Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1943-09-01

Ballyhalbert

A fairly quiet day, with only a small amount of training – formation and photo-attacks.
Weather: 5/10 cloud at 2-3,000’ and good visibility.

1943-09-02

Ballyhalbert

Weather unchanged, but more activity today. There was air-to-air firing by 13 pilots, and formation and cine-camera exercises. During the afternoon F/Sgt Malec, when flying to Eglinton for readiness, force-landed near Toome owing to engine failure. His aircraft was not too badly damaged, considering that he landed with wheels up, and he himself was not hurt.

1943-09-03

Ballyhalbert

Today’s training consisted chiefly of formation flying, in improved weather. There has been nothing else of interest.

1943-09-04

Ballyhalbert

A dirty day, with rain and low cloud, but a little training was done.
W/O Adamiak has arrived from 6 A.A.C.U. He was formerly on our strength in the early days, and we are glad to have him back.

1943-09-05

Ballyhalbert

Better weather, and a day of varied activity. The training was chiefly formation, plus some dog-fights practice with captured e/a – a FW.190 and Me109E. At midday, there was another accident: Sgt Sadowski, a recent arrival from O.T.U., had glycol trouble and crash-landed on the airfield. His aircraft is a write-off, and he is in hospital slightly injured.
In the afternoon, there was a Station sports meting, in which the Squadron carried of the Station Commander’s cup.

1943-09-06

Ballyhalbert

A rather quiet day, with little flying and nothing of interest.

1943-09-07

Ballyhalbert

Some operational activity today: 2 sections did convoy patrols between 08.05 and 10.35, without incident. Later, there was some Army co-operation training and formation.
F/Lt Marcisz, O.C. “B” Flight, has left for 58 O.T.U. His relief, F/Lt Marciniak, has already arrived from that unit. Sgt Fudela has returned from Church Fenton, where he has been attached since we were at Hutton Cranswick.

1943-09-08

Ballyhalbert

A very busy day, with formations flying, practice scrambles, dog-fights, army-coopartion, photo-attacks, ground attacks and finally dusk and night flying. The weather was 3/10 cloud at 3-4,000’, with good visibility.

1943-09-09

Ballyhalbert

From 12.30 to 15.30, two sections were operational on shipping protection, with the usual “nothing to report”. Training included air-to-air firing, formation and dusk and night flying. Four new pilots arrive from 58 O.T.U. – Sgts Bielecki, Czerwinski, Kolek and Slon.

1943-09-10

Ballyhalbert

A blank day, with completely non-operational. F/Lt Tarkowski is posted to 16 E.F.T.S. for twin-engine conversion training.

1943-09-11

Ballyhalbert

This has been a black day for the Squadron, for we have lost two pilots and three aircraft. In the late afternoon, in bad weather, W/O Grondowski was leading a section consisting of himself and two u/t pilots, Sgt Zygmund and Sgt Kolek, in a local formation flight. Unfortunately, he led them away from the prescribed area, and lost them in the hills beyond Belfast. All three crashed within a short time of each other, W/O Grondowski and Sgt Kolek being killed. Sgt Zygmund had a lucky escape, for he was knocked out when his aircraft crashed, soon came round and was able to climb out of the wreckage and walk to the nearest road. The reason for his and Sgt Kolek’s crash is fairly obvious, since neither had any experience, of flying in such conditions, but W/O Grondowski was a very old hand at bad-weather flying, and we can only assume that he was in a very unsettled state of mind after losing his two pupils. Sgt Zygmund reports seeing his leader’s aircraft suddenly starting to climb, and that was the last he saw of him.

1943-09-12

Ballyhalbert

The weather is much better today, and there has been a fair amount of training – chiefly formation and cine-camera exercises. One section did an uneventful convoy patrol in the evening.

1943-09-13

Ballyhalbert

Reasonably clear weather, and a busy day. There was a considerable amount of formation flying, and some low flying by ten aircraft.
F/Lt Marciniak has arrived from 58 O.T.U., as O.C.”B” Flight. When we said he was already here on the 7th, we must have been thinking of some-one else.

