Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1943-11-01

NORTHOLT

No operational and training flights to Day. Very bad weather conditions. Thick mist and showers.

1943-11-02

NORTHOLT

No operational flights. 12 aircraft took off for formation flying and photo practice. Clouds 10/10, visibility 1/2 mile and showers.

1943-11-03

NORTHOLT

2hrs.
Wing NORTHOLT, 302, 303 and 317 Squadrons took off from base at 10.10 hrs for operation Ramrod 289. Acted as High Cover to 72 Marauders detailed to bomb Tricqueville airfield. Bombers joined several miles west of “rendez – vous” point necessitating detour and consequent delay in reaching target which was bombed at 11.05 hrs. Bombs seen mostly on landing areas. 8/10 clouds target area, excellent visibility above.
2 hrs.
Two Spitfires up from NORTHOLT at 10.20 hrs as Sea Rescue in Hastings area. They patrolled at 6,000 – 7,000 feet. Landed at 12.20 hrs.
1hr. 30m.
Operational flight Ramrod 290. NORTHOLT Squadrons / 302, 317 and 303 / were used as fighter sweep to a force of 72 Marauders. Target – AMSTERDAM – SHIPOL airfield. 11 Spitfires of 303 Squadron led by F/Lt. ARCT. Took off at 14.55 hrs. Operation according to plan. No enemy aircraft seen, no activity of enemy anti-aircraft fire. Weather and visibility good. Landed at base at 16.25 hrs.
Training. Flight “A” took off from MANSTON, landed in FORD in number of 6 aircrafts. Flight “B” from BASE to FORD, 5 aircrafts.

1943-11-04

NORTHOLT

Training flying: both flights returned to BASE. Clouds 10/10, visibility 1/2 mile, slight low mist. In the afternoon clouds 8/10, visibility 4 miles, suny weather.

1943-11-05

NORTHOLT

2hrs. 15m.
12 Spitfires took off at 12.25 hrs. landed by S/Ldr. FALKOWSKI, as “1st Fighter Sweep umbrella” to 36 Marauders. Their target was PAS de CALAIS. Operation according to plan. Neither air nor ground enemy’s activity. Weather good enough. 12 planes of 303 Ramrod 291A landed safely at BASE.
1hr.55m.
Ramrod 292. 11 Spitfires climbed from BASE to meet 72 bombers. They had as their task to form “Fighter Umbrella”. F/Lt. ARCT Leading. Operation according to plan. Target PAS de CALAIS. Weather and visibility good. Nothing important to note.

1943-11-06

NORTHOLT

Owing to bad weather conditions during the day the squadron was not on operations.

1943-11-07

NORTHOLT

1hr. 40m.
Ramrod 297. 11 aircraft taking off at 09.15 hrs. to make a “High Cover” to 72 Marauders having as the task to bomb MONTDIDIEI airfield. S/Ldr. FALKOWSKI leaded the squadron. When the formation was over POIX, bad weather encountered, and got the order to return to bases.
1hr.55m.
Rescue consisting of two aircrafts patrolled in BEACHY HEAD area, flying at 4,000 – 5,000 feet. Landed at 11.20 hrs.
12 aircrafts, 6 flight “A” and six flight “B” went to REDHILL aerodrome, landed there and flew back to BASE.
Good suny weather, clouds 4.10, visibility 5 – 6 miles, cold northern wind.

1943-11-08

NORTHOLT

Owing to unfavourable weather conditions during the day no operations were undertaken, Cloud 10/10, showers all day.

1943-11-09

NORTHOLT

Training flying. “A” flight went to MANSTON in number of 6 planes, joined by 5 aircrafts from “B” flight. 2 planes of “B” flight tested. Weather good, clouds 6/10, visibility 2-3 miles.

