THE CREW OF R1268 AND THEIR FATE

Originally posted on 22nd Feb 2008

I have learned from my own research that the aircraft was manufactured in the Vickers Armstrong factory at Chester and that it had only been delivered to the Royal Air Force three weeks before the crash. In fact it had only been delivered to 304 Squadron six days before its destruction.Now, my friend Michael has sent me information that it was on a practice cross country flight in bad weather when the wings iced up and the windows iced over at 3500 feet. The pilot lost sight of his chosen emergency landing ground, crashed into some trees on a hill top and ended up in a dip in the ground due to his efforts to miss the farm house.  I believe that it was also one of the worst winters on record.I have already related the fate of Flying Officer Waroczewski, who sustained a fractured wrist and facial lacerations and was shot down and killed the following year, but what of the other three? Flying Officer Kostuch injured his wrist and suffered facial lacerations enough to keep him off flying duties until 17th March 1941. Flying Officer Stanczuk fractured his leg and suffered facial and chest lacerations. Sergeant Boczkowski received chest injuries and facial lacerations. As far as the latter three crewmen go, I have no further information. So if anyone out there has any information, please leave a comment here or e-mail me