Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1944-07-01

Appledrum.

Squadron took off at 16.30 for Ramrod 1052 operation. Target cover for 300 Halifaxes bombing Noball Targets at Biennais St. Martin L’Hortier and Oisemont Neuville-au-Bis. Heavy intense fairly accurate flak from time of crossing in until time of crossing out of enemy coast. Heard on Tangmere sector Fixer No. 10 a German voice saying “I have a message for you” followed by figures, than couting from one to 35 in German. Reception very clear.

1944-07-02

Squadron took off for Neptune Low Cover for Western [and] Eastern and William Areas. One Ju 88 attempted unsucsesfully to bomb one of our warships North of Orne estueray. Enemy aircraft droped bombs and disapeared in clouds.

1944-07-03

In the late afternoon Squadron took off at 20.25 for operation Neptune 48. Squadron patrolled Cherbourg Peninsula and Caen Area. No enemy aircraft seen. Weather poor. Low clouds.

1944-07-04

Squadron took off at 20.10 for Ramrod 1059 as a target cover for heavy bombers bombing Noball Targets. Very good results observed. Heavy inaccurete flak.

1944-07-05

Owing to bad weather conditions no operational flying.

1944-07-06

First operation of to-day was close escort to Ramrod 1063. Operation according to plan.
Second operation Target Cover and Withdrawal Support to 160 Halifaxes and 40 Lancasters bombing Z.3276 and Z.3273. Heavy inaccurete flak over target. F/Lt Duryasz posted to 302 Squadron for Squadron Leader post.

1944-07-07

Twelve A/C of our Squadron took off for Close Escort to Ramrod 1069. Tactical target Caen. The mission was uneventful. Squadron landed in base without incident. F/L Wandzilak posted from No. 18 Wing H.Q. for Flight Commander duties. (Flight “B”)

1944-07-08

No operational flying to-day owing to bad weather conditions.

1944-07-09

Weather still very poor. No flying.

1944-07-10

Squadron took off at 05.05 for operation Ramrod 1072 to patrol Mantes-Gassicourt. Reaching target at 05.55 hours and leaving 06.10 hours. Returned to base without incident at 07.20. Patrol was uneventful but heavy fairly accurete moderate flak was encountered.

1944-07-11

Twelve A/C took off at 11.20 hours for operation as Close Escort to 7 Lancasters one Mosquito bombing Noball Target at GAPENNES, Rendezvous was very difficult owing to clouds and mist, but eventually made at 12.00 hours. Bombers 20 minutes late. A/C returned at 13.15.

1944-07-12

Ramrod 1082. For the operation our Squadron took off at 07.05 hours, it was not according to plan, in so far, as bombers shortened the route. No E/A seen.
For the second operation of to-day Squadron took off at 19.20 hours for Ramrod 1081 as an
Escort to Lancasters bombing Noball Target THIVERNY. Over target at 20.20 heavy accurete intense flak. Rouen heavy inaccurete moderate flak. Returnes at 21.45 hours. No E/A seen.

1944-07-13

Weather conditions very poor, no flying at all.

1944-07-14

Except few A/C tests no flying.

1944-07-15

Squadron took off at 20.40 on Ramrod. Owing to bad weather conditions returned to base at 21.50.

1944-07-16

R.A.F Station FORD.

Squadron moved to another aerodrome R.A.F. Station FORD. Everybody is busy on packing his kit. Arrived to new place and owing to bad weather conditions no operational flying.

1944-07-17

Owing to bad weather conditions no flying at all.

1944-07-18

To-day Squadron took off at 05.35 to escort 100 Lancasters bombing South of Caen. Operation according to plan, heavy accurate flak met.
For the second operation Squadron took off at 17.00 hours for Ramrod 1105, returned to base at 19.10 without incident. F/Lt Mickiewicz D., P.O Raszewski T., and F/Sgt Rybczynski posted to No. 84 G.S.U. on the 16.7.44.

1944-07-19

Ramrod 1108. Squadron took off for this operation at 20.25 as an escort to 100 Lancasters. Operation according to plan with good weather conditions. No enemy aircrafts met.

