• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Operation: Essen
Date: 02/03rd June 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: No. 301 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Wellington IV
Serial: R1615
Code: GR-G
Base: RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire
Location: Turnhout area, Belgium.
Pilot: P/O. Wincenty Głowacki 783450 PAF Age 25. Killed
Pilot: F/O. Stefan Leopold Alojzy Praschill P-0877 PAF 35. Age Killed
Obs: F/O. Rajmund Kiwacz P-1447 PAF Age 30. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Jarosław Zalewski 784574 PAF Age 30. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Jan Halastra P-1661 PAF Age 28. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Wacław Żeligowski 781872 PAF Age 22. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off from RAF Hemswell in Lincolnshire at 23:53 hrs. A relatively small force of 195 Aircraft took part - 97 Wellingtons, 38 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters, 21 Stirlings and 12 Hampdens in the second night in succession bombing Essen. The attack was widely scattered and records show that only 3 high explosive and 300 incendiary bombs hit the city with no serious damage or injuries.
The RAF however lost 14 aircraft! 68 crew members were killed with a further 15 made prisoners of war. It is thought that they were hit by anti-aircraft fire coming down in the Turnhout area of Belgium.
Above L-R-top: P/O. Wincenty Głowacki, F/O. Stefan Praschill, F/O. Rajmund Kiwacz, L-R-lower: Sgt. Jarosław Zalewski, P/O. Jan Halastra, Sgt. Wacław Żeligowski.
Memorial to crew (courtesy Wim Govers - see credits below)
Burial details:
P/O. Wincenty Głowacki. Lommel Polish Military Cemetery. Born on the 04th September 1917 from Inowrocław, Poland. Next of kin details not yet available - are you able to assist?
F/O. Stefan Leopold Alojzy Praschill. Lommel Polish Military Cemetery. Born on the 01st September 1907 from Krakow, Poland. Next of kin details not yet available - are you able to assist?
Obs: F/O. Rajmund Kiwacz. Lommel Polish Military Cemetery. Born on the 28th July 1912, from Morszańsk, Russia. Next of kin details not yet available - are you able to assist?
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Jarosław Zalewski. Lommel Polish Military Cemetery. Bon on the 01st November 1912, from Wilno, Poland (now Lithuania) Next of kin details not yet available - are you able to assist?
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Jan Halastra. Lommel Polish Military Cemetery. Born on the 07th October 1910, from Mnich, Cieszyn, Poland. Next of kin details not yet available - are you able to assist?
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Wacław Żeligowski. Lommel Polish Military Cemetery. Born on the 28th November 1920, from Łódź, Poland. Next of kin details not yet available - are you able to assist?
For further details our thanks to Wim Govers and his work on the memorial and research on this crew. Other sources shown below.
KTY 17.09.2017
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: 18 March 2021, 20:18