Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1942-05-01

LINDHOLME

Weather: Cloudy with poor visibility at first, becoming fine with good visibility.
F/L J.T. BUCZMA appointed to the rank of Acting Squadron Leader, became Flight Commander of “B” Flight, vice S/L CZETOWICZ, still in hospital as the result of wounds received on an operational flight on the night of 24th April. Wellington 1C aircraft HX384, HF894 and DV781 arrived from No. 44 M,U, on H,Q, No. 41 Group allotments 4145 and 4146.

1942-05-02

LINDHOLME

Weather: Cloudy, becoming fine. Good visibility.
Wellington 1C aircraft DV803 arrived from No. 45 M.U. on H.Q. No. 41 Group allotment 4125.

1942-05-03

LINDHOLME

Weather: Cloudy by night, fine by day. Moderate to poor visibility at first, becoming good.
Replacements of aircraft arrived as follows: DV820 from No. 44 M.U. and R3215 from 33 M.U. on H.Q. No. 41 Group authority. Three crews carried out a nickel raid on PARIS.

1942-05-04

LINDHOLME

Weather: Generally fine, partly cloudy at times. Moderate visibility.

1942-05-05

LINDHOLME

Weather: Cloudy, with moderate to poor visibility.
Wellington 1C aircraft DV558 was transferred from No. 150 Squadron, SNAITH, on H.Q. No. 1 Group authority. Sgt. JAROSZ was re-posted to the Squadron (to the Squadron) from R.A.F. Station, LINDHOLME, for aircrew duties, on ceasing to be non-effective sick.

1942-05-06

LINDHOLME

Weather: Partly cloudy, with moderate visibility.
F/O WALENDOWSKI, interpreter, left on posting to No. 300 Squadron, HEMSWELL.

1942-05-07

LINDHOLME

Weather: Fine, with haze and mist at first, becoming cloudy with good visibility.
The advance party of the Squadron left for ISLE OF TIREE, with F/L LEWKOWICZ in charge, to prepare for the temporary transfer of the Squadron to Coastal Command.

1942-05-08

LINDHOLME

Weather: Cloudy, becoming fine toward midnight. Very good visibility throughout.
F/L A,M, TURSKI, interpreter, left on posting to HUCKNALL for pre-ITW training as an observer. F/S W. MILNE returned from attachment to No. 1 Signals School, CRANWELL, on completion of his conversion course to W.O.M./A.G.

1942-05-09

LINDHOLME

Weather: Generally fine, with some cloud during day. Good visibility.
The main party of Squadron personnel left by rail from FINNINGLEY for ISLE OF TIREE, with F/L S. MILEWSKI and F/L F.L. BRAITHWAITE, Polish and British Adjutants respectively, in charge. The following signal was received from Air Vice Marshal R.D. OXLAND, Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group: “On your temporary departure from this Group I wish you every success in your new role”.

1942-05-10

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fine all day. Small amounts of cloud at 3-4000ft at midday. Visibility very good. Wind light, easterly.
The main party disembarked at SCARINISH, ISLE OF TIREE, from S.S. HEBRIDES, being welcomed on the jetty by G/C G.W. TUTTLE, O.B.E., D.F.C., Station Commander

1942-05-11

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fair but cloudy. Small amounts of local cloud, increasing temporarily to 6-8/10ths at 3500ft and decreasing during evening. Visibility unlimited. Wind E. to N.E., 10 mph.

1942-05-12

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Cloudy to 0600 hours. Fine all day. Easterly wind and good visibility.

1942-05-13

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fine, visibility 20-30 miles. Cloud 2-3/10ths at 3000ft, becoming no cloud in afternoon. Wind, light N.E., becoming N.
Air party arrived at ISLE OF TIREE. With the air party was F/O S.R. ORSKI, from No. 300 Squadron, HEMSWELL, who succeeds F/O WALENDOWSKI as interpreter.

1942-05-14

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fine all day. Small amount of cloud at 3500ft about midday. No light cloud rest of day. Visibility mainly 8-12 miles.
F/O Z DUNCZEWSKI and Sgt. F. NOWAK arrived at ISLE OF TIREE in the Squadron Moth.

