Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1941-03-01

Weather – Clear at first, wind increasing to 50 m.p.h. later with rain.

1941-03-02

Weather – Strong wind 25 – 35 m.p.h. Fair with rainy periods, Cloud 6/10ths, Visibility good.

1941-03-03

Weather – Slight mist but fair later. Wind 10 – 15 m.p.h. 50% Cloud, hail showers. Visibility good. 568404 LAC Wood L., P.782183 LAC Lisowski P. and P.782203 LAC Emerle B. have been promoted to the rank of T/Corporal.

1941-03-04

Weather – Early ground frost with fog, little wind and clearing later, visibility mainly 1,000 yds.

1941-03-05

Weather – Thick fog early, clearing by 1400 hours to visibility of about 400 yards. Wind 10 m.p.h. Pilot Officer T.Gilbert, Assistant Station Administrative Officer, arrived to relieve the Squadron Adjutant. F/Lt B.Musgrave, who has assumed the duties of Station Adjutant.

1941-03-06

Weather – Misty at first, fair later with visibility of 1,000 to 2,000 yards. Cloud 6/10ths. F/Lt R.Vincent left on posting to GRANTHAM.

1941-03-07

Weather – Rain generally, wind 20 – 25 m.p.h. Visibility poor. W/Cdr Dudzinski left for LONDON on a visit to the Polish Inspectorate General. No flying.

1941-03-08

Weather – Rain generally, visibility fair, Cloud 6/10ths, wind 35 to 40 m.p.h. No flying.

1941-03-09

Weather – Rain or drizzle, wind 15 to 20 m.p.h. Overcast, visibility about 700 yards. W/Cdr Dudzinski returned from LONDON. No flying.

1941-03-10

Weather – Snow at first but fair later with gusts of wind of 40 – 50 m.p.h. Visibility 1,000 to 2,000 yards. Overcast decreasing to 6/10ths cloud. Aerodrome unserviceable.

1941-03-11

Weather – Hazy, wind 35 m.p.h. 7/10ths cloud. Visibility 3,000 yards. Aerodrome unserviceable. 973340 LAC Burns J. and 1010389 LAC Willmore A. have been promoted to the rank of T/Corporal.

1941-03-12

Weather – Wind 20 – 25 m.p.h. Fair, cloud 6/10ths, visibility 1,000 yards. Aerodrome unserviceable.

1941-03-13

Weather – Frost early, fair with visibility 2,000 yards. Wind 15 – 20 m.p.h. 3/10ths cloud. W/Cdr W.M.Graham and F/O G.J.Lynes flew to LITTLE RISSINGTON to collect Wellington No. R.1473 on Bomber Command Allotment No. 41.G/3054.

1941-03-14

Weather – Hazy – clearing later with 3/10ths cloud. Visibility 2,000 – 3,000 yards. Air Vice Marshall Ujejski, Polish Inspector General, visited the Squadron. Air Commodore R.D.Oxland, Air Officer Commanding No.1 Group also visited. British Officers attended a Gas Chamber Test. Night flying practice commenced.

1941-03-15

Weather – Hazy, cloud 6/10ths, wind 15 – 25 m.p.h., visibility 1000 – 1500 yards. Air Commodore R.D.Oxland, Air Officer Commanding No.1 Group visited. Ten Wellingtons arrived from SWINDERBY for operational duties, which were later cancelled. The aircraft returned to SWINDERBY the same evening. Polish Officers attended a Gas Chamber Test. A Polish Association Football team from the Squadron was defeated by S.H.Q. Team.

1941-03-16

Weather – Early fog, clearing later, little wind, cloud 6/10ths, wind 15 – 25 m.p.h. visibility 2,000 yards. F/O Lynes was Officer i/c Station Church Parade which was held at Flintham Church.

1941-03-17

Weather – Misty, clearing later, low cloud, wind 10 – 15 m.p.h. visibility about 350 yards. S/L Biles visited from the Air Ministry. P/O Kostuch returned after long period of sick leave. P/O Alberti returned from STAVERTON after a course. Group Captain Karpinski W/Cdr Kippenberger visited from No.1 Group.

