Place

Date

Time

Summary of events

Sigiriya

Nov 1st 1943

The commanding Officer, on return from conference with A.O.C., 222 Group, and Staff Officers, on future P.R. policy consequent upon loss of two aircraft ove Car Nicobar Islands, discussed future plans with all squadron crews. As a result it was decided to endeavour to send three a/c in formation on P.R. tasks. All Captains volunteered for this, and the crews P/O J. Mullins: P/O J. Ross: P/O L. Hill were chosen: with a view to intensive formation training.

1st

0925 to 1215

"P" FL940 F/Lt. Brodigan & Crew. Air to Air Firing with Harvard: 10 mls W. of Puttalam.

2nd

0900 to 1200

"P" FL940 P/O Rowley & Crew. Air to Air Firing with Harvard: 10 mls W. of Puttalam.

1500 to 1600

"P" FL940 S/Ldr Paisy & Crew. Circuits and landings.

1540

"A" BZ711 Capt. P/O Barns & Crew. Navig. F/O Spelling. Returned from Cuttack, on cessation of detachment.

3rd

1000 to 1300

"H" FL945 S/Ldr. Paisy & Crew. With U.S.A. Technical Representative - Mr. Jaycocks. Altitude Test: 32,000 feet.

"P" FL940 P/O Hill & Crew.: Air to Air Firing with Harvard: 10 mls W. of Puttalam.

4th

0150 to 1252

"N" BZ752 Sgt. Landick & Crew. Navig: sgt Pratt. Anti Sub. Creeping line ahead. S. W. Coast. India.

5th

2150 to 0905

"A" BZ711 P/O Rowley & Crew. Navig. P/O Strutton. Creeping line ahead search: Anti submarine S. W. Coast India.

5th

2232 to 0935

"D" FL969 P/O Boyle & Crew. Navig: Sgt. Allen. Ant. Submarine patrol, as above.

4th

"H" FL945 P/O White-Gaze & Crew. Air to Air Firing. No. 4 Engine "feathered" due to excessive vibration. A/C landed on three engines.

5th

1125 to 1910

"K" FL941 Sgt. Landick & Crew. Navig: Sgt. Pratt, Anti submarine search. S. W. Coast of India.

6th

0810 to 1330

"D" FL969 F/Lt. Brodigan &Crew. Navig: F/Sgt. Follis. Anti submarine search. No sightings.

0830 to 1320

"A" BZ711 F/O Servos & Crew. Navig: P/O Strackan. Anti submarine search. No sightings.

7th

1150 to 2150

"A" BZ711 R/O Ross & Crew. Navig. P/O Strackan. Anti submarine search. Cross over patrol. No. sightings.

8th

0335 to 1325

"K?" BZ752 P/O Hill & Crew. Navig. F/Sgt. Woodcock. Anti sub search. Creeping line ahead. Sighted submarine, submarine fired yellow smoke candle and submerged. Submarine in sanctuary area.

0315 to 1745

"P?" FL940 P/O Hall & Crew. Navig: F/O Seger. Anti Sub search. Creeping line ahead. 'U' Boat sighted, was attacked, but D.C's failed to release due to severing of cable from pilot's release button.

1700

"C?" BZ861 P/O Davie & Crew. Returned from India, having collected spares from Mauripar, Allahabed, Kanchrepern. ?????

9th

0550 to 1825

"N?" BZ752 F/O Boyle & Crew. Navig: Sgt. Allen. Anti Sub. Search. Sighted submarine. Preparing to bomb when sub. Fired red flare and crash dived. This was almost certainly an inward bound British submarine.

11th

0810 to 1050

"P?" Fl940 Sgt. Landick & Crew. Vertical and oblique photos of Sigiriya. Lanbulla? & Minneriya.

11th

"H" Mk. III experimental test, fitted with Mk V airscrews. Test by S/Ldr. Paisey. Not successful, three engines "ran away". Constant speed units not suibable for Mk. V airscrews.

12th

Mk V BZ885 "L" arrived from India. Ferry Crew. Replacement for "J" lost on operations Oct. 26th.

1010 to 1420

"P" FL940 P/O Davie & Crew. Air to Air Firing Practice Periscope Bombing

15th

1000 to 1300

"P" FL940 Sgt. Landick & Crew: Air to Air Firing Practice Periscope Bombing

1510 to 1725

"P" FL940 P/O Boyle & Crew. Air to Air Firing Harvard towing drogue.

