Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1944-03-01

HESTON

Flying training consisted of cross country flights.
Weather: 8-10/10ths cloud at 2,500 feet. Visibility: Poor improving to 3 miles.

1944-03-02

15.55.
OPERATION RAMROD 612. 11 aircraft of no 306 Squadron together with 10 aircraft of this Squadron acted as close escort to second attack on operation Ramrod 612. This operation went according to plan. Bomb bursts were seen in the target area. From 775579(8E2) slight and accurate light flak was experienced. Weather: 5-7/10ths cloud at 7/10,000 feet.
Training consisted of Squadron formation and photo. Weather at Heston: 4-6/10ths cloud at 2,500 feet. Visibility: Fair to cloudy, 3,000 yds improving to 6 miles.

1944-03-03

Training in he afternoon consisted of formation flying and photo.
Weather: Cloud Nil to 4/10ths at 2,500 feet, Fair, Visibility mainly 3 miles.

1944-03-04

Training consisted mainly of formation flying in the early morning.
Weather: 3-5/10ths cloud at 2,500 feet, Fair, Visibility 3 miles.

1944-03-05

No flying to-day. Weather 8-10/10ths cloud at 1,200 – 2,000 feet. Cloudy, slight rain, Visibility: 2-4,000 yds.

1944-03-06

Considerable amount of flying training to-day, consisting of photo, low navigation and photo range estimation. Spitfire VB AB 790 piloted by F/Lt Wandzilak was involved in an accident during taxying after landing. Aircraft sustained Cat. “B” damage. The pilot was uninjured. Weather: Cloudy. Visibility 3-4,000 yds.

1944-03-07

OPERATION RAMROD 634. 12 aircraft of this Squadron acted as close escort to sixth attack on operation Ramrod 634. This operation went according to plan. No enemy aircraft was seen and there was no flak. Weather: 10/10ths cloud at 8,000 feet.

1944-03-08

Training consisted of squadron formation and attacks. Weather: Nil to 3/10ths cloud at 8-12,000 feet. Fair. Visibility 2-4 miles.

1944-03-09

Very little flying to-day. Weather: 10/10ths cloud at 1-2,000 feet. Cloudy, slight drizzle. Visibility: 2-4,000 yds.

1944-03-10

Owing to adverse weather conditions, no flying was carried out to-day.
P/O Smigielski and P/O Swistun proceeded on posting to No. 306 (Polish) Squadron.
Weather: 8-10/10ths cloud at 1-2,500 feet. Cloudy. Visibility: 800 improving to 2,000 yds.

1944-03-11

OPERATION RAMROD 647. 12 aircraft of this Squadron acted as close escort to operation Ramrod 647. This operation went according to plan. F/Lt Stefankiewicz experienced engine trouble and baled out over the Channel and was picked up by an A.S.R. Launch. Weather: 10/10ths cloud at 4-8,000 feet and 18-19,000 feet.
Training Flying included cross country and photo.

1944-03-12

Very little flying to-day. Weather: 8-10/10ths cloud at 2,000 feet. Cloudy, slight rain, Visibility 2,000 yds improving to 4 miles.

1944-03-13

HESTON

Training consisted of low navigation flying. Weather: 6-8/10ths cloud at 1-2,000 feet, Cloudy, slight showers. Visibility: 3-5 miles.

1944-03-14

A considerable amount of training was carried out to-day, chiefly consisting of squadron battle formation and attacks. Weather: 6-10/10ths cloud at 2-3,000 feet. Fair, slight rain. Visibility 3-5 miles.

1944-03-15

Training in the afternoon consisted of squadron formation flying. Weather: 3-5/10ths cloud at 2,500 feet. Fair slight showers, Visibility 2-4,000 yds.

1944-03-16

No flying was carried out to-day. Weather: 8/10ths cloud at 2,500 feet. Cloudy, slight drizzle. Visibility: 1,500 yds to 3 miles.

