AR banner
Search Tips Advanced Search
Back to Top

Info LogoAdd to or correct this story with a few clicks.
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.
Check our Research databases: Database List

.

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.

300 squadron badge
16/17.01.1945 No 300 Squadron Lancaster I PD257 BH-U W/O. Bakinowsk

Operation: Zeitz

Date: 16/17th January 1945 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 300 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: PD257

Code: BH-U

Base: R.A.F. Faldingworth, Lincolnshire.

Location: Kleinfurra, 10 km. South South West Nordausen, Germany.

Pilot: W/O. Robert Bakinowski P-780661 P.A.F. P.o.W.

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Kazimierz Tomasik P-780024 P.A.F. P.o.W.

Nav: Sgt. Stanislaw Seidengert P-703112 P.A.F. P.o.W. (1)

Air/Bmr: P/O. Franciszek Matuszewski P-2722 P.A.F. Age 26. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Mikolaj Piotrowski P-794471 P.A.F. Age 28. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Mieczylslaw Sasin P-706523 P.A.F. P.o.W. (2)

Air/Gnr: Sgt Antoni Smoczkiewicz P-706697 P.A.F. Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from R.A.F. Faldingworth, Lincolnshire at 17.48 hrs to bomb the Braunkohle-Benzin synthetic oil plant at Zeitz, South West of Leipzig. 328 Lancaster took part in this operation (one of several this night by other groups) 10 failed to return.

                     

Some reports write that PD257 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, others that it was ‘possibly’ a victim of a night fighter. The nightfighter War Diaries (3) describe that it is ‘possible’ that Fw. Heinrich Lahmann shot this down at 21.56 hrs. Interception was made after they had dropped their bombs and were on the return journey when they were caught up between Halle and Duderstadt.

(1) Sgt. Stanislaw Seidengert; Born in 1914 in Warsaw, Poland. After being shot down he was captured and taken to hospital with severe frostbite. A Serbian doctor convinced the Germans that a double amputation was not necessary and he nursed him back to health. During a march to move prisoners away from the advancing Allied forces he escaped with an American Major. Caught again, this time by the S.S., overpowered their guard and escaped again. Exhausted and fearing a reprisal they decided to ‘break into’ a P.o.W. camp where they remained until liberated a few days later. Died following a heart attack in Toronto, Canada on November 4th 2004, age 89. Leaving his wife Janka (nee Stykolt), daughters Kasia and Magda. 

(2) Mieczylslaw Sasin Eventually settled in Australia. We made contact with him through a third party in July 2013, we hope to have some further information and or photographs that we can add to this remembrance page.

(3) At this stage of the war – despite very careful Luftwaffe records many were lost the certainty for the claims cannot be guaranteed. We do know that Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie have researched these very carefully although, we do keep an open mind on new developments.

                     

Burial details:

P/O. Franciszek Matuszewski. Berlin War Cemetery. Plot IV. Row J. Grave 15-17. N.o.K. details not currently available. Born 23rd January 1918

Sgt. Mikolaj Piotrowski. Berlin War Cemetery.Plot IV. Row J. Grave 15-17. N.o.K. details not currently available. Born 6th May 1916

Sgt Antoni Smoczkiewicz. Berlin War Cemetery. Plot IV. Row J. Grave 15-17. N.o.K. details not currently available. Born 29th March 1922

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Ina Canute, Lucyna Artymiuk, Bill Chorley – ‘Bomber Command Losses’ Vol. 6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie – ‘Nightfighter War Diaries Vol’s. 1 and  2’, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt – ‘Bomber Command War Diaries’, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker – ‘Kracker Luftwaffe Archives’


Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
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.
Click any image to enlarge it

Click to add your info via ticket on Helpdesk •Click to let us know via ticket on Helpdesk• Click to buy research books from Amazon •Click to explore the entire site
If you would like to comment on this page, please do so via our Helpdesk. Use the Submit a Ticket option to send your comments. After review, our Editors will publish your comment below with your first name, but not your email address.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2024
Last Modified: 02 July 2019, 14:33

Monitor Additions/Changes?Click to be informed of changes to this page. Create account for first monitor only, thereafter very fast. Click to close without creating monitor