Day 2: Sept.2nd 1939

Day 2: 2^nd September 1939

• 0000-0400hrs, 161- III/6 relocates a 4 man flight of 4 x P-11c to Wola Wezykowa near Zdunska. (indicates that the PAF flew in three flights of four, not four flights of three.)
• Overnight ?? x Ju87b (UU) attack a minelaying operation in the area of Danzig/Hel., by the Polish Navy. ORP Gryf damaged, ORP Chicargo and ORP Gydnia sunk.
• 0950hrs. A PZL.23 Karas of 41 Eskadra Rozpoznawcza (Recce.Squadron) completes a reconnaissance flight from Zdunowo of the roads in the area of Olsztynek covered by the Modlin Army, and bomb Nidzica railway station. This was an unofficial action during the recce as higher command did not authorise them to take bombs with them!
• 1000hrs Me110c of I./ZG76 shot down 12 Polish aircraft, type and unit unknown.(This is equivalent to a whole Eskadra being shot down)*see below
• 1000hrs Around Lodz Me110c from I./ZG76 shot down 3 x PZL.24(UU) aircraft. *see below
• Time Unknown (TU), 4 x P-11c of 161- III/6 from Wola Wezykowa down a Hs126 (UU) on a recce of their area.
• 1600hrs, 4 x P-11c of 161-III/6 from Wola Wezykowa fly to intercept He111(UU) but are bounced by Me109e (UU)
• 1600-1700hrs. PZL.24 (UU) was shot down by Me110c of I./ZG76 near Lodz.
• 1600-1700hrs. 4500M over Lodz a PZL.24 (UU) was shot down by an Me110c of I./ZG76
• 1600-1700hrs. 7200M over Lodz a PZL.24 (UU) was shot down by an Me110c of I./ZG76
• 1615hrs. A PZL.24 (UU) was shot down over Pabianitz by an Me110c of I./ZG76
• 1625hrs. 4300M over Deblin, an Me110c of I./ZG76 shot down a PZL.24 (UU)
• 1710hrs, 4500m above Laskowice a PZL.24 (UU) was shot down by an Me110c of I./ZG76
• 1800hrs South of Rodomsko 2 x PZL.23 were shot down by Me110c of StaB 1./ZG2 while low level bombing an advancing column of the 4th Panzer Div.
• TU, 8 x P-11c of 161 – III/6 and 4 x P7a of 162 – III/6 from Zdunska Wola and Wola Wezykowa battle with 23 x Me110c from I./ZG76 over Lodz. 1 x Me110c shot down by a P-7a of 162 Eskadra. See note.
• A P-11c from 131 Eskadra based at Dzierznic, shot down a He111 (TUUU)
• A P-11c from 131 Eskadra based at Dzierznic, shot down a Do17 (TUUU)
• TU, Me109e of I./JG2 relocate from Furstenwalde to Doberitz
• TU, Panzers (UU) report bombing on Rabka-Chyze road, Jablonka region. (UU)
• TU, 9 x P-11c of 141 Eskadra attached to the Pomorze Army strafe mechanised infantry, location unknown, 3 aircraft shot down.
• TU, ?? x P-11c from 142 Eskadra attached to the Pomorze Army conduct 2 ground attack missions, 7 aircraft are shot down.
• 3^rd and 4^th German Armies join up in northern Poland.
• Army Group South, Runstedt, cross the Warta River
• The National Service Act calling up all able bodied men aged between 19 and 41 is passed by British Parliament. Cabinet Ministers no longer support Prime Minister Chamberlains policy of appeasement.
• The United Kingdom sends Germany an ultimatum to withdraw from Poland, or they will honour their treaty obligations and declare war, Hitler is advised that it is bluff.
• France sends Germany an ultimatum to withdraw from Poland, or they will honour their treaty obligations and declare war, Hitler is advised that it is bluff.
• Ireland declares itself a neutral.
• Sweden declares itself neutral.
• Switzerland declares General Mobilisation.
• TU, Hurricane MkI of 3.Sq.RAF relocate from Biggin Hill to Croydon
• The first echelon of 10 Squadrons of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) (2 Group) leaves for France:-
• 98-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code OE or QF, scheduled to move from RAF Hucknall to the Reserve Base at Nantes, France; but remains in Britain to supply trained crews to the AASF.
• 1-Sqn.RAF, Hawker Hurricane MkI, squadron code JX, moves from RAF Tangmere to Vassincourt, France (67Wing)
• 73-Sqn.RAF, Hawker Hurricane MkI, squadron code TP, moves from RAF Digby to Rouvres, France (67Wing)
• 114-Sqn.RAF, Bristol Blenheim MkIV, squadron code RT, moves from RAF Wyton to Vraux, France (71Wing)
• 139-Sqn.RAF, Bristol Blenheim MkIV, squadron code XD, moves from RAF Wyton to Plivot, France.(71Wing)
• 105-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code GB, moves from RAF Harwell to Villeneuve, France.(71Wing)
• 150-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code JN, moves from RAF Benson to Ecury, France.(71Wing)
• 88-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code RH, moves from RAF Waddington to Mourmelon, France.(75Wing)
• 103-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code PM, moves from RAF Abingdon to Betheniville, France.(75Wing)
• 218-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code HA, moves from RAF Upper Heyford to Auberive, France (75Wing)
• 12-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code PH, moves from RAF Andover to Amifontaine, France.(76Wing)
• 142-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code QT, moves from RAF Netheravon to Berry-au-Bac, France.(76Wing)
• 226-Sqn.RAF, Fairey Battle, squadron code MQ, moves from RAF Upper Heyford to Rheims, France.(76Wing)

• Notes:

• The PZL.24 was only an unfinished prototype when war started, and intended as a replacement for the PZL P-11c which it resembled, perhaps the Luftwaffe pilots were 'talking up' their victories! To paraphrase the above: at about 10am probably 8 x P.11c of 161(2 flights), and 8 x P-7a (2 flights) of 162 Eskadra have a battle with 23 Me110c of I./ZG76 which shoot down 12 for the loss of one Me110c.
• The most likely scenario,based on the above is that Me110c from I./ZG76 encountered 161 Eskadra at about 1000hrs and claim to have shot down 15 of them, this is most likely an exageration.
• Between 4pm and 5pm I./ZG76 shoot down a further 6 x P-11 from these Eskadra, just about wiping them out. It looks highly likely that the battle by 161 and 162 Eskadra is this one.
• RAF Squadrons all changed their Squadron codes at the outbreak of war, presumably to deny intelligence to the enemy.

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PZL P.23 Light Bombers of the Polish Air Force