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Operation: Defence of Poland
Date: 1st September 1939 (Saturday)
Unit: No. 121 Eskadra Mysliwska
Type: PZL.P.11c
Base: Kraków, Poland
Location: Kraków, Poland.
Pilot: Kapitan Mieczyslaw Medwecki Polish Air Force Age 35. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
The German Luftwaffe started their attack on Poland at 04:30 hrs. when Ju87Bs of 3./St.GI crossed the Polish border to attack various points to prevent the Poles from blowing up various bridges over the Vistula river. At first light the Luftwaffe then attacked the Kraków air base, being bombed first by a number of He IIIs from KG 4, followed by Stukas from 1./St.G2, with another attack made very shortly afterwards by Do 17s of KG77.
A commemorative plaque, embedded in the wall of a passenger terminal in the John Paul II Airport in Kraków, Poland. (courtesy Robin)
The Ju 87s then attacked the Polish P11c fighters taking off from Kraków at 05:15 hrs. Kapitan Medwecki, being the commanding officer of 121 Squadron, led the attack into the Luftwaffe Stukas, but was shot down by Sgt. Frank Neubert and Franz Klinger from 1./St.G2 and his aircraft crashed approx. 2 - 3 KM. from the airfield.
Kapitan Mieczyslaw Medwecki became the first Allied airforce casualty of WW2. His grave pictured below, has been taken care of by soldiers of the 8th Air Base Kraków.
Burial Details:
Kapitan Mieczyslaw Medwecki. Parish Cemetery, Morawica, Krakow, Poland Born 7th June 1904 in Pasieczna, Poland.
Son of Antoni and Maria. Acknowledgments: Peter Sikora for passing on details of this loss and also to Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Waldemar Wojcik and Jozef Zielinski - "Ku Czci Poleglych Lotnikow 1939-1945"
KTY 07.06.2015 Memorial plaque added
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 24 February 2021, 11:38