Operation: Scramble
Date: 12th May 1943 (Wednesday)
Unit: No. 317 squadron (Polish)
Type: Spitfire Vb
Serial: AD124
Code: JH-G
Base: RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk.
Location: North Sea, 5 miles East of Leiston, Suffolk.
Pilot: F/O. Stanisław Elmerych P-1718 Polish Air Force Age 30. Missing
REASON FOR LOSS:
06:00 hrs scrambled from RAF Martlesham Heath along with Sgt. Bartys to carry out a defence patrol over the English Channel.
They were ordered to fly at sea level and F/O. Elmerych's aircraft hit the water at 06:45 hrs. Sgt. Bartys circled over the area some 5 miles off the Suffolk coast but no sign of the pilot or aircraft.
Course No. 15, 58 O.T.U. Grangemouth, Scotland: - Front row: Sgt. Corbett, Sgt. Sekkerling, Sgt. Kotlarz, Sgt. Madej, Sgt. Szelestowski, Sgt. Krakowski, Sgt. Polek, Sgt. Kolezynski, Sgt. Elmerych, Sgt. Grobelny, Sgt. Rutecki, Sgt. Szymanski - Second row: P/O. Hunter, P/O. Loree, P/O. Frith, P/O. Deytrikh, F/O. Gastula, Fl/Lt. Walendowski, P/O. Davies, P/O. Phelan, P/O. Tonge. F/O. Godlewski, P/O. Wigston, P/O. Zakrzewski - Third row: Sgt. Powers, Sgt. Watkin, Sgt. Vance, Sgt. Machan, Sgt. McGready, Sgt. Taggart, Sgt. Oliver, Sgt. Shaw, Sgt. Kippan, Sgt. Moeser, Sgt. Matthewman - Back row: Sgt. Hunt, Sgt. Julian, Sgt. Watson, Sgt. Little, Sgt. Nicoll, Sgt. Kaye, Sgt. Allingham, Sgt. Miller, Sgt. Davies, Sgt. Jowett, Sgt. Rawson, Sgt. Cleaver, Sgt. Burley. (photo available at a higher resolution to relatives - names listed to assist others searching for aircrew within)
Burial Details:
F/O. Stanisław Elmerych. None - missing. Commemorated on the Polish Memorial at Northolt and the Warsaw Airmans Memorial in Poland. Born 23rd July 1912 in Garwolin, Poland. Next of Kin details not yet available.
Researched for relatives of the pilot with thanks for further information to the Grangemouth Air Cadets and the Grangemouth Spitfire Memorial Trust who provided me with so much information and assistance during my visit, Polish Squadron O.R.B. 'website', Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945'.
