Historical Aircraft

June 1941

 

Sunday, June 1, 1941

Weather hazy, 7/10ths cloud.  Base patrol and local reconnaissance.  Three scrambles during the day at 1137 hours, 1330 hours, and 1753 hours.  No interceptions were made.  Pilots went to High Ercall for training flights on Spitfires.

Monday, June 2, 1941

Weather dull 10/10th cloud.  Improving towards midday.  Aerodrome partly unserviceable.  Pilots went to High Ercall for training flying.  Flying from Tern Hill, mostly circuits and landings on new type (Spitfires).

Tuesday, June 3, 1941

Cold and overcast.  Aerodrome still unserviceable.  Pilots went to High Ercall for flying.  One section operational at Tern Hill.  P/O Murray turned a Spitfire over on Landing; P/O Waldon broke the undercarriage of another Spitfire on making a heavy landing at Tern Hill.  P/O Fannon completed an unfortunate day by undershooting, ploughing his way through some trees and landing in a duck pond.  One scramble during the day; interception made with friendly aircraft.

Wednesday, June 4, 1941

Weather dull 10/10ths cloud.  One scramble during the day; nil result.  Squadron did some formation flying.  P/O Dick and Sgt Rainville, both Canadians, posted to the Squadron for flying duties.  Two pilots flew to Bagington and returned.

Thursday, June 5, 1941

Weather fair during the early part of morning when some sector reconnaissance and local formation flying was done.  Heavy rain later and bad visibility made flying impossible and the pilots attended films and a lecture.  P/O Fannon posted to Speke for AA Co-operation.

Friday, June 6, 1941

Weather overcast 10/10ths cloud.  One scramble during the day with nil result.  Little of interest to report.

Saturday, June 7, 1941

Fair and hazy 8/10ths cloud improving to 5/10ths during the afternoon.  Squadron did some formation flying, cross-country and local reconnaissance etc.  P/O Murray and Gilbertson collected two Spitfires from Kirton-on-Lindsay.

Sunday, June 8, 1941

Thick haze during morning.  Thunder and wet during the afternoon.  No flying.

Monday, June 9, 1941

Weather 10/10ths cloud, rain in the afternoon.  No flying.

Tuesday, June 10, 1941

Weather 10/10ths cloud.  Rain.  No flying.  F/L Trevena returned from leave with a wife, having been married in Scotland without much publicity.

Wednesday, June 11, 1941

Weather sunny, about 5/10ths cloud.  Six Tomahawks to Bagington, returning with Spitfires.  Change over from Tomahawks to Spitfires now nearly completed.  No scrambles during the day.  Sgt Wood to Air Ministry for interview regarding commission.

Thursday, June 12, 1941

Sunny.  W/C More, late Station Commander at Bagington where the Squadron was formed, arrived to take over duties as Sector Commander.  Squadron did some cross-countries, formation flying and other training flights.  P/O Colvin went to Bagington with Tomahawk and returned with a Spitfire.

Friday, June 13, 1941

Fine with gusty winds.  Blue Section (F/L Christmas and P/O Ford) took off on a scramble over Shrewsbury at 1011 hours, Ford landing at Wolverhampton for petrol.  No results.  Squadron formation flying and cloud formation flying done during the day.  Sgt Wood granted commission.

Saturday, June 14, 1941

Weather overcast, rather windy, 10/10ths cloud.  One scramble during the day at 1322 hours (P/O Price and P/O Ford) no interception made.  Sgts Thomas and Wickham posted from Squadron.

Sunday, June 15, 1941

Overcast and gusty.  Three scrambles were made during the day without result.  P/O Waldon went to Reading and came back in the Magister.

Monday, June 16, 1941

Sunshine, slight haze, visibility good, 5/10ths cloud.  One scramble at 1501 hours P/Os Carter and Ball patrolled base at 20,000 feet without result.  Squadron practice attacks etc. completed.

