Place

Date

Time

Summary of events

Sigiriya

1st

1000 to 1325

"L" BZ885 W/Cmdr. Butler (Capt) with P/O Rowley's Crew. Air to Air Firing Puttalan??? With Harvard, Fighter Affiliation, and practice depth charge dropping.

Vavuniya??

1st

0915

"A" BZ711 S/Ldr Paisey (Capt) with P/O Sevos' Crew. Landed at Vavuniya?? Took off at 21.05 (Nov 30) from Madras for Anti Sub crross-over sweep. Due to navigator's error, failed to make Madras and landed in Ceylon.

Sigiriya

1st

12.06

Landed at Sigiriya from Vavuniya. S/Ldr. Paisey took off for Madras in "A" with Sgt. Landick's Crew.

2nd

0940 to 1210

"P" FL940 P/O Ross & Crew, Air to Air Firing; Fighter Affiliation.

4th

0955 to 1345

"V" FL936 P/O Davie & Crew, Air to Air Firing, Puttalam.

5th

0300

160 Squadron detachment to leave Madras on AM 5th Dec. and return to Sigiriya."

"A" S/Ldr. Paisy & Crew Left Madras 1410. landed 1700

"D" F/Lt. Brodigan & Crew. Left Madras 1415. Landed 1655.

"G?" P/O Hill & Crew. Delayed by engine trouble, leaving December 6th.

Mk III P. R. aircraft bombed to take 12 500 lbs S.A.P. bombs.

Mk V aircraft bombed up to take 8 500 lbs bombs.

Mk V "L" BZ885 "A" BZ711 "D" FL969 "N" BZ752

6th

Aircraft serviceable, as for Dec. 5th plus extra Mk III "H" FL945

7th

0548 to 1252

"N" BZ752 P/O Boyle & Crew. Navig. Sgt. Allen. : Anti-sub search. Nothing seen.

0651 to 1657

"D" FL969 F/Lt. Brodigan & Crew. Navig. F/Sgt. Follis. Anti-sub Search Nothing seen.

0520

Aircraft burnt out. DC's exploded. All Crew were killed.

130977 P/O Davie, D. C. Pilot (Captain)

CAN. R125492 F/Sgt. Love, V. C. Pilot (2nd Pilot)

CAN J14652 P/O Perera, K. P. Navigator

578166 Sgt. Kirk, D. WOM/A.G.

CAN R131186 Sgt. Ferguson, A. E. WOP/A.G.

CAN R129291 Sgt. Stockwell, G. M. WOP/A.G.

CAN R123726 Sgt. Currie, E. C. WOP/A.G.

CAN R85926 W/O MacDonald, R. W. WOP/A.G.

8th

The Funeral of aircrew killed in crash on Dec. 7th. Funeral at Military Cemetery Kandy. The C.O. W/Cmdr. Butler, officers and aircrew of Squadron attended.

8

0135 to 1305

"A" BZ711 Sgt. Landick & Crew. Navig. Sgt. Pratt. : Anti-sub Cross over patrol. Nothing seen.

9th

1500

Informed by Group H.Q. that 'emergency' was over.

10th

0725

"V" FL936 P/O Rowley & Crew. Navig. P/O Strutton.: search for anphibian Catalina, which took off from Sigiriya to carry out Cross over patrol. Presumed that Catalina had forcelanded in sea, as no reply wa received from A/C when return to base signal was transmitted. A Beaufort sighed a dinghy with 11 of Crew, 35 miles, South along coast from China Bay.

10th & 11th

1115

"V" landed at Ratmalana, due to bad weather at base. Runway declared U/S for immediate repairs.

12th

1120 to 1320

"A" BZ711 P/O Hill & Crew. : Circuits and low flying.

14th

0840 to 1225

"A" BZ711 P/O Boyle & Crew. : Combined Exercise: Air Firing; practice periscope bombing.

0935 to 1145

"K" FL911 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. Air Firing : Harvard Towing Drogue

1420 to 1800

"A" P/O Hill & Crew. Air Firing at Puttalan??

1445 to 1555

"K" FL911 S/Ldr. Paisey gave check to F/Sgt. Stove (Capt) who had not flown for four months due to sickness.

"P" W/O Landick & Crew. Practice for A/A Fire, 1000 ft below aircraft

15th

0905 to 1225

"K" FL911 P/O Servos & Crew. Air Firing and fighter affiliation.

