Operation: Market Garden

Date: 17th September 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 307 (P) Squadron (Lwowskie Puchacze)

Type: Mosquito XII

Serial: HK223

Code: EW-R

Base: RAF Church Fenton, Yorkshire

Location: Target area

Pilot: P/O. Kazimierz Emil Franciszek Jaworski P/2655 / 781657 PAF Age 25. Missing - believed killed

Obs: F/O. Zygmunt Szymilewicz P-2356 / 794332 PAF Age 29. Missing - believed killed

In November 2021 Aircrew Remembered were presented with a limited edition book on 307 Squadron. Researched by Betty Clements, wife of the pilot P/O. Jaworski.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Six Mosquitoes of 307 Squadron took part in a mission over Netherlands to assist the allied landings at Arnhem. Heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire over the coast intensified during the mission, and one of the mosquitoes was shot down.

The Mosquitoes flew first to Coltishall, Norfolk, to refuel. The coast of Holland and the area containing the bridges on the Rhine and the Albert canal was very heavy defended and to get to the dropping zone the Mosquitoes had to fly through heavy anti-aircraft fire, which seemed to come up from all directions. After the Parachute drop the Germans were on the alert and were not sparing ammunition.

The task for the Squadron was to patrol the dropping zone and safeguard the Paras from harassment by the Luftwaffe. For this purpose, a complete GCI Radar Station was flown out by glider with controllers and technical staff. Unfortunately, G/Capt John Lawrence Brown - an old friend of the Squadron from Exeter and all his staff and radar crashed on landing and the Squadron Mosquitoes were left without control.

The other task was to listen any wireless transmission, that could come from from the Paras and if any were heard, to establish contact. But there were not such transmissions on the wide band of frequencies given. It was known later that all the wireless and transmitting stations were damaged or lost on landing; this was, in spite of the heroism of the Paras.

The Squadtron were to stay in the area for 90 minutes and then return through the same intensive flak to the North Sea."

Took off after refuelling at RAF Coltishall at 23:56 hours on an Intruder Patrol between Grove - Deelen.

The crew of HK223 Kazimierz Jaworski and Zygmunt Szymilewicz were never found.

Another Mosquito from the squadron were also lost on this operation. Further details here.

Burial details:

P/O. Kazimierz Emil Franciszek Jaworski. Polish Was Memoria, Northolt. Born on the 17th August 1919 at Lwób. Poland now Ukrane.

F/O. Zygmunt Szymilewicz. Polish Was Memoria, Northolt. Born on the 17th April 1915 at Wilson, Poland now Lithuania.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the late Betty Clements and her son Richard Jaworski, Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum Mielnika, 307 Project, other sources as quoted below:

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 - 2026 Last Modified: 30 November 2021, 19:46