Operation: Training

Date: 26th November 1940 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 12 OTU (Operational Training Unit - 6 Group)

Type: Fairy Battle I

Serial: L5071

Code: ?

Base: Mount Farm, Dorchester, Oxfordshire. (RAF Benson)

Location: Near base

Pilot: P/O. Wladyslaw Makarewicz P-0063 Polish Air Force Age 25. Killed

Navigator: P/O. Antoni Ignaszak P-0071 Polish Air Force Age 27. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Franciszek Blyskal 793314 Polish Air Force Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 19.32 hrs - however after climbing to about 1,000 ft. dived and crashed at 19:34 hrs. about a mile North West of the airfield and burst into flames. Cause of accident is unknown.

So many training accidents - many of which go unrecorded - we aim to change that - with your help of course! Here we have 3 young Polish boys - killed before they could take part in our liberation. Now - forever remembered.

P/O. Wladyslaw Makarewicz, P/O. Antoni Ignaszak, Sgt. Franciszek Blyskal (courtesy Robert Gretzyngier)

P/O. Wladyslaw Makarewicz. Benson (St Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire, War Graves Plot C Grave 9. Born 25.03.1915 - Bugurusłan, Russia.

P/O. Antoni Ignaszak. Benson (St Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire, War Graves Plot Row E Grave 9. Born 24.02.1913 - Böming, Germany.

Sgt. Franciszek Blyska. Benson (St Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire, Blyskal War Graves Plot Row D Grave 9. Born 10.01.1920 - Hunaniska, Brzozów, Poland.

Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski for Polish information that we may have used. Other sources as quoted below.

Any relative who would like a full size photograph of the graves we would be very happy to email them to you - free of charge.