Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1943-10-01

BALLYHALBERT
Some Flying training to-day included five battle attacks. Weather: Cloud cover 6/10 at 2-3000’ , visibility was good.

1943-10-02

Some operational activity to-day, convoy patrols between Northern Ireland and southern Scotland. Training included air to air firing, battle formation attacks, high altitude battle formation, air combat and a practice scramble.
F/O M. Goluchowski has been posted to No. 411 (P) R.S.U..
Weather: visibility was good with cloud 4/10 at 3-4000’.

1943-10-03

Convoy patrols again to-day during the morning and afternoon. Training consisted of a navigational flight, low flying and cross country flights.

1943-10-04

Cloud cover 4/10 at 3-4000’, visibility good. No operational flying to-day. Training included formation flying.

1943-10-05

Training to-day consisted of battle formation cloud flying and interception photo. Bad news had been received, Sgt. Flegier (pilot) met his death in a flying accident whilst carrying out the interception practice flying to-day, 1 ½ miles N.W. from Ballyhalbert.

1943-10-06

Patrol of two aircraft over a convoy between N. Ireland and S. Scotland this morning. Training included some air to ground firing, flying formation and photo attacks.
Weather: visibility good, cloud cover 4/10 at 3-4000’

1943-10-07

Very similar weather to yesterday. No operational flying. Training consisted of a practice scramble, air to air firing and interception.
F/O B. Semmerling has been posted to Polish Inspectorate General, London.

1943-10-08

No operational flying to-day. Training consisted of formation attacks cheifly The funeral of Sgt Flegier took place to-day at the Roman Catholic cemetery at Newtownards.

1943-10-09

The weather continues about the same, cloud cover 4/10 at 4-5000’. A good deal of training has been done:- air to air firing, formation flying, photo attacks and interceptions.

1943-10-10

The weather has considerably deteriorated to-day, very heavy clouds and visibility very poor indeed. Consequently no flying was carried out.

1943-10-11

A marked change in the weather, it being quite sunny. A considerable amount of training was carried out, local flying, battle formation low flying and an interception practice with a Wellington bomber aircraft.

1943-10-12

Weather not quite so sunny to-day but visibility very god. Operational flying consisted of convoy patrols during the morning. Some training also in the way of photo attacks.

1943-10-13

No operational fights to-day but training which took place consisted of air to air firing and battle formation flights.

1943-10-14

Training only to-day: squadron formation and attacks, local flying and battle formation at 20,000 to 25,000 feet.

1943-10-15

BALLYHALBERT.

Operational patrol of two aircraft over convoy between N. Ireland and S. Scotland during the morning. Training included formation flying.

1943-10-16

Very heavy clouds and rain to-day, cloud cover 10/10 below 1000;. As a result of this bad weather, no flying was carried out.

1943-10-17

Better weather to-day; cloud 4/10 at 3-4000’. Four patrols of two aircraft each over a convoy during the morning. Training included battle formation and attacks on the ground defence.

1943-10-18

Operational patrol over a convoy during the afternoon and early evening. A fair amount of training was also carried out.

1943-10-19

Cloudy and rain with visibility fair. Six patrols of two aircraft each over the convoy between N. Ireland and S. Scotland from 09.00 hours to 16.10 hours. Some training was also carried out.

1943-10-20

No operational flying to-day. Training consisted of formation flying and attacks on the ground defences in the Londonderry area.
F/O (Intelligence) Przymenski has been posted to No. 133 (P) Airfield H.Q.
Sgt (Pilot) Rudowski arrived from 317 (P) Squadron.
The funeral took place to-day of Wing Commander W. Heller at the Roman Catholic cemetery Newtownards. W/Cmdr Heller met his death as a member of the crew of a Wellington aircraft, at Drumavoley, Ballycastle, N. Ireland. He was on the strength of R.A.F Station Jurby, I.O.M.

1943-10-21

Training flying only to-day, interception and formation.

1943-10-22

Sunny weather with cloud cover 4/10 at 3-4000;. Training flying included air to air firing, G.C.I., and squadron battle formation. Sgt. (Pilot) Sadowski was posted to 1601 Flight, and Sgt (Pilot) Kijak arrived on posting from No. 61 O.T.U.

1943-10-23

Fine sunny weather with visibility very good. An operational patrol over a convoy during the morning. Training included air to air firing, photo attacks and formation flying.
F/Sgt (Pilot) Derma arrived on posting from No. 61 O.T.U.

1943-10-24

The weather still remains good. Two patrols over convoys, during the morning and afternoon. Some training also was carried out.
F/O (Pilot) Dubielecki posted to R.A.F. Ballyhalbert as non-effective sick and admitted to No. 25 General Hospital, Bangor.

1943-10-25

No operational flying to-day but a good deal of training was carried out: formation flying, photo attacks etc.

1943-10-26

Weather has deteriorated to-day, there being very heavy clouds with rain all day. Very little flying was carried out.

1943-10-27

A little better weather than yesterday though visibility still very poor. Operational patrol over a convoy during the morning, but no training owing to the weather.
Flying Officer S Blok has been decorated with the D.F.C. by Air Vice Marshal D.F. Stevenson, A.O.C., Northern Ireland. The ceremony which took place to-day was attended by officers of R.A.F. Station, Ballyhalbert.
315 Squadron and 3108 Servicing Echelon together with detachment of the W.A.A.F. and the R.A.F.

1943-10-28

Weather shows a slight improvement to-day, cloud cover 5/10 at 2-3000’, visibility good. Operational convoy patrols during the morning, 6 aircraft taking part. Training carried out included formation flying, photo attacks.

1943-10-29

Convoy patrol during the early part of the morning. Training consisted of sector recognition, interception, formation flying and photo attacks.

1943-10-30

Flying training only to-day, including formation flying, air to ground firing and photo attacks.

1943-10-31

Heavy clouds 3/10 at below 1000’, visibility very poor. Owing to the adverse weather no flying was carried out.

Popławski [Autograph]
(J. POPLAWSKI)
Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No. 315 (Polish) Squadron.