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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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315 Squadron badge
06.01.1944 No. 315 Squadron Spitfire Vb P8744 PK-B Fl/Sgt. Lojek

Operation: Rhubarb

Date: 6th January 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 315 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: P8744

Code: PK-B

Base: RAF Heston

Location: Between Le Mesnil and Allard, France

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Kazimierz Łojek 733144 PAF Age 26. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 13:10 hours on a Rhubarb with 7 other aircraft.

There are two versions of events in that one says he was shot down by a member (1) of JG2 and the other that he was hit by machine gun fire from ground targets.

(1) Oberfeldwebel Willi Stratmann, Oberfeldwebel Meindl and Oberfeldwebel Karl-Heinz Munsche each claimed a Spitfire on this day in that area.

Front: Sgt. Jozef Kulczycki 784332 (failed to qualify as a pilot), F/O. Edward Tatarski P-0829, F/O. Włodzimierz Zegallo P-0324 (failed to qualify as a pilot - died 31/12/1972), F/O. Adam Bronisław Jenik P-1119 (died 16/06/1989), F/O. Tadeusz Karnkowski P-0973 (died 13/09/2013), F/O. Zbigniew Frackiewicz P-0923 (PoW19/11/1943 308 Squadron, died 15/12/1997)

Centre: Sgt. Edward Władysław Martens P-2817 / 792239 (killed 13/06/1982), Sgt. Ryszard Bedkowski 793863 (killed 25/10/1941), Sgt. Karol Michalkiewicz 784123 (evaded 23.06/1944, died 27/09/1988), Sgt. Gwido Swistun P-2478 / 781515 (died 16/01/1992), Sgt. Piotr Lewandowski 780888 (PoW 15/05/1943, died 2001) , Sgt. Bogdan Mścisław Smidowicz P-2340 / 784128 (died 14/03/2010), Sgt. Klemens Jastrzebski P-2466 / 780868 (died 15/05/1988), Sgt. Stanisław Andrzej Włosok-Nawarski P-2480 / 783261 (died 08/01/2017).

Rear: Sgt. Konstanty Makosz 783591 (PoW 30/06/1943, died 05/09/2003), Sgt. Aleksander Judek P-2657 / 783174 (died 09/08/2003), Sgt. Erwin Loska 782825 (died 22/09/2016), Sgt. Hubert Leon Mindykowski 793628 (failed to qualify as a pilot, died 02/12/1990), Sgt. Wiktor Kempka 793627 (PoW 21/05/1944, died 09/04/2006), Sgt. Kazimierz Lojek 783149 (killed 06/01/1944).

Burial Details:

Fl/Sgt. Kazimierz Łojek. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-Sur-Mer. Row M. Grave 6. Born 23rd February 1917 in Krakow, Poland. Next of kin details not currently 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, Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'.

KTY Updated 09.12.2019

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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