Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1943-03-01

Heston

Contact established with Debden „Spartan” Ops. and line for scramble and operational orders tested. The Squadron remained under Northolt for local Flying.
15.30
12 a/c on practice formation and navigation led by S/L. Bienkowski. Down 17.00.

1943-03-02

10/10 cloud and low visibility making weather practically useless for flying.
12 a/c on battle formation led by F/Lt. Retinger. Pilots attended recognition practice in Intelligence Office.

1943-03-03

Weather 10/10. Not good visibility and little chance of improvement. Squadron was released on Station.

1943-03-04

Readiness from 07.30 to 19.00.
09.00
Spartan Patrol No 1. 10 a/c led by S/L. Bienkowski took off and patrolled at height 5 – 6000 ft. Down 10.55.
15.35
Spartan Patrol No. 2. Ten a/c on patrol, line Reading – Farnham at 6000 ft. Ground almost completely covered by mist and difficulty experienced in returning to base. All a/c landed at 16.50.

1943-03-05

07.00
Readiness. Heavy ground mist reducing visibility practically to nil.
10.40
Order to vacate Heston at all possible speed. The convoy was loaded and got away at 11.45 leaving a/c to follow. Convoy arrived at Debden at 15.50.
13.50
12 Spitfire VB took off for Debden landing 14.20 and operational by 16.00.
16.05
Debden
Spartan No. 2. 9 a/c led by S/L. Bienkowski took off and landed at base 17.15.
Visibility 4 miles. No cloud.

1943-03-06

07.00
Readiness.
12.40
Spartan No. 4. 9 a/c led by S/L. Bienkowski took off on patrol and landed 14.15.
15.45
Spartan No. 5. 9 a/c led by S/L. Bienkowski took off and landed 17.40.

1943-03-07

[Debd]en

07.00
State 30 mins: due to poor visibility.
12.25
Spartan 6. 9 Spits. VB led by S/Ldr Bienkowski t/o on patrol. All down 13.25.
Weather perfect.
13.55
Spartan 7. 9 a/c t/o, led by S/Ldr Bienkowski, patrolled base. Down 14.50.
17.15
Spartan 8. 8 Spits VB led by S/Ldr Bienkowski t/o to escort 24 Venturas. Weather perfect. All down 18.05.

1943-03-08

07.00
Readiness.
07.40
One a/c weather test. Weather unsuitable operational flying.
10.05
S/Ldr Bienkowski a/b on weather test.
10.15
Spartan 9. 8 Spits VB over base on patrol. Weather: cloud 9/10 at 2500’ down 11.45.
11.30
Message received that the sqdn would be visited by Duke of Gloucester at 14.00 hrs:
13.00
Release on account of weather.
13.30
State 30 minutes.
14.30
Readiness.
14.45
Duke of G. met pilots paraded in front of dispersal.
16.00
Spartan 10. 9 spits VB a/b led by S/Ldr Bienkowski. Down 16.55.
18.00
Spartan 11. 9 spits. VB led by S/Ldr B t/o. Weather quite good but vis. poor. Down 18.50.

1943-03-09

10.30
Spartan 12. 10 spits VB rendezvoused with 24 Venturas over base at 1000 at 1042 all down 11.55.
12.20
Spartan 13. 9 spits VB a/b; all down 13.50.
14.45
Spartan 14. 10 spits VB a/b arrived over target at zero feet. Down 16.20.
17.30
Spartan 15. 9 spits VB a/b all down 18.30.

1943-03-10

Debden

07.00
10 a/c to readiness.
07.40
10 a/c to 30 mins:
10.15
Spartan 16. 8 a/c down 11.05. F/O Baran missing.
12.40
Spartan 17. 9 a/c a/b led by s/ldr Bienkowski. Weather perfect. Down 13.30.
15.40
Spartan 18. 9 a/c a/b led by s/ldr Bienkowski. Weather 8/10 – 2000. Down 16.55.

