Operation: Ramrod 159
Date: 26th July 1943 (Monday)
Unit: No. 317 Squadron (Polish - 'City of Wilno')
Type: Spitfire Vc
Serial: EP328
Code: JH-?
Base: RAF Perranpoth, Cornwall
Location: Between Tournai and Lille
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Piotr Bartyś 793779 PAF Age 27 PoW
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from Martlesham acting as close escort to Bostons who were en route to bomb the Courtrai airfields. Met up with them at 11.000 ft over Clacton and then flew towards the coast, crossing land 2 miles south of Dunkirk.
Having seen off this attack they rejoined the bombers. again they were attacked and another air battle took place with two Fw190 claimed as damaged with another as destroyed.W/Cdr Zak managed to return to Martelsham Heath despite damage to his aircraft, his Spitfire, AB860 was repaired, F/o. Felc was shot down in AD137 and taken PoW. The same fate for Fl/Sgt. Bartyś.
Note: Spitfire Vc EP328 was built at Castle Bromwich fitted with the Merlin 46 engine.
Burial Details:
None: Fl/Sgt. Bartyś with F/O. Felc were made PoW surviving the war. Piotr Bartyś passed away on the 30th May 1975 and buried at Newark-on-Trent, England. Tadeusz Bartłomiej Felc passed away in 1964 and buried in Carlisle, England.
Researched for relatives of the pilot. With thanks to the following for further information supplied by the 1333 (Grangemouth Spitfire) Squadron and the Grangemouth Spitfire Memorial Trust who provided me with so much information and assistance during the webmasters visit. With thanks to Zbigniew Latos for pointing out image error.
