STILL MORE LOSSES

R1230 (NZ-E) 11th April 1942 This Mk Ic aircraft was on its way, from RAF Lindholme to bomb Essen, Germany, when it was hit by flak (or possibly a night fighter) near Kessel, Germany. One of the crew was killed but the others baled out and were taken prisoner. Sergeant Jozef Janik was buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. The survivors were: F/O Piwowarek, Sgt Z Klus, Sgt T Moszynski, Sgt Jerzy Solecki and Sgt Walukiewicz. The aircraft was one of the Squadron’s original issue and was on its 31st mission.

DV437 12th April 1942 This Mk Ic, flying out of RAF Lindholme, on a mission to bomb the Krupps works at Essen, was attacked by two Messerschmidt Me110 night fighters near the target area. The starboard engine died whilst the pilot was attempting evasive action, but he managed to get home on the remaining engine. He still managed to drop his bomb load on a Luftwaffe aerodrome at Dinant, France. Unfortunately the second engine overheated and failed and the aircraft crash landed at Milton School Farm near March, Cambridgeshire. The whole crew survived and only two of them needed treatment for minor injuries. The Sqadron ORB records:”excellent work by rear gunner during attacks by enemy aircraft.” The survivors were: Sgt A Lozowicki, Sgt M Straczek, P/O J Wacinski, Sgt Ludwik Gibas, Sgt Czeslaw Piniewski and Sgt Wincenty Garbacz.

X9687 13th April 1942 This Mk Ic aircraft was shot down by flak on its way to bomb Essen, Germany. One crew member was killed but the others baled out and were taken Prisoner of War. Flight Lieutenant Edward Jerzy Mlynarski was buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. The survivors were: P/O Misiakiewicz, Sgt Bratkowski, Sgt Broda, Sgt Graczyk and Sgt Niewolski.

X9829 (NZ-O) 24th April 1942 During a raid on Rostock, Germany, this Mk Ic aircraft was shot down by a night fighter near the estuary of the River Ems, close to Manslagt, Germany. Luftwaffe records show that it was shot down by Hauptman Hans-Georg Schutze. He flew with 4/NJG2; shot down and confimed Wellington 304 squadron X9829 at 03.37 hrs over the River Ems near Pilum, 15 kilometres North West of Emden. Hauptman Schutze was killed shortly afterwards in air combat on the 17/18th May 1942. He was credited with 5 kills, this Wellingtom was his 4th. The entire crew were killed and their bodies were eventually washed ashore and buried in the Sage War Cemetery, Oldenburg, Germany. The deceased airmen were: F/Lt Stanislaw Marian Wojcik, F/O Jan Tadeusz Kwak, F/O Stanislaw Zieleniewski, P/O Lech Stanislaw Dzierzbicki, Sgt Wladyslaw Jankowski and Sgt Lucjan Jan Wozniak.

R1697 24th April 1942 All crew survived the crash landing of R1697 at RAF Lindholme on 24th April 1942. The aircraft jettisoned its bombs from 16,500 feet over Flensburg, Germany following a surprise attack by a Messerschmidt Me110 fighter. The aircraft was damaged and the pilot (Squadron Leader Czetowicz) and rear gunner (P/O Apanasik) were struck by bullets but all survived. The crew were: Sq/Ldr Kazimierz Czetowicz, F/Sgt Ziolkowski, F/Lt BF Lewkowicz, F/Sgt Jozef Apansewicz, F/Sgt Witold Paskiewicz and P/O S Apanasik.