Operation: Köln

Date: 5/6th April 1942

Unit: 304 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: X9764

Code: NZ-?

Base: R.A.F. Lindholme, Yorkshire

Location: Geetbetz, 28 Km. East-North-East of Leuven, Belgium

Pilot: P/O. Alfred Osadziński P-1570 P.A.F. Age 25. Killed

Co/pilot: P/O. Kazimierz Ziemiański P-1586 P.A.F. Age 25. Killed

Nav: Fl/Lt. Zygmunt Natkański P-76775 P.A.F. Age 34. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Dominik Marian Grajnert P-783452 P.A.F. Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Ludwig Karol Assman P-1538 P.A.F. Age 26. Killed (1)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Zdzisław Babraj P-780935 P.A.F. Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 22.58 hrs from R.A.F. Lindholme to bomb Cologne. A record force of 263 aircraft taking part on a single target. 

The main target within Cologne was the Humboldt engineering works where crews reported good bombing results. However, photographs after the raid proved that the target had been missed by as much as 5 miles.

Night fighters claimed two aircraft, a Hampden AT156 EA-C from 49 Squadron flown by F/O. Kay D.F.M. who was made a P.o.W., 2 other crew members killed and the fourth evading capture.

Oblt. Heinrich Peterson (2) from 6./NJG1, his first abschuss shot X9764 down at 02.28 hrs over Geetbetz – all the crew were killed.

(1)  F/O. Ludwig Karol Assman survived an earlier incident whilst flying on Wellington IC W5720 NZ-Q. Hit by flak, ditched some 30 miles off cromer and rescued after spending some 17 hours in a dingy by the Sheringham lifeboat, ‘Foresters Centenary’.

(2) Understood to have survived the war despite being wounded on the 6/6th June 1942 after a collision with a 149 Squadron Stirling R9314. All but one of the crew managed to survive after ditching in the Channel. The rear gunner, 21 year old Sgt. Keith Roderick from Glamorgan, Wales, was killed when the Me110 hit his turret. The Me110 crew baled out.

Burial Details:

P/O. Alfred Osadziński Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot III. Row E. Grave 1. Born 13 September 1917. From Katy, Kraków. Poland.

P/O. Kazimerz Ziemianski Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot III. Row E. Grave 2. Born 23 October 1916. From New York (U.S.A).

Fl/Lt. Zygmunt Natkański Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot III. Row E. Grave 5. Born 4 September 1907. From Skierniewiec. Poland.

Sgt. Dominik Marian Grajnert Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot III. Row E. Grave 6. Born 4 August 1919 From Krzepczów Piotrków.

Sgt Ludwig Karol Assman Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot III. Row E. Grave 3. Born 9th October 1915 From Nupajedel (Cz).

Sgt. Zdzisław Babraj Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot III. Row E. Grave 4. Born 27 March 1920 From Kraków, Poland.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Victoria Fifield (for new photographs of the graves t Heverlee), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński – ‘Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945’, Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek – ‘Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii’, Bill Chorley – ‘Bomber Command Losses Vol’s. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions’, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie – ‘Nightfighter War Diaries Vol’s. 1 and  2’, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt – ‘Bomber Command War Diaries’, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker – ‘Kracker Luftwaffe Archives’. Aircrew Remembered own Archives.

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