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Operation: Rhubarb (271)
Date: 24/25th May 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 305 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Mosquito FB.VI
Serial: NT145
Code: SM-Z
Base: RAF Lasham, Hampshire, England.
Location: Wanel, France - other sources state English Channel.
Pilot: F/O. Michał Latawiec P-1762 PAF Age 29. Killed
Nav: P/O. Stanisław Władysław Wator P-1948 PAF Age 33. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Understood to have been shot down by flak and lost over Wanel, France during an attack on German airfields. No further details but we welcome any new information on the loss.
305 Squadron ORB for the day:
Twelve aircraft carried out test flights (07:00) and one practised GH bombing (13:50 hours) and four night cross-country flights were made (05:05).
Operation No. 271. Eight aircraft carried out bombing attack by night on airfields in Holland and France. Fl/Lt. Kolacz crashed on coming in to land and he and Sgt. Kruszynski were killed. F/O. Latawiec and P/O. Wator failed to return.
P/O. Huck attacked secondary target and also W/O. Jablonowski and Fl/Lt. Suszynski returned to Base owing to generator failure when 6 miles from English coast.
Fl/Lt. Gawronski jettisoned his bombs in sea as there was no activity in target area.
305 Squadron Mosquito at RAF Lasham, Hampshire. Right: F/O. Michal Latawiec (courtesy Katarzyna Nyczek)
Crew graves at Abbeville Cemetery, France. (courtesy André Demaret - we are happy to send original photographs of the graves to the next of kin, free of charge, courtesy of André)
Burial details:
F/O. Michal Latawiec. Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. Plot VI. Row E. Grave 1. Born 8th January 1915, Stalowa Wola, Poland. Next of kin details not available - are you able to assist?
P/O. Stanisław Władysław Wator (left). Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. Plot VI. Row E. Grave 2. Born 8th November 1910. Kraków, Poland. Next of kin details not available - are you able to assist?
Researched for relatives of the crew. With thanks to André Demaret for the grave photo, we hope to have others from the Abbeville Cemetery, Katarzyna Nyczek, Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Jerzy Bogdan Cynk - 'The Polish Airforce At War' Vol. 2.
23.07.2015 Map added
22-08-19 SY added Wator image
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 19 August 2022, 20:25