Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1943-12-01

BALLYHALBERT

2.10 hrs
F/O. BARAN and Sgt. KANIOK took off at 06.40 to patrol over convoy steaming between Northern IRELAND AND Southern SCOTLAND. The weather and visibility very good. The convoy of 19 merchant ships and 12 destroyers.
1.45 hrs
Take off at 09.30 hrs. Section Leader F/O. STASIK with F/Sgt. MARTENS patrolled over convoy 20 merchant and war-ships moving in East from HORN HEAD. Clouds 7/10, visibility 3 miles.
The weather was clear over base. The other exercises like usually. Air to air firing. Aircraft tests etc.

1943-12-02

BALLYHALBERT

F/O. BARAN, S. left to day for Air/Sea Rescue Course to R.A.F. Blackpool.
No flying to day one only aircraft tested. Weather in the morning fair enough. In the afternoon cloudy and showers. Clouds cover 7/10 visibility 5 miles.

1943-12-03

BALLYHALBERT

1.45 hrs.
Section of two aircrafts took off at 12.50 hrs. Section Leader F/O. JENIK. Their task was to escort the transport-ship. They didn’t find the ship at given by operation fix. Operation gave then a vector 20 miles Southward and they met the ship at CARRON POINT altitude. Ops recalled then and they landed at BASE. at 14.35 hrs. Weather conditions were not very favourable. Cumulus clouds 7/10 at 1 – 2000 feet. Poor visibility circa 1 mile.
0.50 hrs.
F/O. ZDANOWSKI with F/Sgt. ZYGARLICKI took off at 14.10 hrs to find and to escort a big ship. The position 10 miles Northwrds from BELFAST BAY as given by Ops Controller appeared not correct. After research the operation recalled then back to BASE. 10/10 clouds cover at 2000 feet. Over land visibility 6 miles, oversea 8 miles.
1.50 hrs.
Two Spitfires went off. Leading F/O. JENIK. They had to find a transport-ship at RATHLIN isle altitude, sailing Southwards. Heading to the North they met a ship at CARNLOUGH BAY altitude 10 miles to East. They gave a fix and assured that this is a troop-ship and escorted her to DONAGHADEE. Landed 16.45 hrs at BASE. 9/10 clouds at 1 – 1,500 feet, visibility 5-6 miles.
1.20 hrs.
A section received an order to meet and escort a single ship. Position 8 miles East from LARNE. Leading F/O. ZDANOWSKI with F/Lt. JASIONOWSKI as No. 2. They didn’t find her at given position. Clouds cover 9/10 – 10/10 at 2500 feet, visibility 4 – 5 miles. They landed at 17.20 hrs.
The weather over BASE good. Light cloudiness, visibility 7 miles.

1943-12-04

BALLYHALBERT

Exercise of formation flying and photo attacks. Suny weather, 2/10 clouds, visibility 9 miles.

1943-12-05

BALLYHALBERT

No flying. Weather fair enough.

1943-12-06

BALLYHALBERT

Formation flying and photo. In the morning thick mist, clouds cover 10/10, visibility 1 mile. In the afternoon cloudiness a bit less, 7/10, visibility 5 miles.

1943-12-07

BALLYHALBERT

No flying. Weather good, clear and sunny.

1943-12-08

BALLYHALBERT

Owing o unfavourable weather conditions – strong cloudiness all day and showers, there was no flying.

1943-12-09

BALLYHALBERT

0.40 hrs.
Scramble. One section took off. F/O. HERBST, W, Leading F/Sgt. KEPCZYNSKI, A. as No. 2. They had a task to find a flying fortress erring in LARNE area. No. 2 lost his leader who was forced to open fully the throttle. The weather was too bad to follow him. F/O. HERBST gave order to No. 2 to land. The flying fortress has not been found. Bad weather conditions. Clouds 8/10, at 00 – 2000 feet, rain. Visibility very poor.
At BASE formation flying practice, air to ground firing and photo. Weather fair enough.

1943-12-10

BALLYHALBERT

Photo attacks and local flying. Weather good, 3/10 clouds, visibility 7 miles.

1943-12-11

BALLYHALBERT

Local flying, four Spitfires flew to EGLINGTON and back to BASE, air to ground firing, aircraft test. Weather nice, sunshine, clouds 3/10, visibility 9 miles.

1943-12-12

BALLYHALBERT

Flight formation flying, air to ground firing, weather test.

1943-12-13

BALLYHALBERT

1.00 hrs.
At 09.55 two Spitfires took off to find and patrol over convoy. After 20 minutes flight they were in the vicinity of convoy, but due to bad weather couldn’t find it. They received a message to come back to BASE. Mist, clouds at 100 feet, visibility very poor.
At BASE interception exercise and photo Dog Fighting. Weather over BASE good enough.