1944-03-17

No flying was carried out to-day. Weather: 10/10ths at 800 feet at first. Cloudy at first, fair in the afternoon. Visibility: Poor improving to 2,500 yds.

1944-03-18

A considerable amount of training was carried out to-day. 18 aircraft took part in Squadron battle formation and attacks in the morning and 12 in the afternoon. Weather: 4-6/10ths cloud at 1,500 – 2,500 feet. Cloudy. Visibility; 1,000 yards to 4 miles.

1944-03-19

Very little flying was carried out to-day. F/Lt Zajac proceeded on posting to No. 16(P) SFTS. Weather: 8-10/10ths cloud at 1,500 to 2,500 feet. Cloudy, slight rain, Visibility 4-6 miles.

1944-03-20

Convoy patrols, consisting of 16 sorties were carried out throughout the day. The aircraft taking off in pairs at 70 minute intervals from 09.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.
Weather: 6-8/10ths cloud at 2,000 feet. Cloudy. Visibility 3-5 miles.

1944-03-21

The squadron is scheduled to fly to No. 13 Armament Practice Camp, Llanbedr, tomorrow for practice. A rail party consisting of 4 airmen pilots and 1 officer pilot proceeded to-day. No flying was carried out at Heston. Weather: 10/10ths cloud at 1,500 – 2,500 feet. Cloudy slight rain. Visibility: 2-4,000 yds.

1944-03-22

17 aircraft took off for Llanbedr at 09.45 hours but the atmospheric conditions prevailing en-route caused them to turn back, landing at Heston at 10.50 hours. Spitfire VB BL 578 piloted by F/Lt Stefankiewicz was involved in an accident on landing. The aircraft was damaged to the extent of category “B”. The pilot was uninjured.
Weather: 4-6/10ths cloud at 2-3,000 feet. Visibility: 2,000 yds to 4 miles.

1944-03-23

No flying was carried out to-day. The weather conditions still remain unsuitable for the aircraft to proceed to llanbedr. Weather: 8-10/10ths cloud at first to nil. Cloudy becoming fair. Visibility 1-3,000 yds.

1944-03-24

LLANBEDR.

17 aircraft took off at 10.20 for Llanbedr, arriving there at 11.30. Training commenced in the afternoon consisting of bombing practice and air to air firing.

1944-03-25

LLANBEDR

59 sorties were carried out. Bombing practice, air to air and air to ground.

1944-03-26

LLANBEDR

73 sorties were carried out. Bombing practice, air to air, air to ground and strafing squadron formation.

1944-03-27

LLANBEDR

3 officer pilots and 4 airmen pilots returned from Llanbedr by rail to-day, the weather conditions not being suitable for the return of the aircraft.
Weather at Heston: No low cloud, Fair, Visibility: foggy improving to 1,800 yards.

1944-03-28

HESTON

17 aircraft returned from Llanbedr, landing at Heston at 15.30 hrs. Movement Order was received from 133 Airfield Headquarters. The Airfield with all attached units (including this squadron) is to move to No. 15 A.L.G. Coolham, Sussex on 1.4.44. The air party being scheduled to take off at 08.00 hours.
The squadron is being re-equiped with Mustang III aircraft, 4 of which have arrived.

1944-03-29

No flying was carried out to-day. Weather: 10/10ths cloud at 4-600 feet. Cloudy, drizzle and fog. Visibility: 600 to 1800 yards.

1944-03-30

7 pilots had their first solo flight on the Mustang III aircraft.
Weather: 6-8/10ths cloud at 800 to 1,000 feet. Cloudy. Visibility 2,000 yds to 4 miles.

1944-03-31

4 pilots had their first solo flights on the Mustang III aircraft, other training included cross country flights. Weather: ?.

[Illegible]
SQUADRON LEADER, COMMANDING,
NO. 315 (POLISH) SQUADRON.