Operation: Bremen

Date: 2/3rd July 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: 301 Squadron (PAF)

Type: Wellington IV

Serial: Z1314

Code: GR:M

Base: RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire

Location: Groningen, Holland

Pilot: Sqn.Ldr. Maksymilian Brzozowski P-1059 PAF. PoW: No. 464 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

Obs: Fg.Off. Stanislaw Atenski P-1147 PAF. Injured - PoW: No. 29676 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

Nav: Plt.Off. Michal Benoit P-1540 PAF. PoW: No. 461 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Stanislaw Marek Kowalczyk 792234 PAF Age 25. PoW: No. 24972 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria (2)

Air Gnr: Sgt. Stanislaw Kedzierski 780181 PAF Age 37. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 23.12 hrs from RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire to attack Bremen with 324 aircraft.

Z1314 was claimed by Hptm. Helmut Lent, his 48th Abschuss, from Stab II./NJG2 at 01.25 hrs over Westdorp/Borger SE of Assen, Holland. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (30 May - 31 December 1942) The Early Years Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

Helmut Lent went on to claim 102 night fighter victories, a further 8 day victories before, on the 7th October 1944, he died after suffering injuries sustained during a crash landing on the 5th October 1944. He managed a crash landing in his Ju 88 G-6 at Paderborn airfield following engine failure and subsequent collision with a high tension cable. His crew were rescued - injured from the crash. Walter Kubisch (radio operator) and Hermann Klöss (2nd radio operator) died the same day, Werner Kark (War correspondent and Air/Gnr) died the next morning.

During the attack Fg.Off. Stanislaw Atenski was hit by splinters in both knees, the rear gunner Sgt. Stanislaw Kedzierski was killed. The remainder of the crew were captured and became PoWs. Sqn.Ldr. Maksymilian Brzozowsk evaded the enemy for four days before was captured and joined his crew as a PoW.

Burial Details:

Sgt. Stanislaw Kedzierski. Breda Polish Military Cemetery. Plot 9 Row 1 Grave 1. Also Polish War Memorial. Panel 28. Born 08th April 1905, Poland.

(1) Plt.Off. Benoit's brother Fg.Off. Wieslaw Benoit was killed in action on the 18th November 1942 flying with 306 Sqn (Spitfire IX BS436)

(2) Sgt. Stanislaw Marek Kowalczyk - died in Sandringham, Norfolk (memorial shown left and above) in 1984 Age 67. Further information: Born 25th of April 1917 in Parzno near Piotrkow Trybunalski.

Completed 7 years education in 1931. Obtained a carpenter profession / qualifications. In 1939 he served in 5th Air Regiment as an Air Gunner. Kowalczyk participated in Polish Campaign flying with 55 Independent Bomber Squadron of 5th Air Regiment in Lida under command of Bomber Brigade. The Sqn were operating PZL P.23B Kara's, other aircraft such as one Fokker F-VIIB and RWD-8. Since 11th September 55 Squadron went under command of "Karpaty Army". In November 1939 arrived in Lyon, France. On 27th June 1940 arrived in Blackpool.

Sgt. Stanislaw Kedzierski joined 301 Squadron in November 1941.

Researched for relatives of this crew, with thanks to Marek Masiak, Peter Sikora, Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski "Ku czci poleglych". With thanks to Peter Krans for grave correction details. Narrative update by Aircrew Remembered (Nov 2020).

• Archiwum Polish Database Z1314
• Allied Losses Database Z1314
• Pages related to Poland

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