1943-11-10

NORTHOLT

F/Lt. FILIPOWICZ and W/O. PALAK posted to 315 /Polish / Fighter Squadron. Both controllers in Operation Room.
2hrs.
Wing Northolt, 303, 317 and 302 squadrons had as their task the “High Cover” to 72 Marauders Their target, LILLE, VENDEVILLE airfield. 303 went off at 12.40 hrs. S/Ldr. FALKOWSKI leading 11 Spitfires IX. Formation crossed English Coast and followed route according to plan. After finishing the task formation turned back to bases. No enemy aircraft seen. 303 landed at 14.40 hrs. Weather and visibility good.
1hr.30m.
Wing NORTHOLT acted as “Fighter Umbrella” in Ramrod 308/4 to 72 Marauders. The target KARDELOT, ST. OMER and GRAVELINES districts. S/Ldr. FALKOWSKI leading 10 Spitfires of 303. Went up at 15.40/ Wing operated as a “Fighter Sweep” keeping off enemy aircrafts, till the bombers finished and took course back to base. No E/A seen. Weather and visibility very good. 303 took off from MANSTON aerodrome at 15.40 hrs and landed at BASE at 17.10 hrs.

1943-11-11

NORTHOLT

No flying at all. Heavy clouds 9/10.

1943-11-12

NORTHOLT

303 Squadron received orders for movement from R.A.F. NORTHOLT to R.A.F. BALLYHALBERT, COUNTY DOWN. NORTHERN IRELAND. 303 to move without aircraft, which will be taken over from 315 Squadron at BALLYHALBERT, the Spitfires VB. Part of the squadron went to new aerodrome in private cars, the rest in Air Lift.
BALLYHALBERT
No flying. Busy settling down at new station. Nice weather, clouds 3/10.

1943-11-13

BALLYHALBERT

12 aircrafts went up for Squadron Formation Flying. Good weather.

1943-11-14

BALLYHALBERT

Unsuitable weather for flying. Very cloudy, showers.

1943-11-15

BALLYHALBERT

00hr. 50m.
Two Spitfires VB took off to patrol over convoy between NORTHERN IRELAND and SOUTHERN SCOTLAND. Landed at 13.0 hrs. No training flying. Clouds 7/10. Showers.

1943-11-16

BALLYHALBERT

1hr. 40m.
Two aircraft went off at 08.10 hrs as an escort to convoy over North CHANNEL. Returned to BASE at 09.50 hrs.
1hr. 40m.
Two pilots took off at 08.55 to escort a convoy steaming between NORTHERN IRELAND and SOUTHERN SCOTLAND. Landed at BASE at 10.35.
1hr. 50m.
Convoy escort over NORTH CHANNEL. Two aircrafts. Taking off 10,00, landing 11.50 hrs.
1hr. 30m.
Two planes took off as as a convoy escort over NORTH CHANNEL.
00hr. 30m.
Two Spitfires went up to search for lost English plane. Landed at 12.45 hrs.
00hr. 55m.
Another two aircrafts took off to search for lost plane in area ten miles to Northern from LONDONDERY. Weather good enough today. Small showers, visibility two miles, clouds 6/10.

1943-11-17

BALLYHALBERT

Bright weather, visibility 6 miles. 12 aircraft took off for sector reconnaissance flying. 4 planes went to EGLINTON aerodrome, one aircraft tested. No operations.

1943-11-18

BALLYHALBERT

No operations to day. 7 Spitfires went off for squadron formation practice, one for test, and one for sector reconnaissance flight. Two came back from EGLINTON. Good weather all day. Clouds 2/10. Visibility 6 miles.

1943-11-19

BALLYHALBERT

9 Spitfires took off for squadron formation flying. Weather good enough in the morning. Mist in the afternoon, clouds 9/10, low cealing, visibility 1 mile.

1943-11-20

BALLYHALBERT

1 hr.
From 08.30 to 9.30 two aircraft patrolled over convoy, NORTH CHANNEL area.
00hr. 35m.
Patrol over convoy in NORTH CHANNEL area. Two Spitfires, Landed at 09.20 hrs.
Flight “A” training. Formation flying. Two Air Sea Rescue.
Our Squadron Commander S/Ldr. FALKOWSKI appointed to the Acting Rank of Wing Commander. New Squadron Commander, A/S/Ldr. KOC Tadeusz.
All day very cloudy, low cealing. In the afternoon thick mist, visibility 0 miles.

