Mar 27
    This training flight was supposed to last 1 hr 15 min. Emergency airfield: Squires Gate near Blackpool.
Takeoff at 10:00 am. Two sections of "B" flight took off. Led by F/Lt Szulkowski (aircraft: V7188 / PK-X) were: Sgt Paterek (V7187 / PK-W), P/O Wolinski (P2974 / PK-P), P/O Hoyden (V7656 / PK-V) and P/O Fiedorczuk (R4122 / PK-S). Sgt Krieger's engine did not start. Fifteen minutes into the flight Sgt Zaniewski returned to base experiencing engine trouble. 
    First altitude 15K over Preston. Due to heavy clouds at this alt. ops changed it to 20K. New course at 270 degree and 27K was set to intercept group of bandits. No contact was made. Upon turning back, a/c of F/Lt Szulkowski and Sgt Paterek collided. No parachutes observed. The scene was witnessed by P/O Fiedorczuk who later stated that Paterek's airscrew severed the other plane's tail. Theirs both aircraft were seen crashing into the sea. Wreckage of these Hurricanes confirmed them to be V7187 and V7188. Few minutes later P/O Fiedorczuk's engine stopped and his a/c went down. P/O Hoyden followed but quickly got lost in heavy clouds. P/O Fiedorczuk had problem with switching fuel tanks caused by frozen valve. Only at 10K he succeeded. He found his way to Squires Gate and landed safely. P/O Hoyden was incorrectly vectored by the ops room and due to a lack of fuel crashed into the sea. P/O Wolinski had similar problem and ditched his a/c near fishing boats in the open sea and got rescued. After the Coast Guard station at Hoylake approved the rescue action, the lifeboats: "Sarah Ann Austin" from Blackpool, and "Douglas" from Isle of Man were launched. The first one picked up some aircraft debris and due to very poor visibility the search was abandoned. One Anson and one Botha of No 3 General Reconnaissance Scholl also took part in the futile rescue mission. 
    F/Lt Szulkowski KAS, Sgt Paterek KAS, P/O Hoyden KAS.

Left: West Derby Cemetery, 24th May 1941.Funeral of one of the 315's pilots. Among those recognized on the picture are: Jesionowski, Mickiewicz, Groszewski and Szczesniewski. Right: F/Lt Szulkowski, day before his tragic flight.