Historical Aircraft

January 1944

 

Saturday, 1 January, 1944

The day started with scattered clouds that became thicker in the afternoon.  Four of our pilots went on a ‘Ranger’ this afternoon but no enemy aircraft were encountered.  There were ten non-operational sorties flown on aircraft tests and local flying.  One flight was on readiness this afternoon for a couple of hours.

Sunday, 2 January, 1944

There were scattered clouds, which developed into about 8/10ths cloud in the afternoon with strong winds.  There were no operations carried out today, the weather being unfit, but eighteen non-operational sorties were completed which included practice dive bombing, local flying, cine-gun, formation flying air-to-air firing and aircraft tests.

Monday, 3 January, 1944

Scattered cloud later developed into 10/10ths cloud and it was cold and windy today.  Four of our pilots took off this morning on a ‘Ranger’ and swept Beauvais, Mantes, Gisors area without result, the cloud being mainly 9/10th to 10/10ths throughout.  There were four non-operational sorties, two of them on a practice scramble.  Another ‘Ranger’ that was to take place this afternoon was cancelled on account of the weather.  One flight was placed on immediate readiness all day.  F/O E.C. Williams, a new pilot, was posted to the Squadron today and F/O J.H. Ballantyne, DFM, reported to this Squadron for duty.  He has finished a tour in Malta and has joined us to start his second one.

Tuesday, 4 January, 1944

It was sunny with a few scattered clouds.  There were two sweeps carried out today.  On the fist one, no enemy aircraft were seen but one section of our Squadron strafed some Nissan huts setting them on fire.  On the second sweep, our Wing was escort cover to bombers and swept Beauvais, Bayeux area without result.  There was one non-operational sortie for local flying toady.

Wednesday, 5 January, 1944

The weather was sunny with scattered clouds that diminished somewhat during the morning, only to develop in the afternoon.  One flight was put on immediate readiness this morning for three-quarters of an hour.  A briefing was held at 1045 hours and the Wing took off at 1140 hours on a sweep.  They swept the Donfront area where four ME 109s were seen but could not be engaged.  There were eight non-operational sorties flown today on air-to-air firing, local flying, low-level cross countries and cine-gun practice.

Thursday, 6 January, 1944

Today the weather was dull with 9/10ths cloud.  There were no operations carried out today but eleven non-operational sorties were completed which included practice dive bombing, local flying, low-level cross-countries and aircraft tests.

Friday, 7 January, 1944

The weather started with scattered clouds that developed to 8/10ths by the afternoon.  The Wing took off at 1130 hours this morning on a sweep and was withdrawal cover to bombers returning from France.  No enemy aircraft were sighted.  There were six non-operational sorties flown on aircraft tests and a low-level cross-country flight.  One flight was on readiness until dusk today.

Saturday, 8 January, 1944

It was sunny today with scattered clouds.  The Wing took off on a sweep this afternoon and swept the Arras area but no enemy aircraft were seen.  There were also seven non-operational sorties flown on cine-gun practice and aircraft tests.

Sunday, 9 January, 1944

It was 10/10ths cloud with intermittent showers all day.  There was no flying carried out today, the weather being unfit.

Monday, 10 January, 1944

It was thick and dull today.  There were sixteen non-operational sorties today which included a practice Squadron formation and aircraft tests.  W/O2 N.V. Chevers has been appointed a commission and has joined the Squadron for duty as an Officer today.

Tuesday, 11 January, 1944

It was foggy, 10/10ths cloud with intermittent showers today.  There was no flying today.  One flight was on immediate readiness until noon when a bad weather state was put into effect.  One section remained at immediate readiness and two sections on 15 minutes notice until dusk.  The Wing was released at noon with the exception of the readiness flight.

Wednesday, 12 January, 1944

It was 10/10ths cloud, foggy with intermittent showers on into the evening.  No flying was carried out today.  The Squadron was released at 1130 hours for the remainder of the day.

Thursday, 13 January, 1944

The weather was dull with 10/10ths cloud and a slight drizzle.  There was no flying carried out today.  This morning, a picture show called ‘Catina’ was shown to the pilots at intelligence.  Identity photographs were also taken.

Friday, 14 January, 1944

It was sunny and bright today with a few scattered clouds.  Two sweeps were carried out today.  The Squadron landed at Tangmere after the second sweep and remained there overnight to take off on a morning sweep.  There were three non-operational sorties flown on aircraft tests and a low-level cross-country.

Saturday, 15 January, 1944

It was sunny and warm today with just a few high scattered clouds.  The Squadron did not take off on the sweep from Tangmere this morning but returned to base at noon.  At 1415 hours, one section was put on immediate readiness.  This was increased to one flight 15 minutes later.  Red Section was scrambled at 1530 hours to patrol Selsey Hill at 20,000 feet but was recalled shortly after take off.  There were 30 non-operational sorties flown today including the local flying from Tangmere, the flight from Tangmere to Kenley, aircraft tests and one cine-gun practice.

Sunday, 16 January, 1944

It was warm, sunny and bright with a few scattered clouds all morning and for most of the afternoon before some haze developed which turned into fog in the evening.  There were 23 non-operational sorties flown today on cine-gun practice, aircraft tests, practice dive bombing, low-level cross-countries, air-to-air firing map reading and local flying.  The Squadron was released at 1545 hours for the remainder of the day.

Monday, 17 January, 1944

There was thick fog in the morning that lifted around noon to 10/10ths low cloud, which remained, for the rest of the day.  There was no flying carried out today.  The pilots attended a picture show this morning at intelligence.  P/O N.H. Jeffries, the Squadron Adjutant, was posted to 143 Airfield HQ wef today.  F/L D. Goldberg and F/L J.A. McKelvie, two of our pilots, are now acting as Adjutant and Assistant Adjutant.

