Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1942-11-01

Northolt

Thick fog all day – flying out of the question.
Quite a dew posting today – F/O Sokołowski to 501, P/O Widziszewski and Sgt Lisowski to 602 – the latter considerably cheesed at the idea of a stay in the Orkneys. Sgt Chudek, one of our “old hands”, has gone to 58 O.T.U.

1942-11-02

Northolt

The fog was still around this morning, but cleared up later and Rodeo 119 was ordered.
We were flying as middle squadron at 25,000 ft, beading for Cherbourg. Weather became dirty as mid-Channel was reached, and eventually the operation had to be called off. As usual, we had one section on rescue readiness near the coast.

1942-11-03

Northolt

More fog this morning, but clear before lunch-time. Two patrols went out this afternoon to stooge around Selsey Bill. Nothing happened.
Reminder of the Squadron practiced formation and sector recco.

1942-11-04

Northolt

A persistent pea-soup kept everybody on the ground today. Visibility never than 10 yards.

1942-11-05

Northolt

Same weather as yesterday, with rain to make things even more unpleasant.
F/Lt Filipowicz has gone to 317, and F/O Przymenski has arrived from 316 as T.O. He changes place with F/O Skrzypecki, who goes to 316 in a day or two.

1942-11-06

Northolt

Ground fog this morning, but good visibility above 4-500 ft. Cloud 2/10 here, 7/10 over France, Ramrod 22 this afternoon. We were off at 13.30, and made rendezvous over Selsey Bill half an hour later, whence course was set for Cean. Near Cean, we met some flak, but it was too erratic to give any trouble. Our boys saw the bombers unloading their eggs on to the perimeter of the airfield, and some buildings appeared to stop a packet. The job completed, we set course for home. Jerry didn’t show up at any time during the operation. Training also this afternoon – formation, dog-fights, etc.

1942-11-07

Northolt
Fog and rain this morning, but sunshine and good visibility later.
Only training today – mostly formation.
F/O Skrzypecki leaves to take over as I.O. of 316.

1942-11-08

Northolt

Some ground haze this morning, but plenty of sunshine and good visibility.
Circus 235. Rendezvous over Felixtowe, the course set for Ypres, Cassel and Gravelines. Our boys saw some tracer coming up from the direction of Calais, but it wasn’t aimed at them, so they didn’t worry unduly. Once again the Hun didn’t try to interfere.
Training – dog-fights at 10,000 ft and formation.

1942-11-09

Northolt

5/10 cloud this morning, with good visibility.
Circus 236 this afternoon. Our job was to cover the return of bombers from Le Havre. Rendezvous with other Wing over Littlehampton. Slight flak near Le Havre, but nothing to worry about, and again no e/a to be seen. The Hun would appear to be otherwise engaged.

1942-11-10

Northolt

Fog and poor visibility this morning, but fine and sunny later.
Circus 237 this afternoon. S/Ldr Sawicz led the boys off at 14.00, and rendezvous with bombers over Selsey Bill was made at 14.30. the target was Le Havre, and for the first 17 minutes the whole formation flew at nought feet, then climbed to 12,000. Flak over Le Havre was very heavy; two of the bombers were winged and crashed. We were luckier, and all got back safely, without seeing even a solitary Hun fighter.

1942-11-11

Northolt

Fog was like pea-soup again this morning, and it thickened to towards evening. We gather that it is London’s worst for many years. However, it didn’t interfere with a celebration of Polish Independence Day. Mass was held this morning, followed by a ceremonial parade for the decoration of the C.O. of 306 and one of his pilots. An entertainment followed in the evening.

1942-11-12

Northolt

Fog still with us – a completely blank day.

1942-11-13

Northolt

Same as yesterday. Everybody cheesed, expect the Orderly Room staff, who go about their work singing and dancing as usual.

1942-11-14

Northolt

This is a bit thick – in more ways than one. Another gloomy day, in which the sole event was the departure of F/Sgt Adamiak for No. F.I.S. He joined us on formation, so we’re sorry to lose him. Incidentally, he’ll probably lose himself in this fog.

1942-11-15

Northolt

Still on a diet of pea-soup, but it begins to clear towards evening, and we have hopes of better things tomorrow.

1942-11-16

Northolt

Hopes justified, though there is still a haze up to 3,000 ft. However, this thinned out, and a Rhubarb was ordered. Two sections were detailed to shoot up the power station at Caen. The English coast was left behind at Shoreham, but then our boys met dirty weather over France, and had to abandon the plan of cuttzng off some of the Hun’s electricity. Instead, they had some fun with likely-looking targets on the way. Red 1 had a squirt at a locomotive near Benouville, but didn’t stay to observe results. His No. 2 shot up and A.A. post, and infused a little extra life into what looked like a P.T. parade, N. of Quisterham. Blue 1 found another locomotive, and also some lock-gates, on both of which he left his mark. There was some flak N. of Caen, and again when crossing the coast on the way home. F/O Olszewski stopped one with his wing, and Sgt Jankowski had his crankcase perforated, but both got back safely.
Quite a lot of training today – local flying, formation, photo-attacks and dog-fights.

