The month began with a change of command at R.A F Jever.   Group Captain Powell - 
Sheddon D.S.O., D.F.C., took over command of the station, and Wing Commander 
Coulson, D.S.O., D.F.C., Flying Wing.
	          'A' Flight sent out a team for battle flight duty, led by Flt. Lt. 
Lee.   They flew only one mission.   'B' Flight put in one mission - a training flight 
for one of our ex - A.F.S. pilots.   A good period of night flying went through without 
a hitch - over thirteen hours - monthly spent in familiarising our pilots again with
night conditions after a rather long absence from such flying.	                 
                                                                           Day 8 Sorties - 5.40 hrs.
                                                                           Night 20 Sorties - 13.25 hrs.

	        Deep frost continued.   Battle Flight was kept at the hanger all 
morning, and taxied out to dispersal at 11.30 hrs ; but it came back without ever 
having flown.   Fortunately there was no evening fog and we were able to do some 
night flying.   A four took off at dusk and was attacked by the Squadron Commander, 
leading a pair.   Full evasive action was taken, leading to a short battle.
                                                 	    Day 2 Sorties - .40 hrs.
                                                 	    Night 6 Sorties - 4.00 hrs.

Battle Flight's one mission comprised P.I.s - one section 
against the other.   The standard of control was very good, fighters being well 
positioned with relation to target and sun, and all four interceptions successful.
	        Like yesterday, flying today could not start till 09.30 hrs., and 
even after that, poor visibility near the ground again restricted flying. 
                                                 	   5 Sorties - 4.40 hrs.

    	       Four battle flight missions ; four formation missions in pairs ;
two sector recces, and a short session of night flying.  Control on battle flight 
was average - except on the last scramble, when our flight was optimistically 
vectored all the way to Gutersloh.   We were attacked once, by four Vampires - tail 
chase.   Then we attacked the other Vampires - again tail chase.   Control admitted 
their weapon was bent ; but, since we returned to base somewhat short of fuel, we 
concluded this type of mission is not suitable for aircraft of the Vampire's range 
capabilities.
	The night flying was planned on similar lines to last Tuesday's inter-
ceptions ; but after one, it became too dark for this work, and the three sections
climbed to 20,000 ft. for Q.G.H.s.

                                                 	       Day 26 Sorties - 23.35 hrs.
                                                 	       Night 6 Sorties - 4.55 hrs.

We could not fly before 11 o'clock because of fog, nor after 4.15 p.m., 
for the same reason.   The battle flight made two missions.   On the first - internal 
P.I.s - civil radio interferences reached an all time high.   Indeed it has now gone 
past a joke.   It was fun once, to roar up into the sky with the exhilarating urge
of Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' as accompaniment.   But today the interference
noise was so loud and penetrating that ground to air transmissions became completely 
masked, and the exercise had to be abandoned.   A report was made on, landing, to the 
appropriate authorities.
			 The only aircraft not engaged on battle flight was used to give two of 
our newer pilots sector recces.   In addition, another received his initial flight
commander's dual check.
                                                 	    12 Sorties - 10.25 hrs.

	      C.O.'s parade and lectures.

	      Thick fog lasted throughout the day.   Administrative duties and 
ground training occupied the Squadron instead of flying.
			        		      No flying.

We flew today.   The fog cleared at about 10.30 hrs., and we rushed four 
cine missions into the air.  Three other pairs flew low level practices.
     Then back crept the fog insidiously ; all aircraft were recalled and grounded
by 14.30 hrs.			        14 Sorties  - 8.55 hrs.

     The fog lasted all morning.   There was a lecture on meteorology and another 
on weapons.                                                       No flying.

   The weather is improving.   A 400 ft. cloudbase and drizzle all day instead of fog.
A full programme of lectures was given - A.F.V. recognition, meteorology, intelligence
(escape and evasion), and aircraft recognition.                                No flying.

     There was again low stratus and drizzle all day ; the programme was similar to 
yesterday's.                                                                    No flying.

     A somewhat depleted Squadron attended the parade this morning ; but the absence of 
two or three pilots is amply rewarded by the privilege of representing the station 
in various sports.   There was a lecture on safety equipment.

     Foggy again - all day.                                                  No flying.

     The battle flight rushed out to dispersal as soon as it became apparent that the
the airfield would change from red to amber.   They waited and waited ; but there were 
no missions - presumably because other airfields could not operate.   We badgered the 
Group Controller into letting us do a training flight, and flew a high and low level 
battle formation practice.   Meanwhile, our newest pilot had his low flying dual check, 
and "A" Flight flew two cine missions.                               12 Sorties - 8.25 hrs.

     The Squadron has now almost all its aircraft back from the Aircraft Finishing
Flight.   As a result we were today able to resume squadron formation flying.   Ice 
and low cloud had prevented flying in the morning.   Sports afternoon was cancelled. 
We sent up an eight after lunch ; and thereafter three pairs on cine, two on battle 
formation, and another to do a sector recce.                17 Sorties - 12.50 hrs.