0937 to 1110

"P" FL940 S/Ldr. Paisey gave check dual to F/Sgt. Stowe.

1510 to 1730

"K" FL911 F/Lt. Mullins & Crew Air Firing at Puttalan??

New crew arrived F/O Jones and crew A/C "D"

16th

0639 to 1356

P/O Hall & Crew. Navigator: F/O Segar. Anti-Sub Patrol inner shipping lane E. Coast of Island.

0707 to 1455

"N" P/O Ross and Crew. Navigator P/O Paterson. Anti-Sub Patrol outer shipping lane. Full use of Radar equipment used. It was suspected that a German U boat was in passage from N E. of Ceylon around to Westward.

17th

1030

Lancaster I arrived (from Ratmalana) Captain consulted F/O Peuleve with a view to find out if Radar equipment of our A/C was affected by local weather conditions.

1200

Lancaster left on return.

18th

1354

"F" arrived from Cuttack. Ferry crew F/L Percival of 354 Squadron.

0015 to 1420

"H" FL945 P/O Hill & Crew Navigaator F/Sgt. Woodcock. P.R.U. successfull. Target : Meulaboh??

0020 to 1525

"V" FL936 P/O Boyle & Crew Navigator F/Sgt. Allen. P.R.U. Simalur (successful)

0030 to 1445

"P" FL940 P/O Servos & Crew. Navigator. Sgt. Bruce. P.R.U. Simalur (successful)

1500 to 1700

"K" FL911 S/Ldr. Paisey gave check dual (circuits) to F/Sgt. Stowe.

19th

0950 to 1130

"P" FL940 F/Lt. Mullins & Crew. Fighter Affiliation.

20th

Runway U/S for repairs for Monday & Tuesday.

22nd

0945 to 1425

"H" FL945 F/Sgt. Stowe and Crew. Navigation Exercise.

23rd

0615 to 1728

"N" BZ752 F/Lt. Mullins & Crew of S/L Brady. Navigator: F/Sgt. Reilly. A/S Escort No enemy sightings.

1005 to 1445

"H" FL945 P/O Ross & Crew. Exercise with Navy.

1030 to 1450

"V" FL 936 P/O Boyle & Crew. Exercise with Navy.

24th

0210 to 0858

Mk.V "N" BZ752 F/Lt. Brodigan & Crew. Navigator F/Sgt. Follis. Escort sweep. No Enemy contact.

New crew arrived with BZ939 F/Lt. Bradley and crew (left Montreal 16/11/43).

28th

1034 to 0012

Vc :F" FL 991 P/O Hill & Crew. Navigator F/Sgt. Woodcock. Anti-Sub Patrol. No enemy sightings.

28th

1111 to 0125

IIIA "H" FL945 P/O Rowley & Crew. Navigator: P/O Strutton. A/S Search. Saw torpedoed M.V. settling nose down, not moving. Four rafts in vicinity of ship, no survivors on them. Also 10 lifeboats, survivors seen in all. No enemy sightings.

27th

0945 to 1135

"K" FL911 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. Air Firing with Harvard.

28th

1505 to 1715

"K" FL911 P/O Hall & Crew. Air to Air Firing, Puttalan.

29th

1040 to 1150

"A" BZ711 P/O Ross & Crew. Local Flying

1115 to 1155

"D" FL969 S/Ldr. Paisey & Crew. Local Flying

1415 to 1805

"N" BZ752 P/O Burns & Crew. Navigator: F/O Baloon. Navigation Exercise.

1535 to 1645

"A" BZ711 F/Lt. Bradley & Crew. Local Flying

30th

0605 to 1735

"A" BZ711 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. Navigator: F/Sgt. Reilly. Convoy Excort. No enemy sightings.

0805 to 1645

"D" FL969 S/Ldr. Paisey & Crew. (P/O Hill's crew) Navig: F/Sgt. Woodcock. "CAX" Exercise. Combined exercise with Navy.

1530 to 1710

"V" FL936 P/O Hall & Crew. Night photo practice.

31st

0800 to 1737

"N" BZ752 P/O Ross & Crew. Navigator: F/O Horton. Convoy Escort. No enemy sightings. Landed at Ratmalana owing to bad weather.