1943-03-11

06.45
Readiness.
07.55
Spartan 19. 9 a/c led by s/ldr Bienkowski t/o. Down 08.42 hrs.
10.00
SCRAMBLE / Spartan 8 spits. VB led by s/ldr Bienkowski. Down 11.20 hrs.
12.45
Readiness.
14.35
Spartan 21. 9 Spits VB a/c, all down 15.15.
16.05
Spartan 22. ditto. All down 17.00.
17.35
Spartan 23. 9 Spits. a/b. Weather 10/10 – 3,000. Down 18.15.

1943-03-12

06.45
State 30 mins.
09.20
Sqdn to bring one flight to readiness and 1 at 15 mins. for ops;
F/O Pottropek posted to ACTC.
10.40
6 a/c a/b patrolled Southend, Manston, Clacton o/see. Down Heston 12.20. Nothing to report.
4 a/c a/b Debden 11.45. patrolled as above. Down Heston 13.15.
11.45
4 a/c a/b Debden landed Heston 14.40.

1943-03-13

HESTON

14.20
4 a/c on A/S/R/ patrol off Beachy Head 5,000’. Weather 6/10. Vis. 6 – 8 miles. Down 16.05.

1943-03-14

12.30
11 Spits VB a/b joined 308. 315 & 316 sqdns; on RODEO 184. Led by sqdn/ldr Szczesny. Spit VB’s swept WEST of Dieppe. Spit IX’s (315 & 316) swept EAST of Dieppe. All a/c set course from base at 12.38, rendezvoused at Hastings at 13,00 hrs. The sqdn stepped up from 20,000 feet. At 13.18 Spit. VB’s turned gently to starboard and crossed French coast at Point d’Ailly to south of Cap D” D’Antifer. English coast crossed near Littlehampton. Landed 14.10. Nothing to report.
10.00
6 a/c “A” Flight a/b on formation flying. Down 10.50.

1943-03-15

14.40
11 a/c a/b on formation flying. Down 15.50
17.25
6 a/c patrolled over channel. Beachy Head to Dover. Nothing to report. Down 19.00.

1943-03-16

14.05
4 a/c on formation flying down 15.25.
14.30
5 a/c on formation flying down 16.00
15.15
2 a/c air firing. Flying down 16.35. 3 a/c Battle formation 17.15 to 18[25]

1943-03-18

HESTON

P/O Wunsche posted from 58 OTU.
16.15
2 a/c scrambled to patrol Manston at 10,000’. Nothing to report. Down 17.30.
15.25.
2a/c practice scramble Down 16.30.

1943-03-19

8 a/c carried out formation flying and navigation flying to Pemshurst.

1943-03-20

14.05
4 a/c a/b on RHUBARB to railroads at Le Treport, Abaincourt, Serquex. Attacked sheds and train successfully and returned via Hastings. 3 Spits landed Heston 15.55. Sgt/Pilot Gorny landed Lympne wounded by flak. His Spit VB Cat B due to collision with stationary trucks on landing owing to injuries. Taken to Kent and Canterbury hospital. Weather:- mid channel haze. French coast and inland 3/10 to 5/10 at 2/3,000 feet. Vis. 10 miles.
14.25.
3 a/c a/b on A/S/R to Beache H[… Illegible …..] Down 16.35.

1943-03-22

15.[20]
[Illegible]
[1] a/c a/b on test. Bad weather.

1943-03-24

1 a/c a/b on weather test. ditto.

1943-03-25

14.00
8 a/c a/b for Battle formation flying. Down 15.00
16.40.
RODEO 194. 9 a/c a/b. 303 leading. Rendezvous N. Foreland 15,000 feet. Cap Gris Nez at 22,000’. No e/a seen. Nothing to report. All down 18.10.
14.10
8 a/c on navigation flying. Down 15.15.

1943-03-26

17.50
13 Spits VB left for Martlesham for 14 days airfiring program. F/Lt Reting [1/c] Landed Martlesham 18.30.

1943-03-27

MARTLESHAM

No activity owing to bad weather.

1943-03-28

Airfiring practice at Martlesham.

1943-03-29

idem. idem.

1943-03-30

F/O Janik posted to RAF Northolt. Air firing practices at Martlesham.

1943-03-31

Air firing practices at Martlesham.

[Illegible] F/L.
for Sq.Ld. 303 Sq.