1944-07-20

At 15.05 Squadron took off for operation Ramrod 1109. Operation uneventfully and Squadron landed at 16.40 at base.

1944-07-21

All day raining. No flying. Nothing to report.

1944-07-22

At 13.40 four A/C from Squadron took off for Assault Area Patrol. Uneventfull patrol discontuined owing to weather.

1944-07-23

To-day’s work one operation. Close Escort to three formation of Lancasters and Mosquitos bombing Noball Targets at Mont Candon and three formations Noball at Foret du Gree. Light flak. No E/A seen.

1944-07-24

In the late afternoon Squadron took off to escort 30 Bostons bombing fuel dump at Alecon. Operation uneventfully. Met very heavy flak.

1944-07-25

To-day Squadron took off 13.35 to Close Escort for 24 Bostons bombing target 6 miles N.E. of Chateaudon. Operation uneventful. Lisieux heavy accurate moderate flak.
In the afternoon Squadron took off at 19.00 for Ramrod 1131 as Close Escort to 100 Lancasters and Halifaxes bombing St. Cyr airfield. Operation uneventfully. Bombs concentrated on target Heavy and light accurate intense flak all way from Rouen area to Paris.

1944-07-26

The work of to-day was Top Cover to 84 Mitchells bombing fuel dump 5 miles South of Fontainebleau. No E/A seen. Results of bombing very good.

1944-07-27

Owing to bad weather conditions no flying at all.

1944-07-28

Ramrod 1138. For this operation Squadron took off at 18.30 as an Escort to three formations of Mitchells bombing target at Q.8899. Operation ended uneventfully.

1944-07-29

In the morning four A/C took off for Air Sea Rescue and landed after 45 minutes.
8 A/C took off at 12.00 hours for Armed Recco but returned from Argentan owing to unsuitable weather and landed at 12.45 at base.
At 13.00 hours two A/C went for Air Sea Rescue but returned to base without incident.
In the afternoon 12 A/C took off for Armed Recco. Result – 1 lorry attacked on road Falaise – Caen about three miles from Falaise. Stationary M.T. column seen between cross road and railway T.8560 to Noyse T.8863. All A/C returned to base.

1944-07-30

R.A.F Station FORD.

To-day our Squadron took part in three operations. For the first 12 A/C took off as Escort to 700 Lancasters attacking enemy positions South of Bayeux. Over target from 07.45 to 08.45. Landed at base 09.45 without incident.
Second operation of to-day Armed Recconaissance. 8 A/C took off at 11.30 carrying 16 250 pounders. About 20 well camouflaged stationary M.T. along the road Argentan – Alevon were bombed and near misses observed. Two staff cars straffed with cannon and M.G. at T.9329. Intense light flak at T.9329. All A/C returned to base at 12.30 hours. No E/A seen.
The last operation of to-day – Armed Recconaissance. 12 A/C, 8 carrying bombs and 4 as escort took off for this operation. Sixteen 250 pounders dropped on siding at Brieuse U.0105. and stationary goods train. (20 trucks) All bombs in target area. Five hits on train. Lorry left smoking 1 mile S. of Conches airfield. Accurate intense heavy flak from wood U.1572.

1944-07-31

First operation of to-day – Armed Recconaissance. 11 A/C took off. Fourteen 250 pounders were dropped on goods tucks (about 200). At Q.0330. All bombs in target area. Explosion was seen among the trucks. 8 250 pounders dropped on three lorries at U.19[66]. Near misses seen. Column of 70 lorries moving on road Alecon – Domfront were straffed with unobserved results. At 14.20 hours M.T. column of about 100 vihicles seen moving on road Caen – Lisieux.
At 18.55 12 A/C took off with 16 250 pounders for Armed Recconaissance. 12 250 pounders were dropped on six lorries moving on road from Falaise to Argentan at U.1432. Bombs bursts were observed between lorries. Four 250 pounders were dropped on road at U.0950. Accurate intense light flak between U.0353 to T.4790. All A/C returned to base at 19.50 safely.

[Illegible] S/L
Squadron Leader, Commanding,
308 Polish Fighter Squadron,
ROYAL AIR FORCE.