1943-12-14

BALLYHALBERT

About 14.30 hrs during return flight from TOOME to BASE has been lost F/O. PODOBINSKI, S. Most probably he crashed on the rocks or sunk in sea. Here is the report of Sgt. BARTKOWIAK who flew with F/O. PODOBINSKI as No. 2:
“On 14.12.43 at approx. 14.10 hrs I took off as No. 2 with F/O PODOBINSKI from R.A.F ST TOOME. The cloud ceiling was at 800 – 1000 ft. visibility about 1 mile. After rising above the clouds I heard F/O. PODOBINSKI asking Operations as “Picco 20” if they received him. Operations answered they received him with a strength 3 but with disturbances. Next F/O. PODOBINSKI asked me using his own name if I received him. I received on strength 5 and I noticed that there was something wrong with my transmitter because when I tried to answer him I didn’t hear my own voice. After checking up the transmitter connection on the Oxygen Mask I noticed that it was not correct position. After adjusting it to the correct position I answered “Picco 20 I am receiving you with strength 5, Picco 37 speaking – out” Then I heard Ops. asking me if I received them, I answered “Yes”. I didn’t speak to Operations for 10 mins., because they told me “ROGGER OUT”. After about 12 mins. I asked Ops:, keeping all the time a course of 120 degrees “What is our position” Operations answered that we were 5 miles East of BASE. After a short while they told me to move forward and try to make F/O. PODOBINSKI agree to give the Leadership of the formation to me. Consequently I mowed forward and tried to attract his attention by lateral movements of my a/c, then with gesture by hand I tried to make him understand that my wireless was allright and that I wanted to lead. F/O. PODOBINSKI answered with refusal gesture and turned his a/c slightly to port making me understand that I should return to No. 2 position. F/O. PODOBINSKI tried tree times to get down through clouds but climbed again. At the moment when Operations told me once again to try to make leader understand that I should take over the leadership, F/O. PODOBINSKI started again to go down through the clouds. When we were in clouds I heard Operations saying something but I could not understand as I was concentrating so that I should not lose my leaders. When at the height of approx. 600 feet in a deep turn to the left and about 20 yards from my leader I locked down to see where we were and I noticed hilly ground. A few seconds later I noticed that we were flying straight into a fairly high mountain. I opened the throttle and climbed fast but during this operation I lost my leader. I asked Operations to give me the course and they directed me on a course of 300 degrees and I flew on this course about 10 mins. Next they gave me the order to lover through the clouds and when I was at approx. 1000 feet I asked once again for the “fix” and I received a course 280 degrees. After 2 minutes I arrived over BASE and landed.
The weather was misty, clouds 7/10, at 1000 – 1500 feet.

1943-12-15

BALLYHALBERT

Scramble! F/O. KRASZEWSKI and F/Sgt. JUDEK took off at 11.40 hrs., to protect the convoy. Because of bad weather Operations called them back to BASE. Landed at 12.00 hrs. Very thick mist. There was no training flying to day. Clouds 10/10. At 1000 feet, visibility very poor.

1943-12-16

BALLYHALBERT

Owing to unfavourable weather conditions there was no flying to day. Mist, clouds cover 10/10 at 1000 feet, visibility very poor.

1943-12-17

BALLYHALBERT

Bad weather like yesterday. No flying at all.

1943-12-18

BALLYHALBERT

F/O. BARAN come back to Unit from Air/Sea Rescue Course. Formation flight of 12 Spitfires to ISLE OF MAN. Located crashed aircraft Spitfire EN865B at highest point in ISLE OF MAN. F/O. BRYGIDER was the first who spotted the crashed aircraft. He has seen the fuselage and the wings laying apart. In the morning suny weather, clouds 4/10 at 2 – 3000 feet, visibility 6 miles. In the afternoon severe wind and rain. Strong cloudiness, visibility 0 miles.

1943-12-19

BALLYHALBERT

F/Lt. MAJEWSKI posted wef to day to 316 /P/ Fighter Squadron. Training like usually. Local flying, ground attacks, photo and formation. S/Ldr. KOC with F/Sgt. KEPCZYNSKI flew to ISLE OF MAN and landed at ANDREAS aerodrome to direct the searches to crashed aircraft. F/O. PODOBINSKI was found dead beside his machine. The Weather was good. Clear and bright day. Clouds 3/10 at 7000 feet, visibility 8 miles.

1943-12-20

BALLYHALBERT

Exercise of Air to Ground Firing on target carried out by “A” Flight in the afternoon. Weather was good like yesterday.

1943-12-21

BALLYHALBERT

1.40 hrs.
F/O HERBST and F/Sgt. KEPCZYNSKI took off to patrol over convoy. They found it after 20 minutes research because of the lack of convoy plots. There was only one merchant ship escorted by single Destroyer. 10 miles East of LARNE. Clouds 10/10 at 1500 feet, visibility 10 – 15 miles. They landed at 16.45 hrs.
1.00 hrs.
Another section went up at 16.15 hrs to escort a big passenger ship protected by one destroyer. They found her in the area 15 miles East of LARNE. Called back at 17.00 hrs.
P/O. HACZKIEWICZ flew to JURBY, ISLE OF MAN to attend funeral of F/O. PODOBINSKI.

