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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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R.A.F. Crest
26.11.1940. No. 12 O.T.U. Fairy Battle I L5071 P/O. Makarewicz

Operation: Training

Date: 26th November 1940 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 12 OTU (Operational Training Unit - 6 Group)

Type: Fairy Battle I

Serial: L5071

Code: ?

Base: Mount Farm, Dorchester, Oxfordshire. (RAF Benson)

Location: Near base

Pilot: P/O. Wladyslaw Makarewicz P-0063 Polish Air Force Age 25. Killed

Navigator: P/O. Antoni Ignaszak P-0071 Polish Air Force Age 27. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Franciszek Blyskal 793314 Polish Air Force Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 19.32 hrs - however after climbing to about 1,000 ft. dived and crashed at 19:34 hrs. about a mile North West of the airfield and burst into flames. Cause of accident is unknown.

So many training accidents - many of which go unrecorded - we aim to change that - with your help of course! Here we have 3 young Polish boys - killed before they could take part in our liberation. Now - forever remembered.

P/O. Wladyslaw Makarewicz, P/O. Antoni Ignaszak, Sgt. Franciszek Blyskal (courtesy Robert Gretzyngier)

Burial details:


P/O. Wladyslaw Makarewicz. Benson (St Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire, War Graves Plot C Grave 9. Born 25.03.1915 - Bugurusłan, Russia.

P/O. Antoni Ignaszak. Benson (St Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire, War Graves Plot Row E Grave 9. Born 24.02.1913 - Böming, Germany.

Sgt. Franciszek Blyska. Benson (St Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire, Blyskal War Graves Plot Row D Grave 9. Born 10.01.1920 - Hunaniska, Brzozów, Poland.

Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski for Polish information that we may have used. Other sources as quoted below.

Any relative who would like a full size photograph of the graves we would be very happy to email them to you - free of charge.

KTY - Page updated 09.07.2015

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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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