1943-11-21

BALLYHALBERT

No operations. Two Spitfires practicing Air to ground attacks. Very good weather, visibility 8 miles, sunshine.

1943-11-22

BALLYHALBERT

1hr. 20m.
At 09.50 hrs two readiness aircrafts took off for scramble. Have been up 1hr. 20 minutes.
0hr. 25m.
Rescue. Two Spitfires went up at 11.25 hrs.
Clouds 4/10, visibility 4 miles.

1943-11-23

BALLYHALBERT

On 23.11.43 W/C. FALKOWSKI Jan gone to 11 Group UXBRIDGE. S/Ldr. KOC took the Squadron command from him.
New pilot came posted to us from 1266 Flight – F/Sgt. KEPCZYNSKI Antoni Teofil.
1hr. 40m.
Scramble, two aircraft took off at 11.35 hrs.
No training flying to day.

1943-11-24

BALLYHALBERT

No operations. Six pilots training formation flying. Cloudy, showers, visibility 3 miles.

1943-11-25

BALLYHALBERT

1hr.
Two pilots patrolled over convoy in NORT CHANNEL area. Landed at 17.30 hrs. Cloud base from 2 – 3000 feet, visibility 8 miles.
Two aircrafts took off for cross country flight and photo practice. Very good weather.

1943-11-26

BALLYHALBERT

No operations flying. Training to EGLINTON and back. Suny weather, visibility 7 miles.

1943-11-27

BALLYHALBERT

1hr. 40m.
F/O BIALECKI and Sgt. KANIOK took off for patrol over convoy. After 15 minutes they found themselves over convoy 50 miles North from BASE. Their task was patrolling over 70 ships and a big ship moving by the side. The enemy headed to the West. They landed at EGLINTON, at 10.40 hrs.
2hrs. 05m.
Two Spitfires took off from BASE to continue patrolling. They were over convoy after 25 minutes flight. They spotted 70 ships and 5 destroyers. At 11.15 they were called back by operation. Section leader F/O. BARAN did not understand the message because of failure of the radio and they landed at BALLYHALBERT, though the Operation ordered to land at EGLINTON.
00hr. 15m.
F/O. BIALECKI and Sgt. KANIOK took off again from EGLINTON in order to patrol over same convoy. They were recalled by operation by reason of quick moving to the convoy. Landed at 11.35. Low cealing, poor visibility.

1943-11-28

BALLYHALBERT

No operations to day. 1 aircraft from Flight “B” took off for “High altitude flying”. Cloudy sky, showers, clouds base at 4000 feet, visibility 4 miles.

1943-11-29

BALLYHALBERT

00hr. 40m.
F/O BIALECKI and F/Sgt. BARTKOWIAK took off for scramble at 12.20 hrs. keeping vector 190°. Height 2,000 feet. After few minutes they met a Liberator, south from ISLE OF MAN. F/O. BAILECKI by his manoeuvres made him take the course to BALLYHALBERT. Liberator followed him for few minutes and altered the course to STRANRAE, SCOTLAND. Operation gave a vector 0.15°. F.O BIALECKI gave this vector to Liberator. Leading him to STRANRAER aerodrome, and left him landing at BALLYHALBERT.
00hr. 40m.
Operation called two sections to patrol the area between STRANRAE and ISLE OF MAN. Twin engine German seaplane appeared. The sections took off at 14.30. One of then patrolled along IRISH COAST, the other one along SCOTLAND. They did not meet enemy aircraft. Clouds base 2,000 feet, poor visibility, spots of heavy rain.

1943-11-30

BALLYHALBERT

Test of two aircrafts. All day air to air firing. Weather very good, clouds 3/10 visibility 8 miles, sunshine.

[Illegible]
Officer Commanding,
No. 303 /Polish/ Squadron
RAF Ballyhalbert.