Tuesday, 18 January, 1944

It was 10/10ths low cloud, cold and dull all day with intermittent showers.  There was no flying today, the weather being unfit.  The pilots attended a lecture at intelligence this afternoon.  F/L Hill, F/O Smith and F/O Walley joined us today for duty.

Wednesday, 19 January, 1944

It was dull with 10/10ths low cloud and a slight drizzle.  No flying was done today.  One section remained on immediate readiness and two sections at 15 minutes notice all day.

Thursday, 20 January, 1944

10/10ths cloud and dull.  There was only one non-operational sortie flown on a weather test today.

Friday, 21 January, 1944

It was sunny with some scattered cloud today.  The Squadron took off this morning on a sweep through Dieppe, Amiens, Cambrai and Arras areas.  P/O Weaver and F/O Finley each destroyed a FW 190 and F/L J.D. Browne damaged one FW 190.  There were seventeen non-operational sorties flown today on aircraft tests, practice dive-bombing, local flying, cannon tests and cine-gun practice.  F/O Allison and F/L Hume reported to the Squadron today for duty.

Saturday, 22 January, 1944

10/10ths cloud, dull, windy with some rain.  There was no flying today.

Sunday, 23 January, 1944

The morning started with 10/10ths cloud, which broke up, becoming very windy and sunny with scattered clouds in the afternoon.  The Squadron took off this afternoon on a sweep around the Lille area; no enemy aircraft were seen.  There were five non-operational sorties flown today on local flying, aircraft and cannon tests.  One flight remained on readiness until dusk.

Monday, 24 January, 1944

It was sunny this morning with some scattered clouds which developed around noon to 10/10ths cloud, rain, clod and very windy.  Two sweeps were carried out this morning.  The bombers were escorted into the Lille area and no enemy aircraft were seen.  There were seven non-operational sorties flown today on cannon tests and local flying.

Tuesday, 25 January, 1944

Today was sunny with some scattered cloud.  The Squadron went on two sweeps today.  On the first sweep the Wing encountered some enemy aircraft but was unable to engage them.  The second sweep was over the Somme, Bethune and Douay areas and no enemy aircraft were seen.  There were also three non-operational sorties conducted on aircraft tests.

Wednesday, 26 January, 1944

It was sunny in the morning with 10/10ths cloud developing around noon.  The remainder of the day was cold, dull and windy with some rain.  The Squadron took off on a sweep this morning but no enemy aircraft were seen.

Thursday, 27 January, 1944

It was cloudy, dull and windy all day.  There were three non-operational sorties flown today on aircraft tests.  The Squadron was released around 1500 hours for the remainder of the day.  The pilots attended a lecture at intelligence this afternoon.

Friday, 28 January, 1944

It was 9/10ths high cloud in the morning, which scattered out for the remainder of the day.  Four of our pilots went on a ‘Ranger’ this afternoon with one of them, F/L Goldberg, unable to take off from Manston due to an unserviceable aircraft.  The remaining three swept the Lille-Amiens area and were bounced by 12 plus FW 190s.  F/O Foster damaged one FW 190 and both F/O Foster and F/L Thornton’s aircraft were hit.  P/O Weaver, DFM, is reported as missing after this operation.  There were 16 non-operational sorties flown today on local flying, sector recco and for experience on Spitfires for our new pilots.  One flight was on readiness today until dusk.

Saturday, 29 January, 1944

10/10ths cloud broke in the morning with some scattered cloud remaining.  Two sweeps were carried out today but no enemy aircraft were seen.  There were eighteen non-operational sorties flown on local flying which included the flight of the Squadron to Manston.

Sunday, 30 January, 1944

The day started sunny with scattered clouds and windy with the cloud becoming ticker in the afternoon.  This morning the Squadron took off on a sweep and flew over Cambrai airfield.  Some a/c were seen on the ground but no air activity took place.  In the afternoon, eight of our pilots went on a Ranger and swept the Antwerp, Brussels area.  There were no enemy aircraft seen but considerable flak was experienced.  There were 15 non-operational sorties flown today, which included local flying, cine-gun practice and formation flying.

Monday, 31 January, 1944

The weather was 10/10ths low layer cloud all of the morning and for most of the afternoon.  This improved slightly to about 9/10ths cloud, sunny at times but poor visibility.  There was no flying carried out today, the weather being unfit.  The health of the Squadron remained very good all this month.

403 Squadron Establishment and Flying Times for Month of January 1944

RCAF
No. of Officers – Flying    27
No. of Officers – Ground    1
No. of Airmen – Flying     1
No. of Airmen – Ground    1

USA Personnel in RCAF

No. of Officers – Flying    3
No. of Officers – Ground    nil
No. of Airmen – Flying     1
No. of Airmen – Ground    1

Flying Times for the Month

Operational:         415:25
Non-Operational:    152:30
Tiger Moth:        _     nil
Total    567:55

Aircraft on Squadron Strength:     18 Spitfire Mk IX
MH388    MA578    MJ310    MH582    MA842    MH829
BS549    BS129    BS284    MA824    MH331    MH844
MA226    MH842    MA840    MH335    BS353    BS533

1 Tiger Moth T.7402

Our Casualties for the Month:       1 Spitfire Cat AC 1-1-44 pilot uninjured
1 Spitfire Cat AC 21-1-44 pilot uninjured
1 Spitfire Cat E 28-1-44 pilot P/O Weaver,
DFM (missing)
2 Spitfires Cat AC 28-1-44 Pilots uninjured

Enemy Casualties:     1 FW 190 Destroyed 21-1-44 (P/O C. Weaver DFM)
1 FW 190 Destroyed 21-1-44 (F/O H.R. Finley)
1 FW 190 Damaged 28-1-44 (F/O L. Foster)