Tuesday, June 17, 1941

9/10ths cloud, visibility good.  One scramble, F/L Trevena and P/O Gilbertson, took off at 1416 hours and returned at 1525 hours without having made an interception.  Six planes from 402 (Canadian) Squadron arrived at the aerodrome from Digby during the afternoon and left about 1700 hours.  Four Spitfires flew to Speke for air firing.

Wednesday, June 18, 1941

Weather fine, 7/10ths cloud, visibility good.  Sgts Sones and Grigg in a scramble at 1451 hours.  No result.  W/C More flew to Cranage in Magister.

Thursday, June 19, 1941

Weather fine but hazy 9/10ths cloud.  W/C More flew to Preston in Spitfire.  Combat practice and formation flying.

Friday, June 20, 1941

Weather fine but hazy.  Sgt Morrison rejoined the Squadron, having had a medical board at Cosford.  Sgt Sones and Rainville in scramble at 1729 hours.  No result.  Four Spitfires, W/C More leading, took off at 1140 hours to make low flying attacks on troops in a local army co-operation exercise.

Saturday, June 21, 1941

Thick haze, visibility limited to one mile.  Sunshine and slightly clearer in the afternoon.  F/O McKenna and P/O Colvin in scramble at 1810 hours.  No interception made.  Blue, Green, Black, Yellow and White Sections did some Squadron formation flying.  F/Ls Trevena and Christmas flew to Digby to attend Canadian Squadron part to celebrate the completion of these Squadrons first years in England.

Sunday, June 22, 1941

Weather fine but hazy, 5/10ths cloud.  F/O McKenna and P/O Colvin in scramble at 1159 hours.  Nil result.  F/Ls Trevena and Christmas returned from Digby.  Accounts of party slightly hazy but appear to have been a wow!

Monday, June 23, 1941

Weather fine and sunny.  No scrambles during the day.  Blue, Green Black and White Section did some Squadron formation.  W/C Isherwood and P/O Gilbertson in Magister to Preston with P/O Gilbertson bringing it back.

Tuesday, June 24, 1941

Fine and sunny.  No scrambles.  Blue and Green Sections did a beat up in aid of army at 1045 hours, followed by Black and White Sections at 1052 hours.  Red Section went to Speke for air firing.

Wednesday, June 25, 1941

Fine and sunny. 5/10ths cloud, visibility good.  F/L Trevena posted with effect from 30th to take Command of 412 (Canadian) Squadron.  Great rejoicing at his promotion.  F/L Cathels, who is to replace him as Flight Commander ‘A’ Flight, visited the Squadron today.  F/L Cathels is a Canadian who has served in the RAF some years before the war and has just returned from the near east.  Two scrambles during the day.  No results.  S/L Morris to Sealand in Magister.

Thursday, June 26, 1941

Fine and sunny.  Two scrambles.  F/O McKenna and P/O Carter at 1053 hours.  P/O Carter and P/O Ball at 2009 hours.  No interceptions made.  Sgt Tomlinson is now fit for full flying duties.  S/L Morris returned from Sealand.  Deputation from Squadron to Market Dray to buy a present for F/L Trevena (Sash) on leaving Squadron foxed owing to it being early closing day.  Deputation stays to have a swim.  Squadron stag party held in Shrewsbury as send off for (Sash) F/L Trevena.  Adjutant tied up by domestic affairs arrived late. Misses all and holds celebration alone.

Friday, June 27, 1941

Fine and sunny 8/10ths cloud.  F/O McKenna and P/O Murray in a scramble at 1549 hours.  Nil result.

Saturday, June 28, 1941

Overcast, visibility bad, improving slightly in the afternoon.  One scramble (P/O Price and P/O Ford).  No interception was made.

Sunday, June 29, 1941

Weather hazy and visibility bad, improving later.  S/L Morris flew to Hornchurch after lunch.  Squadron pilots made up a baseball team to represent Tern Hill against Cosford, and won 7 to 3.  Very little flying done owing to weather conditions.

Monday, June 30, 1941

Sunshine in the morning, changing to thick haze, visibility bad, and thunder all day, some rain during the afternoon.  P/O Waldon in Magister to Hamble and return.