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Operation: Recconnaisance
Date: 18th November 1942 (Wednesday)
Unit: 306 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Spitfire IX
Serial: BS438
Code: UZ:N
Base: RAF Northolt, Middlesex
Location: Woolwich, London.
Pilot: Fg.Off. Wieslaw Benoit P-1710 PAF Age 23. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
At 15:00 hrs 6 Spitfires from the squadron left for an offensive reconnaissance operation. They split in two after no boats were seen, choosing targets of opportunity to great effect with a platoon of cavalry strafed, a train was also attacked and hit, all the time they were under light anti-aircraft fire.
Front row: Plt.Off. Wiesław Benoit P-1710 / 783408, Plt.Off. Władysław Banach P-1673 / 784483, Fg.Off. Stefan Andersz P-0958, Flt.Lt. Ridkosil, Fg.Off. Jan Kazimierz Preihs P-0219, Plt.Off. Marian Ciach P-1713 / 783441, Plt.Off. Birtus.
Centre row: Sgt. Józef Marian Ziendalski 792036, Sgt. Tadeusz Haczkiewicz P-2311 / 793831, Sgt. Zbigniew Makowski P-2206 / 792839, Sgt. Muszynski, Sgt. Gilis, Sgt. Tadeusz Orzechowski 783097, Sgt. Antoni Stefan Plenkiewicz 784769 -
Rear row: Sgt. Józef Bednarz 782356, Sgt. Henryk Starzynski 793783, Sgt. Kierski, Sgt. Sztuka, Sgt. Antoni Stefan Murkowski 784755, Sgt. Janusz Włodzimierz Kobylinski P-2203 / 781295
The brother of the pilot, 22 year old, Plt.Off. Michal Benoit P-1540 / 783427 was shot down on an operation to Bremen on the 2/3rdBurial Details:
Fg.Off. Wieslaw Benoit. Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex. Sect H. Grave 319. Born 17th May 1919 in Warsaw, Poland. Michelle Sheppard (née Benoit) is the daughter of Plt.Off. Michal Benoit and the niece of Fg.Off. Wieslaw Benoit.
Researched for relatives of the pilot with thanks to the following for further information, 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'. Thanks to Michelle Sheppard for contacting Aircrew Remembered (Nov 2020).
RS 20.11.2020 - Update to narrative
KTY Updated 10.02.2019
RS 20.11.2020 - Update to narrative
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