WWII 1944 - 1945 (4)

Webmaster’s Note: The following link will take you to a translation of the diary of Sqn Ldr Leszek Wielochowski VM, the first Commanding Officer of No 318 (City of Gdansk) Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron. In this, he describes operations with 5 Corps in Italy in 1944, including a visit by one Air Marshal D’Albiac. The diary opens in a separate window.


The diary of Sqn Ldr Leszek Wielochowski VM:


No sooner had the Squadron settled in than it received from Group Captain Millington a letter detailing the most recent developments in the execution of tactical and artillery reconnaissance flights. On tactical reconnaissance he said that their method of execution remained unchanged. The height was still 6-8000 feet and pilots only dived down low to investigate suspicious movements or likely concentration areas about which they had previously been briefed. The results of these sorties jointly interested both 8th Army and Desert Air Force, the former, for intelligence purposes and planning, the latter, for the purpose of implementing strikes. In the case of artillery reconnaissance the success of these sorties was being considerably hampered by the heavy flak concentration over the battle area. This led to a new technique known as “Apple Pie” demands by the spotting aircraft. The weaver, who was usually in the best position to pinpoint enemy flak guns, plotted their position and then cut in on the R/T with “Apple-pie C123456”. The regiment receiving this passed it on to the appropriate troop who then brought down fire on the hostile guns and, in most cases, satisfactorily silenced them.


On 2nd April, Squadron Leader A.V. Maslen DFC, second in command of the Squadron, was shot down and killed by anti-aircraft fire near Chieti whilst on an artillery reconnaissance. According to reports by the R.A. Regiment he attempted a wheels-up forced landing but unfortunately, the fuel tanks blew up as the aircraft hit the ground. Squadron Leader Maslen was well known and highly respected by all the Squadron pilots. He had flown over 1000 operational sorties.


As a training ground for a Squadron coming on to operations after sixteen months away, conditions were excellent especially as over-confidence was nearly always rewarded by a welcome from enemy anti-aircraft guns.

…...continued

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