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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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303 Squadron Crest
14.09.1943 No. 303 Squadron Spitfire IX MA754 RF-K F/O. Tadeusz Kołecki

Operation: Ramrod 218

Date: 14th September 1943 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 303 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Spitfire FIX

Serial: MA754

Code: RF-K

Base: RAF Northolt

Location: South corner, Moor Park golf course.

Pilot: F/O. Tadeusz Kolecki P-1685 PAF Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Weather conditions: 3/10 cloud – vis. 4 miles – sunshine. 303 Squadron took off at 16.40 hrs. on a Ramrod operation with 12 aircraft taking part led by W/Cmdr. Falkowski and W/Cmdr. Gabszewicz of 316 squadron. 

Fighter sweep under Appledore control to 72 Marauders to bomb Lille-Nord airfield. Crossed the French coast at 17.20 hrs. at 17,000 ft. Weather over the area was 8/10 cloud up to 30,000 ft. 

     

F/O. Tadeusz Kołecki on extreme left (courtesy Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak)

     

Squadron returned at 18.30 hrs. but during his return from this Ramrod operation F/O. Tadeusz Kołecki was killed as a result of an accident (Engine failure - No further details as yet) The aircraft caught fire after crashing and F/O. Kołecki died in the wreckage.

Burial Details:

Funeral service held on the 17th September 1943 at the base prior to his body being sent to Blackpool for burial. 

(Polish tradition is that the funeral takes place on the 3rd day after death)

F/O. Tadeusz Kołecki Blackpool (Layton) Cemetery, Lancashire. Section Bb. Grave 498. Born: 24th May 1919. Poland. 

Acknowledgments: Jol Martyn-Clark, Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski for Polish information that we may have used.

Right: F/O. Tadeusz Kołecki, grave at Layton Cemetery (courtesy Jol Martyn-Clark)


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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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