet. The target being the Railway junction as Hazebrook. The French coast crossed near Gravelines. Poor flak was experienced crossing the coast and the formation proceeded to a point south of Hazebrouck. After a left – hand turn the bombers dropped their load on a south – north run. Owing to poor vertical visibility no bomb bursts could be observed. On the return about 8 miles north west of Hazebrouck the Squadron was engaged by 15 to 20 Me. 109F which dived from behind and 1000 ft above. Some of the pilots engaged the enemy and S/Ldr. Kolaczkowski and F/O. Drobinski D.F.C. each destroyed one and F/O Lipinski probably destroyed another. F/Lt. W. Lokuciewski D.F.C. “A” Flight Commander did not return. Information as since been received that he is alive and a prisoner of war. F/O Horbaczewski’s machine was slightly damaged by machine gun fire. Air sea rescue patrol carried out by F/O Wróblewski. Varied training was carried out in the morning, including low flying. P/O Szelestowski damaged his glycol radiator during these practices and forced landed about 10 miles from base, damaging his aircraft.

1942-03-14

NORTHOLT

Weather would appear to make flying impossible for the day – visibility in the early morning being reduced to 100 yards. Great improvement however by mid-day and operations possible.
16.02. Circus 115. The Squadron was top cover for 6 Bostons the target being the port of Le Havre. Weather very cloudy making escort difficult. Clouds also made it impossible to locate target and bomb not dropped. Squadron returned intact at 17.30 hours. Sgt. Pilot Rutecki took part in his first operational flight.

1942-03-15

NORTHOLT

Fine day, but with low cloud. Possibilities of operational flying were present all day and Rhubard operations were likely. However cloud did not lift sufficiently. Local flying was carried out including A.A. cooperation, navigation flying and sector recco. P/O T. Kolecki attached to No. 2 S of A.N. FOR navigation course. A/F/Lt. J. Palusinski, formerly with the Squadron as an operational pilot in 1940-41, posted for Operations Room duties.

1942-03-16

NORTHOLT

Poor weather conditions although four aircraft of each flight carried out formation and navigation flying.

1942-03-17

NORTHOLT

Still low cloud and weather not fit for operational flying. Some training flying. One aircraft patrolled base for ten minutes.

1942-03-18

NORTHOLT

Again bad weather permitting only some Army co-operation flying. F/O Drobinski D.F.C. posted to No. 58 OUT for instructor duties to enable the return to this Unit of F/O Zumbach D.F.C. for Flight Commander post. F/O Drobinski D.F.C. had practically completed his tour of 150 hours operational flying.

1942-03-19

NORTHOLT

Continuance of poor weather. Formation training and army co-operation.

1942-03-20

NORTHOLT

Bad visibility – no flying. F/O Zumbach D.F.C. returned to Unit to take over Command of “A” Flight vacant to loos of F/Lt. Lokuciewski D.F.C.

1942-03-21

NORTHOLT

Bad visibility – no flying.

1942-03-22

NORTHOLT

The same.

1942-03-23

NORTHOLT

Preparations made by No. 11 Group for parade and flying past by Squadrons in connection with Greater London Wars week. W/Cdr. Rolski V.M., K.W., D.S.O. Commanding the Polish Wing, and Sgt. Pilot Adamek, V.M., K.W./2/., Croix de Guerre of this Squadron were chosen to marsh with other British and Allied airmen at the head of the column representing No. 11 Group. The Northolt Wing with other Wings was to rendezvous over Hornchurch to make circuits of London. However fine weather made operationspossible, and the Squadron undertook Sweep patrol No. 19 with rendezvous over Hyde Park at 8,000 feet.
14.40. Sweep No. 19. 11 aircraft took off for sweep over Channel, St. Omer, Duneque at height of 26,000 feet, No engagements and nothing to report. All aircraft landed at base at 16.25.

1942-03-24

NORTHOLT

Bad weather – no flying.

1942-03-25

NORTHOLT

16.14. Sweep No. 20. Eleven aircraft as Top Squadron with intention to sweep from nr Le Touquet to St. Omer thence returning via Gravelines. English coast crossed at Rye with this Unit at height of 23/24000 feet; stepped up in echelon port, down sun. French coast crossed south of Le Touquet and after turning in the direction of St. Omer the Squadron was immediately warned by Operations of enemy aircraft east of Boulogne flying south. Nr Desvres the Squadron, now flying at 20,000 ft saw 6 – 8 Me. 109s flying a fewthousand feet below and slightly to the left. F/O Wroblewski, leading the left hand section of our a/c immediately dived down to engage them and the rest of his section went to follow but suddenly observed 6 to 8 FW approaching them from the same height. F/O Marciniak of this section was immediately engaged by these e/a and a terrific dog-fight ensued during which F/O Marciniak fired one short burst from 100 yards but did not see the result of his fire. F/O Marciniak managed to edge his way to the coast followed party way across the Channel by a F.W. 190. F/O Kolubinski of the right hand section of 4 saw 5 F.W. approaching from the North and climbing. F/O Kolubinski opened fire from 300 yd range at one of these and continued firing until it passed 50 yards below him. F/O Horbaczewski reported seeing an e/a going down in a glide with greyish smoke pouring from it. F/O Kolubinski claimed the aircraft as damaged. F/O Horbaczewski, F/O Marciniak and F/O Ciastula landed at Manston to refuel. F/O Wroblewski did not return and nothing more was seen or heard of him from the time he attacked.

1942-03-26

NORTHOLT

Not good weather, but some air firing practice in No. 11 Group competition were carried out.

1942-03-27

NORTHOLT

14.41. Ramrod “18”. 1 aircraft as Bomber escort for 12 Boston aircraft. Target at Ostende. Some enemy aircraft were seen when about 20 miles from Ostende, but therewre no engagements and the whole Squadron landed without incident at 16.30 F/O Majewski and Sgt. Wojciechowski carried out Air Sea rescue patrol.

1942-03-28

NORTHOLT

Training flying in the morning. Formation, cine camera and dog fighting etc.
15.30. Eleven aircraft carried out Sweep over Le Havre at 20,000 feet. No enemy aircraft were seen and nothing to report. Squadron returned 17.15.
18.10. Six aircraft off again on Lysander escort for Air Sea rescue. Escort flying at 5000 feet and search carried out to the coast of France. Extremely bad weather, poor visibility, at times the Lysander was lost when only 300 feet below. Aircraft landed practically in darkness at 20.05.

1942-03-29

NORTHOLT

Local flying and training only. The Polish Air Force Flag, which had been held by this Unit for the previous two months was handed over to No. 304 Polish Squadron.

1942-03-30

NORTHOLT

Bad weather – two tests of aircraft only.

1942-03-31

NORTHOLT

One aircraft on sector recco. The Squadron was at night readiness, but there was no activity.