1943-09-14

Ballyhalbert

A bright, warm day, but no-one is feeling very cheerful after the funeral of W/O Grondowski and Sgt Kolek, which took place in St. Joseph’s Churchyard, Ballycrane, after High Mass in our own hangar church. There were many mourners, in addition to the official representatives and guards of honour, for W/O Grondowski was very popular with all who knew him, while the death of Sgt Kolek, only two days after arriving from the O.T.U., is a great tragedy.

1943-09-15

Ballyhalbert

The weather has been good again today, and there has been the usual routine training – low flying, air-to-air firing, formation and photo-attacks.

1943-09-16

Ballyhalbert

At. 06.00 hrs, one section went out on convoy patrol, and another followed at 07.00. These two sections took turns throughout the morning, but had nothing to report. The rest of the Squadron did routine training. Weather has been unchanged.

1943-09-17

Ballyhalbert

An uneventful day, with the usual training, plus some G.C.I. co-operation.

1943-09-18

Ballyhalbert

Another quiet day, with one section on convoy patrol between 10.50 and 13.00, but otherwise nothing of interest.

1943-09-19

Ballyhalbert

The weather remains quite good, and training goes on as usual. We are getting in many more hours than we have in past months, though we have paid the price, as witnessed by the accident figures. All squadrons have a run of bad luck at some time or another, and this certainly seems to be our turn.

1943-09-20

Ballyhalbert

Again plenty of flying hours, but nothing of real interest to report. Weather is still quite good (for Ireland).

1943-09-21

Ballyhalbert

This evening, two sections, were operational on shipping protection between 17.00 and 20.10. Earlier in the day, there was formation practice, photo-attacks, and cross-country training.

1943-09-22

Ballyhalbert

Formation flying, navigation exercises, photo-attacks, low flying and air-to-air firing – altogether a busy day, with the weather still doing its best to co-operate.

1943-09-23

Ballyhalbert

Today we had formation, ground-attacks, a practice scramble and cloud flying.
F/Lt Jasinowski, a former member of the Squadron, has returned from 306, for Ops Room duties.

1943-09-24

Ballyhalbert

The same routine, with little or no change in the weather.

1943-09-25

Ballyhalbert

Weather rather clearer today, and there has been considerable training activity. This consisted chiefly of battle formation, low attacks, photo-attacks and interception practices. During the morning, two sections were operational on shipping protection.
Yesterday, we forgot to mention that there was another accident. F/O Sworniowski, when coming in from a training flight, could not get his wheels down, and after trying everythong he knew, he was forced by fuel shortage to make a belly landing. Obviously and earnest student of “Tee Emm”, he put it down as near as possible to the Maintance hangar, and with the minimum amount of damage. He himself escaped without a scratch.

1943-09-26

Ballyhalbert

Another busy day as regards training. Weather was 4/10 at 3-4,000’, with good visibility. There was air-to-air firing, army co-op. G.C.I. co-op, formation, low flying, cine camera exercises and a practice scramble.

1943-09-27

Ballyhalbert

The weather has deteriorated today, and there has been low cloud, rain and bad visibility. One section did a convoy patrol in the morning, and there was a fair amount of training, considering the weather.

1943-09-28

Ballyhalbert

An improvement in the weather, but not a great amount of flying today. The chief event has been that authority has come through for the posting of almost entire ground staff to the newly-forming 3108 Servicing Echelon. The only personnel remaining on the Squadron are the pilots, the M.O., the Adjutant, the Intelligence Officers, one Sgt. fitter and one AC clerk/GD. This, of course, makes the Squadron extremely mobile, which is going to be a great advantage when the balloon goes up in the West.

1943-09-29

Ballyhalbert

Another day of great activity, with the whole Squadron doing formation, air-to-air firing and photo-attacks. The improvement in the weather is maintained.

1943-09-30

Ballyhalbert

Very similar programme to yesterday. One section was on convoy patrol early this morning, but had nothing to report.

(J. POPLAWSKI)
Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No. 315 (Polish) Squadron.