1942-11-17

Northolt

Morning weather here was similar to yesterday, but over France conditions were much better. We were detailed to take part in a 10 Group Circus. The Polish Wing was to escort five Liberators in a raid on Cherbourg. We were off at 10.35, and met the bombers over Selsey Bill; Operational height was 23,000 ft, and the French coast was crossed E. of Cherbourg. The job completed, we made tracks for home, and re-crossed the English coast between Ford and Shoreham. Ops gave warning of bandits many times during the trip, but we saw none, and there was no flak.
Today’s training included formation, local and high altitude flying.

1942-11-18

Northolt

Fog this morning, but good flying weather later. No ops today.
Training – formation, high altitude, photo-attacks.
F/O M. Galuchowski arrived from Bramcote to take up duties of Defence Officer.

1942-11-19

Northolt

Cloudy this morning, but good visibility.
Two sections took off for a rhubarb at 12.55. They crossed French coast 4 miles W. of St. Valery. Red 1 saw a FW.190 flying along the coastline, and warned Blue Section, who gave chase. Red Section then flew along the Havre-Yvetot-St. Martin railway. On the St. Valery – Pavilly line they saw a goods train and promptly shot up the engine, which was last seen
losing more than the usual amount of steam. More goods engines came in for attention E. of Yvetot, until the Section had no ammo left. During attack, No. 2 hit a tree and left behind of his wing and tail, but was able to fly back to England with his Leader, landing at Westhampnett. On the way back, they saw an Me.109 at 800 ft – a beautiful target, and nothing to squirt with, so they had to pass it up. Meanwhile, Blue Section were pumping all they had into a me.109E somewhere near Fecamp. When they last saw him, he was shifting rapidly westwards, leaving a trail of smoke behind him, apparently from his engine. The Section, having used up all their ammo, went into cloud and returned home. On landing, they were told that a Mustang which had left Gatwick on a photographic flight at 13.08 was attacked by two Spits near Fecamp. The time coincided with that of our shooting-up of the “Me.109E”, so it would appear that someone boobed. Our boys complained that they got no warning that they might meet a Mustang in this area.
Cloud flying was the only training today.

1942-11-20

Northolt

6/10 cloud and good visibility this morning, but no ops.
Training – high and low flying, dog-fights.

1942-11-21

Northolt

Hazy weather all day until evening.
Test and cloud flying only.

1942-11-22

Northolt

Haze again this morning, clearing later.
At 13.00, the Squadron took off with the Wing for a diversionary sweep over Cherbourg. The rendezvous with Defiant was kept over Selsey Bill at 25,000 ft. The sweep was quite uneventful., and we landed at Tangmere on the way back, to refuel. Two sections did a rescue patrol over Selsey Bill.
Training – high altitude and dog-fights.

1942-11-23

Northolt

Foggy this morning – visibility very bad. Some improvement later.
Only test and local flying.
Our Defence Officer, F/O J. Jasinski, has been posted to the Polish Technical Training School.

1942-11-24

Northolt

More fog this morning, and it lasted all day.
No flying at all. The pilots had a lecture on the Stuks.

1942-11-25

Northolt

Weather still completely non-operational.
The boys were given a talk on night flying in the Northolt Sector, and on S.D. 158, Pts I & II.

1942-11-26

Northolt

Only ground fog this morning. Good visibility above a few hundered feet.
Plenty of training today – formation, air-to air firing, photo attacks and high altitude.

1942-11-27

Northolt

Once again we were reminded that this is a month of November; in other words – more fog.
Light entertainment in the form of a lecture on official secrecy, and one on aircraft identification.

1942-11-28

Northolt

Weather not completely non-operational this morning, but certainly not good.
Training later in the day – high altitude, test, sector recco, formation, photo-attacks.

1942-11-29

Northolt

Same weather as yesterday.
Air-to-air firing, formation, cloud and test flying.

1942-11-30

Northolt

Still hazy this morning, but clearing later.
Two section went up to patrol the Shoreham – Selsey Bill area. The first was out between 11.40 and 13.30, and the second between 13.10 and 15.00. Neither had anything to report. Twelve aircraft went to Tangmere this afternoon, returning at 17.00.
Quite a full training programme – formation, attacks, target-shooting over the sea, high altitude, homing, cloud flying