Place

Date

Time

Summary of events

Ratmalana

1.

14.40

FL936 "V" W/O B. Hall, Navig: F/O J. Segar, took off for Sigiriya

Sigiriya

2

02.00 to 15.20

FL936 Ops. P.R.U. Langear Bay, Sumatra.

2.

Move of Squadron from Ratmalana to Sigiriya.
1st Party, convoy by road.
Three Liberator aircraft flown to Sigiriya
"H" Captain P/O Ross & crew.
"P?(or is this F)" Captain Sgt. Landick & crew.
"K" Captain F/O Moody & crew.

3.

01.50 to 16.00

FL936 "V" Captain P/O Hill, Navig: Sgt. Woodcock. P.R.U. Pangkalansocsoe; Tyalang: Langsar Bay.

3.

2nd convoy: Move of Squadron from Ratmalana to Sigiriya. Personnel conveyed by road transport.
Aircraft flown:
"M" Captain W/O Hall & crew.
"W" Captain F/O Campbell & crew.
"D" Captain F/S Rowley & crew.

4.

Aircraft flown to Sigiriya:
"V" Captain W/O Cohen & crew.
"A" Captain P/O Davie & crew.
"P" Captain P/O Hill & crew.

Three aircraft left at Ratmalana with P/O Burns & crew, and servicing detachment:
A/c "B"; "S"; "N".

Sigiriya

11.

Visit of W/Cdr. Cleveley: Chief Controller, N.A.O.R.

12.

Visit of W/Cdr. Edwards: Group Engineer Officer. Special attention was paid to the subject of providing urgently required technical buildings.

13.

Aircraft "B" flown from Ratmalana to Sigiriya. Capt. P/O Burns & crew.

14.

F/Sgt. Stow (Captain) and crew arrived by rail from Nagpur (India) ex U.K. having left aircraft "J" at Nagpur.

14.

07.00 to 15.50

"F?" Capt. F/O Brodigan, Navig: F/S Follis - Met Flight.

15.

03.20 to 14.50

"K" FL911 Capt. P/O Boyle, Navig: Sgt. Allen - P.R.U. Andamans, Port Blair.

16.

03.15

"W" Capt. P/O Campbell, Navig: W/O White _ P.RU. abandoned owing to wireless transmitter failure.

20.

"N" BZ752 flown from Ratmalana to Sigiriya. Capt. P/O Burns & crew.

22.

07.00 to 17.30

"F" FL991 Capt. P/O Boyle, Navig: Sgt. Allen - Met Flight

24.

03.30

"B" FL?239 Capt. F/O Campbell, Navig: W/O Winter took off for Andamans. Aircraft failed t return. Crew missing - F/O J. W. Campbell 1st Pilot; F/O W. A. Calder 2nd Pilot: A/W/O Winter B. Nav.B; T/Sgt. Kidd B. J. Wom/AG; T/F/Sgt. Willcock N. I. Wop/AG; T/Sgt. Harrison N. W. Wop/AG; T/Sgt. Basbridge Wop/AG; T/Sgt. McDonald G. Wop/AG. This was the first aircraft and crew lost by the Squadron in Ceyon. F/O Campbell and his crew had attempted three P.R. Operations previously, all of the same area, and all unsuccessful owing to weather. Three Liberators were sent on a parallel track search taking off at first light 25th August. All aircraft returned early and reported very bad weather East of 85ºE with heavy continuous rain from extremely turbulent and flashing Cu. Nb. clouds. Having regard to the height at which the aircraft was known to be flying, reasonable in view of the favourable weather forecast, the crews previous disappointments due to weather; the Captain's determined, if not too thoughtful character, and the actual weather in the area, it is considered probable that the aircraft entered dangerous clouds at a height where the turbulence was especially violent, and the aircraft got out of control.

25.

06.45 to 16.55

"F" Capt. P/O Boyle and crew.
Parallel track search for "B". Bad weather encountered 70 miles W of Andamans. No sign of missing aircraft.

25.

09.30

Vist of A.O.C. Air V.M. A. Lees. Inspected technical side of Camp with C.O.
A.O.C. left at 12.30.

28.

08.30 to 09.35

"D" capt. P/O Davie and crew. Mosaic of aerodrome at 5,000 ft.

28.

09.15 to 12.15

"N" BZ752 Capt. F/Sgt. Rowley, Navig. F/Sgt. Strutton. Flight at 25,000 ft. to test all guns, and homing on to D. F. Station, Sigiriya.

29.

08.30 to 12.30

"N?" Capt. Sgt. Landick. Navig. F/Lt. Carson and P/O Perera. Navigation Exercise.

30.

06.50 to 17.00

"N" BZ752 Capt. F/O Wallace. Navig. P/O B?anann. Met. Flight.

31.

04.35 to 16?.20

"N" Sgt. Landick. Navig. F/Lt. P?avitt. Ant.-Sub. Excort for A.M.C. "Carthage".