Friday, 5 February 2010

MARIAN JOZEF DYDZIUL

He was born on 5th March 1905 at Filipowo near Suwalki, Poland.  In September 1939 he was a tactical officer in the Polish 10th Bomber Division and he was involved in two missions dedicated to attacking German armoured divisions.  Following the invasion of Poland he escaped to France and subsequently England.  Once here, he was allocated to 12 OTU and then transferred to 18 OTU in December 1940 and the following month he trained as a navigator at the Air Observer and Navigator School.  He returned to 18 OTU in September 1941.   

He was posted in to 304 Squadron on 1st April 1942, as an observer, from 18 OTU RAF Bramcote and he was killed on DV441, flying out of RAF Lindholme, which was shot down over the sea by a fighter, during a raid on Bremen on 26th June 1942.  His was the only body found from this aircraft and it has been suggested that he was given a military burial at sea (perhaps he was picked up by an outbound German vessel?).  I have seen several reports that his body was recovered but I cannot find him in any of the military burial sites, so this story may well be true.  In Tadeusz Krzystek’s famous list of Polish Airmen, it states that the Red Cross advised that his body was washed ashore on 1st July 1942 and he was given a funeral at sea with full military honours.

The ORBs from 300 Squadron suggests that he flew three missions with them between February and April 1941.

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