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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11.09.1940 238 Squadron Hurricane I R2682 Sgt. Duszynski loss

Operation: Patrol

Date: 11th September 1940 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 238 Squadron

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: R2682

Code: VK-?

Base: RAF Middle Wallop

Location: Near Lydd, Kent.

Pilot: Sgt. Stanislaw Duszyński 780674 PAF Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Shot down whilst attacking a Ju 88 near Romney Marsh at 16:15 hrs. Crashed at Little Scotney Farm, near Lydd, Kent. Neither the aircraft or the body of the pilot was recovered at the time.

The crash site had been excavated on January 13th 1973, before the recovery was stopped as the wreckage was too deeply buried in the soft ground! Personal effects were recovered and a positive identity was made as to the the aircraft and pilot, although at this stage no human remains were found.

A researcher contacted the relatives in Poland and requested permission to attempt a recovery of this pilot who had no known grave.

Having obtained this, together with permission from the land owner, a second recovery took place in August 1996. However, this was without the knowledge of the MOD and consequently without the necessary permissions, which resulted in a prosecution under the Protection of the Military Remains Act.

During the preparation of his defence case it became clear that a team from RAF had excavated the site shortly after the original excavation and no remains of the pilot were found. Following the disclosure of these and other facts to the prosecution the MoD decided to drop the charges brought against the researcher.

The CPS decided that it was not in the public interest to proceed with the case. Sgt. Stanislaw Duszyński therefore, sadly, has no known grave - the family of Duszyński decided to abandon any further research.

Sgt. Stanislaw Duszyński was engaged at the time of his loss to Czesława Wyszynski. With many thanks to Aggie the granddaughter of Czesława and her family for providing permission to use the above photographs. Also to Lydia Syson who put us in touch. Lydia is a well known author of several books, ‘Liberty’s Fire’, ‘That Burning Summer’, ‘A World Between Us’, and ‘The Biography Doctor Of Love’: Dr James Graham And His Celestial Bed. Lydia was also a former BBC World service producer.

Burial Details:

Sgt. Stanislaw Duszyński. Commemorated on Polish Air Force Memorial, Northolt, Middlesex. Further information: Some sources state that he is buried at Romney Marsh Cemetery as unknown. Prior to the war he trained as an instructor pilot in Deblin. Evacuated through Romania to France in 1939. From Oteoczyn, Torun, Poland. Born 28 October 1915.

Researched for relatives of the crew. Acknowledgments: Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Red Kite Books, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses' Vol 1, Winston G. Ramsey - 'The Battle Of Britain - Then And Now', Peter Sikora - Polish historian. Also to the family of Czesława Wyszynski and Lydia Syson.

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