1750 to 1835

Lysander #1209 F/O Mullins: Pilot. Supply dropping to troops in jungle near Rimmeriya??.

16th

0915 to 1200

"P" FL940 P/O Hall & Crew. Navig: F/Lt. P?avitt. Air to Air Firing, Pattalam. Photographs of N?egombo area. A/C diverted to Ratmalana owing to bad weather.

17th

0959 to 1803

"H" FL945 P/O Davie & Crew. Navig. P/O Perera. Convoy Escort. Six D.C's carried.

1010 to 1120

"P" FL940 P/O Hall & Crew :Returned from Ratmalana.

19th

0835 to 1215

"K" FL911 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. : Air to Air Firing with Harvard at Pattalam. Practice periscope bombing.

20th

1035 to 1340

Lysander # 1209. F.Lt. Brodigan: Pilot. To Ratmalana, collection of urgent photographic film.

21st

0149 to 1730

"V" FL936 S/Ldr Brady & Crew. Navig: F/Sgt. Reilly. P.R. Roslaboh?? Weather bad over target. Photographs obtained of E?? coast os Simalur?? Signalled Group 0943 No. 3 Engine U/S giving position, track and ground speed. Returned on three engines. Landed 17.30. 2,210 miles flown.

0211 to 1530

"H" FL945 Sgt. Landick & Crew. Navig. Sgt. Pratt. P. R. W. coast simalur. Unsuccessful owing to thick cloud.

0203 to 0958

"P" FL940 P/O Burns & Crew. Navig: F/Sgt. Follis. P.R. E. coast of Simalur. Unsuccessful. Returned when fuel transfer system failed.

23rd.

0935 to 1215

"K" FL911 F/Lt. Brodigan & Crew. Air to Air Firing at Puttalan, with Harvard.

0925 to 1125

"D" FL969 P/O Burns & Crew. Fighter Affiliation 30 Squadron., failed to make contact with Hurricane due to bad weather.

0910 to 1130

"H" FL945 S/Ldr Paisey & Crew. Altitude test and aircraft performance at height.

24th

100 to 1145

"K" FL911 P/O Boyle & Crew. Air to Air firing, Puttalam with Harvard.

25th

0930 to 1220

"K" FL911 W/Cmdr. Butler & Crew. Air to Air firing.

26th

0530 to 1730

"C" BZ861 P/O Rowley & Crew. Navig: P/O Strutton. Convo Escort S. E. of island.

25th

1030 to 1210

"P" FL940 P/O Ross & Crew. Fighter Affiliation with 30 Squadron.

26th

1010 to 1340

"P" FL940 P/O Poros?? & Crew. Air to Air Firing. at Puttalam with Harvard.

1210 to 1515

"H" FL945 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. Exercise "Pigeon". Homing on to dinghy 15 miles out to sea off China Bay.

27th

1000 to 1745

"D" FL969 Sgt. Landick & Crew. Periscope bombing off Colombo. Fighter affiliation with 273 Squadron. Landed at Ratmalana to collect six depth charges.

1030 to 1635

"N" BZ752 S/Ldr. Paisey & Crew. Navigation Exercise. Navigators: F/Lt. Pavitt: P/O Strutton: Sgt. Allen.

1425 to 1610

"H" FL945 F/O Mullins & Crew. Mosaic of aerodrome at 8,000 feet. Cloud prevented photographic runs being completed.

28th

1115 to 1210

"P" FL940 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. Mosaic as previous day Cloud prevented completion.

29th

0700 to 0915

"P" FL940 W/Cmdr. Butler & Crew. Left for Madras, taking ground crew for detachment of three Liberators to Madras.

Madras

29th

1600 to 1815

"P" FL940 arrived back from Madras.

Sigiriya

29th

"A" S/Ldr. Paisey & Crew Navig: Sgt. Bruce. Left for Madras. Landed at R?ellahanka (Bangalore) to deliver operational instructions concerning Madras detachment of Liberators.

1430 to 1640

"P" FL940 S/Ldr. Brady & Crew. Co-operation with Heavy A/A. Runs at 12,000 feet.

30th

0855 to 1150

"L" BZ885 P/O Hall & Crew. Dummy attack on Trinconalea from 10,000 feet. Fighter Affiliation.

0930

"??" FL959 F/Lt. Brodigan & Crew Navig: F/Sgt. Follis. Left for Madras: Operational Detachment.

1430

"C??" BZ861 P/O Hill & Crew. Navig: F/Sgt. Woodcock. Left for Madras: Operational Detachment.