The Flying Log of F/O Col Bowden, RAAF
Covering flights made from India
Flights with No. 1673 H.C.U. Kolar
1944
|
Month |
Day |
Ac. Type |
No. |
Pilot |
2nd Pilot |
Duty |
Hrs. (day) |
Hrs. (night) |
|
August |
26 |
Liberator |
BZ9991 |
F/Lt. Gauntlet |
Self |
Local |
1.00 |
|
|
August |
28 |
B24J |
EW256 |
P/O Jones F/O Hall |
Self and Crew |
Dual and Solo |
4.35 |
|
|
August |
29 |
B24J |
EW172 (T) |
F/O Hall |
Self and Crew |
No. 1 Cross Country |
3.40 |
|
|
August |
30 |
B24J |
EW237 |
F/O Hall |
Self and Crew |
No. 2 Cross Country |
3.20 |
|
|
September |
8 |
B24J |
QE222
|
F/O Hall |
Self and Crew |
Gunnery Air to Ground |
1.00 |
|
|
September |
9 |
B24J |
EV996 (A) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Circuits and Landings |
|
3.30 |
|
September |
10 |
B24J |
EV222 (Q) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Circuits and Landings, Solo |
|
3.30 |
|
September |
11 |
B24J |
EV991 (Z) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
No. 3 Cross Country |
|
4.20 |
|
September |
13 |
B24J |
EV991 (Z) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Bombing |
1.20 |
|
|
September |
14 |
B24J |
EW172 (T) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
No. 3 Cross Country Return to Base No Deviation Card for Compass |
|
4.25 |
|
September |
20 |
B24J |
EV991 (Z) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Air Test |
.55 |
|
|
September |
23 |
B24J |
EW222 (A) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Echo Operation |
|
7.10 |
Flights with 159 Squadron, Bengal
1944
|
Month |
Day |
Ac. Type |
No. |
Pilot |
2nd Pilot |
Duty |
Hrs. (day) |
Hrs. (night) |
|
October |
10 |
B24J |
EW868 (Y) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Sea Search. Return to Base Art Horz U/S (2.30) OP time |
|
4.15 |
|
October |
11 |
B24J |
KH212 (Z) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Circuits and Landings Local Flying |
|
2.00 |
|
October |
23 |
B24J |
KH162 (U) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
First OP. Target Toungup Hit Target No.1 Engine Cut Over Target, Came Home on 3 Engines |
|
7.40 |
|
November |
2 |
B24J |
EW868 (Y) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Railway Workshops, Bangkok. Stick 9 Incendiarys Across Target |
|
13.40 |
|
November |
4 |
B24J |
EW868 (Y) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Engine Repair Shops, Bangkok Stick 9 Incendiarys Target Uncertain |
|
14.00 |
|
November |
7 |
B24J |
KH212 (S) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Shipping Strike Tavoy Petrol Tank Hit over Ye Landed Coxes Bazzaar |
|
15.05 |
|
November |
8 |
B24J |
KH212 (S) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Coxes Bazzaar to Base |
2.05 |
|
|
November |
17 |
B24J |
KH162 (U) |
F/O Hall |
Self |
Shipping Strike Cocos Island Bombs Dropped No Damage Seen |
7.50 |
6.00 |
|
November |
22 |
B24J |
KH267 (X) |
S/L Burbridge |
Self |
Air Test |
.25 |
|
|
November |
25 |
B24J |
EW868
|
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Ferry |
.25 |
|
|
November |
26 |
B24J |
EW868
|
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Gardening Penang Dropped Safe Bad Weather |
7.0 |
11.45 |
|
November |
29 |
B24J |
EW868 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Bangkok Railway Yard and Store Houses Hit Target Sighted 2 Oscars |
|
15.00 |
|
December |
2 |
B24J |
EW868 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Bangkok Rama 6 Bridge |
|
14.40 |
|
December |
18 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/O Anderson |
Self |
Base -- Dalbhumgarh -- Base |
.40
|
|
|
December |
19 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Base -- Dalbhumgarh -- Base |
1.20 |
|
|
December |
29 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Mining Rangoon River Carried G/Capt Cohu as 3rd Pilot |
|
9.35
|
Flights with 159 Squadron, Bengal
1945
|
Month |
Day |
Ac. Type |
No. |
Pilot |
2nd Pilot |
Duty |
Hrs. (day) |
Hrs. (night) |
|
January |
1 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Naikon Jawri Bridge |
|
13.30 |
|
January |
3 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Air Test |
.30 |
|
|
January |
11 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Mining Moulmein Duty Not Carried Out Because of Short Circuit in Bombing Gear Mines Dropped as Soon as Bomb Doors Opened |
7.00 |
6.00 |
|
January |
14 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Bridge Busting DNCO Elevator Control Stuck Forward in Dive Lucky to Get Away With It Carried G/C Cohu. |
|
14.05 |
|
January |
16 |
B24J |
KH327 (Y) |
F/Lt Hall |
Self |
Air Test Controls Working OK No Snags |
.30 |
|
|
January |
27 |
B24J |
(B) |
G/Capt Cohu |
Self |
Circuit and Landing Instruction in Vital Action |
.25 |
|
|
January |
28 |
B24J |
(F) |
G/Capt Cohu |
Self |
Circuit and Landing |
1.0 |
|
|
January |
28 |
B24J |
(F) |
S/Ldr Hall |
Self |
Base -- Alipore -- Base |
1.0 |
|
Data on aircraft serial numbers entered by R. Quirk, from Air Britain's RAF Aircraft series.
Place names have been transcribed with the spelling used in the log.
Notes from C. Bowden, 1996
1) The bombing of the Ye railhead. On this raid F/O Bowden's aircraft was shot in the wing. The gunner in the rear turret was fortunate that the turret was in the position that allowed him to get out. He was saturated in 100 octane fuel. If he'd had to move the turret to get out he would have destroyed the aircraft as they were electrically operated.
2) Jan. 1st raid on the Nakorn Jaisri River. This is the Nakorn Jaisri bridge on the Kwai River. It's the famous Bridge on the River Kwai of movie fame.