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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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RAF Crest
29.04.1941 No. 18 OTU Wellington I L4297 Plt Off. Hawkes

Operation: Training

Date: 29th April 1941 (Tuesday)

Unit No: 18 Operational Training Unit (OTU)

Type: Wellington I

Serial: L4297

Code: ?

Base: RAF Bramcote, Warwickshire

Location: Weston Hall, Bulkington, Warwickshire

Pilot (Instructor): Plt Off. Ronald James Hawkes 81030 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Pilot (U/T): Sgt. Tadeuszz Szostak 783508 PAF Age 21. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Jan Zwolski 781199 PAF Age 28. Killed

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Zygmunt Pawel Gaik 782652 PAF Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Bramcote for night circuit training.

At 01:09 hrs whilst descending to land at Weston Hall near Bucklington, the aircraft’s undercarriage caught on tree branches causing it to crash, killing all for men aboard.

One of the Polish Airmen, presumed to be Sgt. Jan Zwolski was aided by a Mrs Ethel Mary Jones for which she was awarded the National Commendation for her bravery. It is believed that Mrs Jones lived at Arden Lodge, which was virtually opposite Weston Hall where the crash happened.

Above: Cutting from the British Newspaper Archive announcing the award. (Courtesy of Dan Phelan)

Above: London Gazette dated 26th September 1941

Burial details:

Above Sgt. Zygmunt Pawel Gaik and the original grave marker for the Polish crew members (see credits)

Above: crew grave photographs (courtesy Bill Glover and Stephen Daglish)

Plt Off. Ronald James Hawkes. New Brentford Cemetery. Sec C.C. Grave 184. Grave Inscription: ‘TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE YOU LOVE IS NOT TO DIE‘. Born on the 28th May 1920 in Brentford, Middlesex. Son of Charles Ernest and Nellie (née Kates) Hawkes of Brentford, Middlesex, England.

Sgt. Tadeusz Szostak. Nuneaton (Oaston Road) Cemetery. Collective grave H 100. Born 26th September 1919 in Gdów, Wieliczka, Poland. Son of Karol and Hania (Tatarski) Szostak, Brother of Bolesław, Olenka, Jadwiga, and Zofia.

Sgt. Jan Zwolski. Nuneaton (Oaston Road) Cemetery. Collective grave H 100. Born 1st October 1912 in Koprzywnica, Sandomierz, Poland. Next of Kin details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

Sgt. Zygmunt Pawel Gaik. Nuneaton (Oaston Road) Cemetery. Collective grave H 100. Born 13th November 1917 in Kraków, Poland. Next of Kin details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

Thanks to Bill Glover, Stephen Daglish for the grave photographs. Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow Thanks to Anna Wing, the niece of Sgt. Szostak, for the update to his Next of Kin details (Dec 2019). Thanks to Dan Phelan for the newspaper cutting and information, other updates by Aircrew Remembered (May 2025).

Other sources listed below:

RS 08.05.2025 - Addition of newspaper clippings

Pages of Outstanding Interest
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CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
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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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