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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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302 squadron Badge
29.05.1942 No. 302 Squadron Spitfire Vb P8725 F/O. Godlewski

Operation: Training

Date: 29th May 1942 (Friday)

Unit: No. 302 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: P8725

Code: WX-B

Base: RAF Heston

Location: Fairmile, Henley-on-Thames

Pilot: F/O. Sylwester Jerzy Godlewski P-1450 / 76739 PAF Age 27. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

During a practice formation flight crashed at 14:00 hrs - no apparent reason and we welcome any further information on this loss.

Course No. 15, 58 O.T.U. Grangemouth, Scotland: - Front row: Sgt. Corbett, Sgt. Brunon Semmerling, Sgt. Marian Kotlarz. Sgt. Stanisław Roman Madej, Sgt. Mirosław Ludwik Szelestowski, Sgt. Antoni Krakowski, Sgt. Antoni Polek, Sgt. Adam Kołczyński, Sgt. Stanisław Elmerych, Sgt. Władysław Grobelny, Sgt. Alojzy Rutecki, Sgt. Tadeusz Szymanski. Second row: P/O. Hunter, P/O. Loree, P/O. Frith, P/O. Deytrikh, F/O. Ludomir Feliks Ciastuła, Fl/Lt. Władysław Walendowski, P/O. Davies, P/O. Phelan, P/O. Tonge. F/O. Sylwester Jerzy Godlewski, P/O. Wigston, P/O. Zakrzewski. Third row: Sgt. Powers, Sgt. Watkin, Sgt. Vance, Sgt. Machan, Sgt. McGready, Sgt. Taggart, Sgt. Oliver, Sgt. Shaw, Sgt. Kippan, Sgt. Moeser, Sgt. Matthewman.Back row: Sgt. Hunt, Sgt. Julian, Sgt. Watson, Sgt. Little, Sgt. Nicoll, Sgt. Kaye, Sgt. Allingham, Sgt. Miller, Sgt. Davies, Sgt. Jowett, Sgt. Rawson, Sgt. Cleaver, Sgt. Burley. (Photograph available to relatives in a higher definition - please contact us)

Burial Details:

F/O. Sylwester Jerzy Godlewski. Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex. Sec. H Grave 289. Born 27th October 1914, Warsaw, Poland. Next of kin details not available as yet.

Researched for relatives of the pilot with thanks for further information to Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', The Grangemouth Air Cadets and the Grangemouth Spitfire Memorial Trust who provided me with so much information and assistance during my visit.

KTY 07.02.2019 Updated

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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