1943-12-22

BALLYHALBERT

Formation flying of 4 aircraft and photo attacks. Cooperation with Marouders. Squadron acting to close escort to 12 Marouders bombing TOWNPATICK. Rendez – vous at 15.42 hrs. CALF OF MAN at 10,000 feet. Squadron arrived two minutes early. Before reaching the object they were engaged by 4 Mustangs acting as enemy a/c. Cloud 9/10, base 6000, top 10.000 feet. Clear sky above, visibility excellent.
To day the funeral of F/O. PODOBINSKI took place in ISLE OF MAN.

1943-12-23

BALLYHALBERT

No operational flights to day. Exercise of Air to Air Firing. Wind from 270°, speed 25 mph. Cloud 2/10 at 6000 feet.

1943-12-24

BALLYHALBERT

Christmas Eve! No flying. Tonight in the N.A.A.F.I. restaurant met the personnel of 303 Squadron, of 3108 Servicing Echelon entertaining American Pilots from TOOME and other invited guests. The hall was decorated nicely. Before the supper S/Ldr. KOC welcomed all the guests and expressed his wishes for everybody. After he finished his speech all breaked with Christmas wafer after an old polish tradition and made ready for supper, singing Christmas Carols. The super was rather moderate, but the atmosphere very pleasant – family. Before the end S/Ldr. KOC and O.C. of 3108 Servicing Echelon distributed Christmas presents sent by “God-Mother” of 3108 S.E. Lady of JERSKI. These were the pocket-calendars for 1944. Airmen up to and including Corporals received for one packet of cigarettes from Polish Inspectorate General of P.A.F. The supper came to end and all gone to the dancing hall where amateurish troupe of airmen and W.A.A.F. gave a nice and cheerful show.
After show some of us went to R.C. Church in [Kirko]ubbin to attend a midnight service, the other stayed in enjoying the dance.

1943-12-25

BALLYHALBERT

At 11.30 hrs in the morning all came to Maintenance Hangar to attend a mass. The American and English guests were delighted with polish Christmas Carols. At noon all met in Airmens Mess for dinner. The dinning room was splendid decorated, the Christmas three stood in the middle, slighted with manycoloured glimmerings. After a nice english tradition the Officers served the meals. They all feel freely. From time to time a melodious voice from loud-speaker intones a carol, and the hum of laughter and voices changes singing a nice tune.

1943-12-26

BALLYHALBERT

No flying. There is one remarquable thing, the weather which we had since many days and which seems to last longer. The star-lit nights enabled the ground personnel to carry out the dusk and night flying. No patrol consumed during these operations. I think that congratulations will soon come from neighbouring bars.

1943-12-27

BALLYHALBERT

After a few days interval the squadron made ready for his work. “A” Flight exercises formation flying, “B” Flight training Air Fighting and photo. Cloud 4/10 at 2 – 3000 feet, visibility 8 miles.

1943-12-28

BALLYHALBERT

We got two new pilots, F/Lt. BRZESKI, S. and F/Lt. KLAWE, W.
“A” Flight formation and low flying exercise and photo. Low level attacks on two destroyers. “B” Flight low flying and aerobatics exercise. Visibility 8 miles, clouds 9/10 at 2200-3000 feet.

1943-12-29

BALLYHALBERT

“A” Flight practice Air to Air Firing and formation flying. “B” Flight the same. At 15.10 hrs. O.C. Station W/C. C.R. HANCOCK OBE, DFC, took off in Spitfire AD 457 for practice local flying. Aircraft not returned to BASE. Researches not successful. Probably crashed on mountains or sunk in sea, owing to very low cumulus clouds and bad visibility.

1943-12-30

BALLYHALBERT

1 hrs.
F/Sgt. ZYGARLICKI took off at 09.55 hrs. He searched for missing aircraft in area between Northern IRELAND and Southern SCOTLAND and ISLE OF MAN, with no positive result.
10 min.
Operation ordered a rescue. Two Spitfires took off. Shortly they were called back and landed at 12.15 hrs.
1.30 hrs.
F/O. BRYGIDER took off at 11.10 hrs to rescue the missing plane. He has been flying over same area what F/Sgt. ZYGARLICKI. Landed with negative result.
1.10 hrs.
Scramble. Two Spitfires climbed 180° course to meet a Liberator. After some time No. one’s radio failed and F/Sgt. BIENIEK took over the leadership. They flew at 8000 feet. They altered the course to 270° and later to 080° and found themselves over ISLE OF MAN. They didn’t meet the Liberator. Landed at 12.30 hrs.
Clouds 5/10, at 6000 feet, visibility 6 – 8 miles. Here and there dense and dark clouds. Showers.

1943-12-31

BALLYHALBERT

1.05 hrs.
Two spitfires took off for Scramble. The task was to patrol over convoy. Through bad weather conditions they didn’t meet the convoy, landing at 10.55 hrs.
1.20 hrs.
At 12.25 hrs F/O. STASIK and Sgt. KANIOK took off for Scramble. They took 260° course from BASE. Operations leaded them. At 13.10 hrs they met the Fortress but her crew evidently didn’t understand the signes and took course to SCOTLAND flying at 6000 feet. Clouds 10/10 at 6000 feet, visibility 15 miles.
At BASE two aircrafts tested. Cloudy, showers, visibility 4 miles.

Koc S/L [Autograph]
Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No. 303 /Polish/ Squadron.