Author: Andy Finnegan

2 Spitfires Today.

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Seeing and hearing a distant Spitfire over the Solent I decided to call into Solent Airport on my way home today. There were two Spitfires on the ground.

Piotr Kuryłłowicz, 1919 -2024.

The name on the side on BS410 got me googling.

Piotr Kuryłłowicz died on March 13, 2024, at the age of 104 the last known veteran of the 315th Fighter Squadron “Dębliński” from a Polish Siberian family, Piotr Kuryłłowicz, like many pilots at that time, began his aviation career with training at the Military Gliding Camp in Ustianowa. Shortly after that, he joined the Aviation Cadet School in Dęblin. As a graduate of the famous accelerated XIII officer promotion course, he was evacuated on September 18, 1939, to Romania, from there he got to France, and then on to Great Britain.

While in Great Britain as a Flying Officer with service number 780962, he underwent training at 55 Operational Training Unit at RAF Aston Down. He fought in the 317th Fighter Squadron “Wileński” and the 315th “Dębliński”. It was while serving in this unit that, on Tuesday, May 13, 1943, he took off from RAF Northolt and was shot down over France, by either a Focke Wulf or ME 109.Kuryłłowicz – parachuting near Occoches, he was captured and sent to the German POW camp – Stalag Luft III in Żagań.

Favourite spot.

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At the Little Bridge at Titchfield Harbour where the River Meon reaches the sea, there is a favourite spot under the bushes where a Grey Heron likes to fish. Often people miss him! If you wait for a while he may come out into full view.

Dragons in the sky.

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Yesterday we spent time at Titchfield Haven around one of the small ponds looking for Damselflies and Dragonflies.

With a warm morning, there were many to see.

Four-spotted chaser dragonflies out in large numbers.

 

Female blue form Emperor dragonfly “tail dipping” – egg laying.

Azure damselfly mating.

Black & White in Colour.

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The sun was out yesterday and so were the butterflies although not in large numbers at Seafields Park a small park behind the beach at Salturns beach near Lee on Solent. Unlikely to be mistaken for any other species this easily recognised butterfly the Marbled White is a distinctive and attractive black and white butterfly, found in unmanaged and unimproved grassland. It shows a marked preference for purple flowers such as Wild Marjoram, Field Scabious, thistles, and knapweed.

Living History.

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Lyndhurst is the largest village in the New Forest Hampshire, it became the natural ‘capital’ of the area when William the Conqueror established his hunting grounds in the forest. Lyndhurst was the haunt of royalty and nobility. Kings and Queens regularly visited Lyndhurst’s own manor house. Now known as Queens House, this former manor is still home to Verderers’ Hall, the meeting place of the ancient Verderers’ Court whose history stretches back to at least the 13th century.