1942-05-15

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Mainly cloudy. Some continuous slight rain 1500-1700 hours, and period of continuous moderate rain about 20.00 hours. Cloud mainly 9-10/10ths at 2500ft but lowering to 1-2000ft in rain. Visibility mainly 6 miles, deteriorating to 2-4 miles in rain.
F/L J. ISZKOWSKI was posted to No. 18 O.T.U., BRAMCOTE, for instructor duties.

1942-05-16

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Mainly fair, but cloudy. 4-7/10ths cloud at 2500-3000ft. Visibility mainly 12 miles.

1942-05-17

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Mainly cloudy. Period of moderate light rain at 1600-1730 hours. Cloud mainly 8-9/10ths at 1500-2500ft.
Seven crews undertook bombing practice in GOTT BAY.

1942-05-18

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Continuous moderate rain until 1000 hours, becoming continuous slight drizzle until 1200 hours. Cloudy for rest of day. Visibility mainly 6-12 miles.
The Squadron’s first operational task under Coastal Command consisted of an anti-submarine sweep by 7 aircraft. Seven crews also carried out bombing practice in GOTT BAY.

1942-05-19

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Mainly fair. Visibility 12 miles. Cloud 4-6/10ths 2500-3500ft.
Four aircraft carried out an anti-submarine sweep.

1942-05-20

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Mainly fair, 6-8/10ths cloud in afternoon, decreasing to 1-3/10ths later in day. Cloud base 2000ft, lifting in afternoon to 3500ft.
W/C POZIOMEK flew to NORTHOLT and proceeded to POLISH INSPECTORATE GENERAL in LONDON for interview. He was accompanied by F/O W Waltera. Bombing practice was undertaken in GOTT BAY by four crews. Five aircraft were engaged on an anti-submarine sweep.

1942-05-21

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Cloudya with intermittent rain or drizzle after midday. Mainly fair in evening. Visibility 15-20 miles in morning, falling to 6 miles after midday. Cloud 9-10/10ths at 3000ft, becoming 5-9/10ths at 2500ft ater midday. Wind light and variable, becoming S.E. Speed 5 mph.
The Squadron rear party, consisting of F/O HOPPER and 16 other ranks, arrived; completing the move from LINDHOLME to ISLE OF TIREE.

1942-05-22

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fine after rain and drizzle in early morning. Visibility 6-12 miles, falling to 1-2 miles in drizzle. Cloud 10/10ths at 1-2000ft, falling to 100ft at times in drizzle, and lifting and breaking to 2-5/10ths at 2-3000ft in afternoon.
Five aircraft carried out an anti-submarine sweep.

1942-05-23

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fair in morning, becoming continuous rain in afternoon and clearing by midnight. Visibility over 12 miles, falling to 1-3 miles in rain and improving to 6 miles later. Cloud 3-7/10ths at 3,000ft, becoming 10/10ths at 1000ft - 1500ft in rain and to 100ft in heavier rain.
Four aircraft were engaged on an anti-submarine sweep. The Under-Secretary of State for Air, accompanied by the Parliamentary Private Secretary, visited the Station. The Commanding Officer and Officers of the Squadron enterained the Commanding O fficer and Officers of No. [an illegible cipher] 24 Squadron in the Officers’s Mess.

1942-05-24

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Cloudy, becoming mainly fair with occasional showers in the morning and a period of rain toward midnight. Visibility 6-12 miles, falling to 3-4 miles in showers. Cloud 9-10/10ths at 1500ft, breaking to 3-6/10ths at 2500ft but 8-10/10ths at 1000-2000ft in showers and rain. Five aircraft carried out an anti-submarine sweep. News was received that F/O PIWOWAREK, Sgt KLUS, Sgt SOLECKI and Sgt WALUKIEWICZ, whose aircraft was missing from an operational flight on the night of 10th April, 1942, were taken prisoner in Germany, and that Sgt. JANIK, captain of the aircraft, was killed when the aircraft crashed.

1942-05-25

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Continuous rain or drizzle, clearing by midday. Fine or fair later, with occasional showers. Visibility 2-4 miles in rain, improving to over 12 miles later. Cloud 10/10ths at 1-1500ft., lifting and breaking to 3-6/10ths at 250 [an illegible cipher, most probably 0] - 3500ft during morning.