1941-03-18

Weather – little wind, cloud 4/10ths, visibility about 2,500 yards. Group Captain W.Sanderson and W/Cdr Graham, Squadron Commander, left for Carlisle but returned after having only reached DONCASTER, on account of bad weather. Bombing practice on the WAINFLEET Range commenced.

1941-03-19

Weather – Wind 5 m.p.h., cloud 8/10ths, early ground frosts, visibility 1,500 – 2,000 yards.

1941-03-20

Weather – Fog or mist, wind 5 – 10 m.p.h. bringing cloud. Visibility poor. A crew arrived on posting from Bramcote consisting of F/Lt Rostrowski, P/O Rach, P/O Siuda, 783262 Sgt Szewczyk, 783264 Sgt Paskiewicz and 782121 Sgt Gebicki.

1941-03-21

Weather – Gusty wind of 25 – 30 m.p.h. 9/10ths cloud, visibility moderate. Two typewriters (One English, one Polish) arrived.

1941-03-22

Weather – Rain and drizzle, hazy, visibility about 700 yards, wind 5 – 10 m.p.h. No flying.

1941-03-23

Weather – Clear and fine, wind 20 -25 m.p.h. cloud 4/10ths, visibility 2,000 – 3,000 yards. F/O Z.Sokolowski and F/O J.Kurek returned from CANADA after an Astro-navigation course. P/O T.Gilbert has relinquished the Inventory of the Sergeants Mess in favour of W/O Jones, Station Assistant Adjutant. F/O G.Lynes was Officer i/c Station Church Parade which was held in NEWARK CHURCH on account of the National Day of Prayer.

1941-03-24

Weather – Heavy mist, wind 5 – 15 m.p.h. rain, visibility 800 – 1,000 yards, low cloud most of the period.

1941-03-25

Weather – Thick mist and heavy rain. Wind rising. Bombing practice at the TRENT VALLEY RANGE. 761359 Sgt Gear, S.R. attended on Investiture in LONDON for the purpose of receiving the D.F.M.

1941-03-26

Weather – Conditions fair. Aerodrome unserviceable. P/O Karczewski arrived on posting from BLACKPOOL.

1941-03-27

Weather – Wind 5 – 10 m.p.h., cloud variable, fair showery towards the end of the period. Visibility good. W/Cdr Kippenberger visited from No.1. Group. Aerodrome unserviceable.

1941-03-28

Weather – Early fog with little wind, visibility improving with increase of wind to about 35 m.p.h. Aerodrome unserviceable. A Polish team defeated Station Headquarters at Association Football by six goals to two.

1941-03-29

Weather – Slight rain, cloudy but visibility increasing to 1,000 yards, wind 20 -25 m.p.h.

1941-03-30

Weather – Fair, visibility good but decreasing, wind 5 m.p.h. F/L S.Milewski, Polish Adjutant, visited No.1. Group. F/L M.Wisniewski, Squadron M.O. left for a physiological course at SOUTH FARNBOROUGH. F/O Sym flew to HIGH WYCOMBE to take a mosaic.

1941-03-31

Weather – Ground frost early, visibility good, wind 15 – 20 m.p.h.

Completed in Month: - Cross Country Flights 116.33 hours.
A.M.L. Teacher 33.35 hours.
Total Flying, Day 240.20 hours.
Night 11.50 hours.
Practice Turret 55.30 hours.
Link Trainer. 22.35 hours.

Lectures upon the following subjects were given to all Flying personnel during the month: -
Bomber Command Crew Orders, Signal Procedure, Syko machine, Flying Order Book, Cockpit Drill,
Types of Bombs, Bombing Tactics, Instrument Flying, Flying Economy, Parachutes, W/T
communication between Aircraft and Base, Electrical Installation, Bomb Release Gear,
Tactics of Operational Flying, Compass Swinging, Intercommunication in Aircraft.

Graham, Squadron Leader,
For Wing Commander, Commanding,
No. 304 Polish Squadron,
Royal Air Force, SYERSTON