Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1941-06-01

Pembrey.

P/O. Buchwald flew to Baginton in the Battle. The Squadron carried out 1 patrol of 2hrs. 20mins.

1941-06-02

P/O. Anders, while Flying to Hanworth in a Magister, crashed into a balloon cable AT Newport. Mon. The machine was burnt out and the pilot was dead when extricated from the wreckage, having sustained multiple in juries and burns. F/O. Nowierski delivered a Hurricane at Hanworth. 11 patrols, totalling 29 hours 50 minutes, were made by the Squadron. F/O. Szalewicz, on posting from No. 55 O.T.U. , arrived today for flying duties.

1941-06-03

S/Ldr. Knox flew to and from Colerne in a Hurricane. One shipping protection patrol of 2 hours 40 minutes was carried out.

1941-06-04

P/O. Buchwald flew from Baginton to Pembrey in the Battle. S/Ldr. Donovan proceeded to Colerne to act as President of a Court of Inquiry there. F/O. Dec and P/O. Szpakowicz, on posting from No. 55 O.T.U., arrived for flying duties. The Squadron carried out 2 patrols of 7 hours 10 mins.

1941-06-05

F/O. Grzech arrived on posting from No. 55 O.T.U., Ushwort for flying duties. 4 Patrols, totalling 5 hours 30 minutes, were made. The funeral of P/O. Anders took place today at 14.30 hours from the Station Church to Pembrey Churchyard.

1941-06-06

F/O. Smok has been detached from No. 307 Squadron, Exeter, for Link Trainer duties here.

1941-06-07

S/L. Donovan returned from Colerne. The Squadron carried out 7 patrols totalling 19 hours 20 mins. P/O. Szmejl posted to No. 32 Squadron, Angle.

1941-06-08

F/O. Virpsha, on attachment from No. 307 Squadron, Exeter, has been posted to this Squadron for Interpreter duties. P/O. Papis; detached from this Squadron, has been posted to No. 307 Squadron, Exeter, for the same duties. 2 Shipping protection patrols, lasting 6 hours were made today.

1941-06-10

The Squadron carried out 13 patrols, totalling 32 hours 45 minutes.

1941-06-11

F/O. Gabszewicz delivered a Hurricane AT Feltham and F/Lt. Baranski and an airman pilot delivered 2 Hurricanes at Cowley, Oxford. F/O.s Nowierski and Nosowicz are appointed to paid rank of Acting F/Lt/Lt.s while filling F/Lt/Lt. Operations post. 16 Patrols totalling 46 hours 5 minutes were made.

1941-06-12

P/O. Buchwald flew to and from Exeter in the Battle. F/O. Smok, on being detached from this Squadron, returned to No. 307 Squadron at Exeter. Instructions received that the Squadron were to move to Colerne on 18,6.41.

1941-06-13

P/O. Buchwald flew to and from Northolt in the Battle while F/O. Gabszewicz flew in a Hurricane to and from Angle. S/L. Donovan was posted to No. 10 Group for Squadron Leader Tactics vacancy, but was then detached for duty as O.C. of the Squadron. During a training flight F/O. Grzech went into attack at 6,000 feet with his section leader on a target aircraft when the latter dived at a slight angle causing the airscrew of the pilot’s aircraft to strike the starboard aileron of the aircraft flown by the section leader, while the airscrew of the leader’s aircraft struck the port wing of the pilot’s machine. His aircraft went into a spin out of which he could not pull and he therefore baled out landing near Muddlescombe Farm, Kidwelly. The pilot injured his foot and the aircraft was wrecked. The Squadron carried out 12 patrols, totalling 32 hours 10 minutes.

1941-06-14

4 Convoy protection patrols, of a total of 8 hours 30 minutes, were made today.

1941-06-15

F/O. Gabszewicz flew to and from Angle and P/O. Gozdecki to and from At. Athan in Hurricanes while S/L. Frey flew to and return from Colerne in the Battle. The Squadron carried out 7 patrols totalling 15 hours 40 minutes.

1941-06-16

An advance party of 34 airmen with an N.C.O. in charge left for Colerne by bus.

1941-06-18

The following officers accompanied the main party of 114 airmen by rail to Colerne, leaving Burry Fort at 09.10 hours: F/O. Krupa, Grzech, Szalewicz, Virpsha, Pietocha, F/O. Sankey, Balman and Milne. The following offices proceeded by private car and Squadron transport: S/L. Donovan, F/Lt. Nowierski, F/O. Christman and P/O. Gorski with F/O. Nartowicz as passenger. The following officers together with 6 airman pilots constituted the air party: S/L. Frey, F/Lt. Baranski, Wilczewski, F/O. Gabszewicz, Sawicz, Klawe, P/O. Szpakowicz, Kozlowski, Gozdecki and P/O. Buchwald in the Battle with F/O. Dec as passenger. F/O. Przymenski was in charge of Air Party of 31 airmen in the transport aircraft.

1941-06-19

Colerne.

f/Lt. Nosowicz arrived by rail from Pembrey and F/O. Day by private car. A rear party of 18 airmen in charge of an N.C.O. arrived by bus.

1941-06-21

P/O. Buchwald flew to and from Ibsley in the Battle. One patrol of 1 hour 20 minutes was made by the Squadron.

1941-06-22

A patrol of 1 hour 40 minutes was carried out today.

1941-06-23

P/O. Buchwald flew to Warmwell and returned to Colerne in the Battle. At 20.30 hours while on a training flight an airmen pilot noticed vibration in the engine at 4,000 feet. The engine seemed about to stop and white smoke was coming from it so the pilot, deciding there was little chance of reaching his base, forced landed at R.A.F. Station, Lu=yneham. The machine was undamaged and the pilot unhurt.

1941-06-24

S/L. Crawford flew to and from Fairwood Common in a Hurricane, and S/L. Benz proceeded to Aldegrove, N. Ireland in the Battle. The Squadron carried out 5 patrols totalling 13 hours 50 minutes during the day.

1941-06-25

Convoy escort, consisting of 3 patrols totalling 3 hours 50 minutes, was afforded by the Squadron.

1941-06-26

F/O. Sawicz and P/O. Nartowicz flew to and from Angle to attend funeral of P/O. Szmejl, formerly of this Squadron, who had been killed in flying accident. One patrol of 1 hour 10 minutes was undertaken today.

1941-06-27

6 Aircraft of “A” Flight and 6 of “B” Flight were flown to Exeter to relieve No. 504 Squadron. They returned in the evening. F/O. Gozdecki flew to and from Coventry in the Battle. 4 Patrols, totalling 2 hours 25 minutes, were carried out by the Squadron.

1941-06-28

Wing Commander Ross flew to Gatwick and returned in a Squadron Hurricane while S/Ldr. Frey proceeded to Northolt in the Battle on administrative duties. He returned in the evening.

1941-06-30

The Squadron carried out 2 patrols of 6 hours 30 minutes.

Frey [Autograph]
Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No. 316 Squadron.