1942-05-26

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Cloudy at first, becoming fair to fine, with rain in late evening. Visibility 12 miles.
Ten aircraft operated on an anti-submarine sweep and one of these, captained by S/L J.T. BUCZMA, sighted what was possibly the wake of a U-boat in the vicinity of a convoy. Two attacks were carried out with depth charges but the results were not observed.

1942-05-27

ISLE OF TIREE

WWeather: Cloudy, with showers all day. Visibility 10 miles.
Four aircraft were employed on an anti-submarine seep, and the aircraft captained by S/L B. NOWICKI reported seeing a large oil patch on which three depth charges were dropped. W/C POZIOMEK flew to LINDHOLME. F/L F.L. BRAITHWAITE, British Adjutant, left on transfer to S.H.Q., ISLE OF TIREE, pending posting.

1942-05-28

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Rain at first, cloudy later, becoming fair to fine by evening. Visibility 12-18 miles.
Wellington 1C aircraft DV671 arrived from No. 20 M.U., ASTON DOWN, on H.Q. No. 41 Group allotment 3759. F/O PIJANOWSKI left on posting, for special duties, to the Polish Land Army, and was succeeded as Squadron Engineer Officer by F/O FIJALKOWSKI, from No. 20 O.T.U., LOSSIEMOUTH. Four aircraft were detailed for an anti-submarine sweep. That captained by F/O KONARZEWSKI sighted an oil patch but saw nothing further although it circled for some time.

1942-05-29

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fair to fine all day. Visibility 12-30 miles all day. Cloud 1-3/10ths 3000ft. Wind calm, becoming light north-westerly.

1942-05-30

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Mainly fair. Cloud 4-6/10ths 2500-3500ft. Patches of low cloud between 1700-1900ft. Visibility mainly 12 miles. Wind N.W. to N., 4-8 mph.
Nine crews received bombing practice in GOTT BAY.

1942-05-31

ISLE OF TIREE

Weather: Fair and cloudy with showers in morning; becoming fine in evening and night. Wind light northerly, becoming south-westerly at night. Visibility very good.
Eight aircraft participated in an anti-submarine sweep. Wellington DV781 (Captain - F/O W. WALTERA) made a forced descent at sea. The crew took to their dinghy and were picked up after nearly six hours by one of H.M. destroyers. Of the other seven, that captained by F/L Z. HIRSZ sighted what was possibly the wake of a U-boat and attakced with 3 depth charges.; and that captained by F/O R. FIGURA attacked the spot where the wake and swirl of a possible U-boat had been observed.
The following appeared in H.Q. Bomber Command Routine Orders dated 21st May, 1942:
NOTABLE WAR SERVICES. The Commander-in-Chief wishes to bring to the notice of all ranks in the Command the courage and determination and skilful airmanship displayed by Acting Squadron Leader K. CZETOWICZ and Flight Sergeant ZIOLKOWSKI, K., both of No. 304 (Polish) Squadron.
2. On the night of 24th April, 1942, this officer and N.C.O. were Captain and 2nd Pilot respectively of a Wellington 1C aircraft detailed to carry out an operational flight to ROSTOCK. On the outward journey a surprise attack was made on the aircraft by an enemy fighter which opened fire with machine gun and cannon, wounding the rear gunner in the arm. The Captain, while at the controls, also received wounds in the right arm as the result of which he momentarily lost control of the aircraft, but by great effort, and despite the pain he was suffering, he managed to regain control at 12,000ft.
3. Control of the aircraft, which had been rendered very difficult by the extensive damage sustained, was then taken over by the second pilot, the bombs jettisoned by the Navigator, and course was set for base. Despite the heavy damage which had rendered the hydraulic system and the undercarriage unserviceable, the second pilot made a successful belly-landing without further injury to the crew. The safe return of the aircraft to base can only be attributed to the fortitude and great skill shown by both the Captain and 2nd Pilot.

(Signed) Ronald Graham,
Air Vice Marshal,
l/c Administration,
BOMBER COMMAND

[Illegible signature]
Wing Commander, Commanding
No. 304 (Polish) Squadron,
R.A.F. Station, TIREE