Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1940-11-02

ABBOTSINCH

F/O. B. Egan-Wyer – “A” Flight. (26 Sqdn. Gatwick).

1940-11-06

ABBOTSINCH

F/O. E.W. Bundock – „B” Flight. (13 Sqdn. Hooton Park).
F/Lt. W. Chrzanowski – Adjutant. (Blackpool).
P/O. P. Kozdrach – Medical. (Blackpool).
P/O. A. Powierza – Interpretter. (Blackpool).

1940-11-06

RENFREW

On this date the squadron moved to RENFREW and took over one hangar and other buildings, vacated by the Scottish Flying Club, then under Air Ministry control.
Aircraft strength:- 1 LYSANDER III T1467.
Strength of personnel:- 9 Officers.
17 Sgts. And W/Os.
68 Airmen.
At this time the officers were all billeted locally in RENFREW and the Scottish Flying Club was used as an Officers’ Mess.

1940-11-06

PAISLEY

The airmen were all in large buildings taken over in PAISLEY and RENFREW.

1940-11-07

RENFREW

P/O. A.L. Woldridge. – Accounts. (Ringway).
F/Lt. Bowman Burns. – Signals. (Tilshead).

1940-11-10

RENFREW

Eleven LYSANDER III aircraft arrived from No. 39 M.U. T1423, T1424, T1425, T1468, T1522, T1623, T1572, T1575, T1622, R9134.
Considerable difficulty was being experienced through lack of telephone communication between the various sections, until the switchboard was manned and new telephones installed.
P/O. A.W. Plastow appointed to paid acting rank of F/O. w.e.f. 21/10/40.

1940-11-11

RENFREW

F/O. J.H. Yalden appointed to paid acting of F/Lt. w.e.f. 21/10/40.

1940-11-12

RENFREW

The first Polish flying personnel were posted from BLACKPOOL. Their flying experience varied from 300 – 3000 hours and the British ranks shown are equivalent to those held in Poland.
W/Cdr. Madejski. (Commanding Officer).
F/Lt. Lukasik, F/Lt. Wolf, F/O. Bernat, F/O. Kasprzyk, F/O. Narewski, F/O. Baster, P/O. Berezecki, p/o. Lopacki, P/O. Sowalski and P/O. Stefanus.
51 Polish airmen also reported.

1940-11-17

RENFREW

S/Ldr. L. Mathias – S/Ldr. Flying. (239 Sqdn.) from BLACKPOOL via A.M.
P/O. J. Allden – Station Defence (Andover).
P/O. N. Jenkins – Photography.
One Proctor P6240 arrived from 15 M.U.
A lecture programme was started for the Polish personnel on the various Army Co-operation subjects. These were given in several ways to overcome the language difficulty. Using an interpreter the lectures were long and disjointed, but this problem was partly solved by some lectures being given in French. However the most satisfactory way was to explain the lecture as length to one individual, who would then pass it on in Polish.
The average standard of English was quite good but it was hard to tell if everyone really understood what one was saying.

1940-11-18

RENFREW

F/O. B. Egan-Wyer and F/O. Bundock appointed to unpaid A/F/Lt. w.e.f. 11.11.40.
F/O. D.H. Phillips – Educational (Blackpool).

1940-11-19

RENFREW

P/O. N.D. Sinclair – F/Lt. Flying (Old Sarum).

1940-11-21

RENFREW

P/O. H. Falconer (A/G) – Armament (4 Sqdn).

1940-11-22

RENFREW

P/O. Jarvis – Station Defence. (Old Sarum).

1940-11-23

RENFREW

P/O. J. Lambton (A/G) – Armament. (613 Sqdn.).
Following Polish Officers posted from Blackpool:-
F/Lt. Lukinski, F/Lt. Kern, F/O. Dunin, p/o. Pietrzyk, P/O. Lewkowicz, F/O. Solecki, P/O. Szymankiewicz, F/O. Sadowski, F/O. Kolodziejski, f/o. Lemieszonek, F/O. Baranski, P/O. Homan, P/O. Szyjowski, F/Lt. Piotrowski, F/O. Daniez, F/O. Majer.
98 Polish airmen from BLACKPOOL.

1940-11-26

RENFREW

Further 95 Polish airmen from BLACKPOOL.

1940-11-30

RENFREW

2 TIGER MOTH aircraft, X5107 and X5108, delivered from 18 M.U.

1940-11-31

RENFREW

Flying officially started on this date with the Tiger Moths. The majority of the pilots had not flown for about 6 months to 2 years, but after a few dual circuits in the Moths there was no difficulty experienced. The pilots found our countryside rather confusing as it was apparently far to full of woods and roads and railways, but the greatest flying difference was that our throttle control movement was opposite to that in Poland, which was the cause of many alarming experiences:
After a training conference it was decided that this unit should be run on the lines of Flying training School, then School of Army Co-operation and finally an operational Training Unit.