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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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303 squadron badge
21.05.1944 No. 303 Squadron Spitfire Vb EP461 F/O. Breski V.M. D.F.C.

Operation: Ramrod 905

Date: 21st May 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 303 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: EP461

Base: R.A.F. A.L.G. Horne, England

Location: Abbeville, France

Pilot: F/O. Stanislaw Breski V.M. D.F.C. P-1902 P.A.F. Survived – Injured. P.o.W. Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria.

REASON FOR LOSS:

10 Spitfires leaving Manston at 09.50 hrs. Shot down during the morning of the 21st May by A/A. fire over Abbeville, France. Slightly wounded during the combat he hid for some four hours before being captured by units from the German army.

                      

303 Squadron Spitfire Vb’s in formation

This was the first massed operation against German communication and radar targets over Northern france, consequently large number of casualties were incurred with fighter command losing 30 aircraft. 9 Pilots killed, 6 evading capture, 9 taken P.o.W., 3 wounded with 3 escaping injury. 

He was liberated on April 22nd by the Red Army and handed over to the Americans.


Burial Details:

None – F/O. Stanislaw Breski V.M. D.F.C. Born on the 21st April 1918 in Lipnik, Poland. After his escape from occupied Poland and his eventual arrival in England he firstly joined 307 Squadron, transferred to 303 and trained on the Hurricane. Joined 317 Squadron in February 1941 and then finally to 302 Squadron on April 23rd 1943. 

A fighter ‘ace’ with some 8.5 aircraft to his credit. After the war he settled in England. 

Sadly he died at a young age of 54 in Norwich, England on December 3rd 1972.

Researched for relatives of the pilot with thanks to the following for further information, Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński – ‘Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945’, Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek – ‘Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii’, Wikipedia, Aircrew Remembered own archives.

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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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