     Today was the first full flying day for a fortnight.   In the last 48 days, there 
have been only 10 full flying days.   We made good use of it.
     The battle flight, operated by 'B' Flight, had two interception missions in the 
morning.   The first was P.I.s : the second was planned to catch a Canberra 
flying from U.K.   We reached our patrol height of 30,000 ft. and vectored to and fro, 
receiving target information from time to time.   After a few minutes, however, a 
message came through that it had not taken off.   We did a P.I. against the Wunstorf 
Venoms.   In the afternoon, the battle flight was switched to the ground attack role 
and sent to Fassberg.   There it refuelled and made a strike against a formation
of Patton tanks exercising on Hohne ranges
       All this time 'A' Flight were busy giving close supervision to two 'B' Flight 
pilots as well as their own, on cine exercises, including dual instruction for the 
ex - A.F.S. pilots on parallel quarters, and low level battle formation.  
			     	  31 Sorties - 23.05hrs.

        A thick freezing fog shrouded the zone.   We took our books and charts, and 
and swung a compass or two.

        Last night, most of our officers made the perilous journey to R.A.F. Oldenburg - 
perilous because of icy roads and supercooled fog.   They managed to survive our
neighbouring station's Christmas Ball, those who returned this morning, finding
Jever deep in snow.

Good weather.   We thrashed the skies all day and into the night - masses of cine 
up to 20,000 ft., particularly directed at our ex-A.F.S. members; G.C.A.s at R.A.F.
Wunstorf, low flying and snake climbs, and dual parallel quarters in Meteors.
            				          Day 29 Sorties - 27.40 hrs.
            				          Night 9 Sorties - 5.05 hrs.

         Yet another non flying day - low stratus and intermittent drizzle. 
Today No. 4 Squadron's secret weapon had its firing trials, and astonished even 
C.O. and Adjutant, who led the test team at Meppen Range.   This product of the 
Fourth's fertile imagination was conceived in the discussion groups of the officers
and senior N.C.O.'s of the Squadron, when attending the Ground Combat Course held 
recently by No. 4 Wing R.A.F. Regiment.   There Squadron Leader Williamson had the 
happy thought of putting to effective use the stocks of rockets which might be left 
behind should the station ever have to evacuate its aircraft rapidly in war.   In such 
circumstances, every available form of weapon would be invaluable for the defence of 
R.A.F. Jever.
	  After some discussion, it was agreed to build a simple launcher on a 
trolley accumulator chassis, and fire rockets therefrom.   The construction was
supervised by Sgt. Kenny, our armament N.C.O., and sundry elaborate calculations made 
by some of our supposedly more academically minded pilots, who came to the conclusion 
that the minimum safe angle for launching was 2 1/4 degrees - the same, they were surprised 
to find, as that predicted by the station armament officer, Flt. Lt. McGhee.
              At the range, from a suitable defensive dugout, the C.O. touched off the 
first missile, at near maximum elevation.   There was a colossal roar, vast volumes of 
smoke and flashing flame, as the 60 lb concrete head rocket was launched.   It struck 
the ground about 300 yds. away and hurtled on, belching fire for a few moments more.
On subsequent launches, but not at max. elevation, ranges up to some 6,000 yds. were 
achieved.   Altogether the weapon scored a great success.   All concerned feel very 
pleased with its operation, not least among them WgCmdr. Alton, commanding No. 4 Wing,
who thus sees direct positive results from his G.C.T. course.

	  The Christmas stand down began.   This squadron provided battle flight 
for today, but it was not called for.   Continuous rain fell during the day.

	   No. 93 Squadron provided battle flight.

	   Our Squadron again did duty as battle flight.   No flying.

	   Christmas Grant - No flying.

	   Fog and low cloud prevented flying in the morning and early afternoon.   A few 
sorties were flown after 16.00 hrs, when the airfield became Amber.   Of these, 4 were 
devoted to cine attacks.		          6 Sorties - 3.40 hrs.

     Full flying day.   Everyone piling up the hours like mad things 
on cine exercises and battle formations.   Flying was suddenly curtailed and night 
flying plans scrubbed when low stratus, very low indeed, rushed in from the south
-west at approx. 16.15 hrs.
				    28 Sorties - 22.40 hrs.

     	    Bad visibility again dashed all hopes of flying today.

SUMMARY.
	   An uneven month's flying.   There were in effect, only three flying periods 
of about two days each at a time.   During the rest of the month, long spells of bad 
weather stopped nearly all flying.
	   However, maximum effort was directed towards bringing our ex-A.F.S. pilots
in particular, and other junior pilots in general, up to operational standard. 
A great deal has still to be done in this direction, but, now that nearly all our 
aircraft have returned from camouflage depot, we should be able to achieve a satis-
factory standard towards the end of January, or in February - provided the weather 
plays fair.
	            Flying.          Individual	            14.45.
	            		Interception.           40.00.
	            		Sqdn. & wg. Exs.   50.10.
	            		Air Support              4.00.
	            		Navigation               5.40.
	            		Weapons at base   39.20.
	            		Night Flying           26.00.
	            		
	            		Total Vampire     179.55.
	            		Total Meteor             6.05.
	            		
	            		Grand Total.          186.00
	            		

    Compiled by signed AE Sanders FG/OFF.   Authorised by   signed PGK Williamson  Sqdn. Ldr.
                      (A.E.SANDERS)                                          (P.G.K. WILLIAMSON)