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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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301 Squadron Crest
22/23.06.1941 No. 301 Squadron Wellington IC R1026 GR-R P/O. Pietruska

Operation: Bremen

Date: 22/23rd June 1941 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: 301 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: R1026

Coded: GR-R

Base: RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire

Location: Roe Wood Farm, Winkburn, Nottinghamshire

Pilot: P/O. Stanisław Pietruszka P-1379 PAF Age 22. Killed

Co/pilot: Sgt. Zygmunt Popławski 780248 PAF Age 29. Survived, slightly injured.

Obs: F/O. Henryk Sawłewicz 76672 PAF Age 32. Survived, slightly injured.

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Franciszek Fłorczak 780318 PAF Age 22. Survived, slightly injured.

W/Op/Air/Gnr:: Sgt. Czesław Tegowski 781654 PAF Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Mieczysław Grzymski 780863 PAF Age 20. Survived, slightly injured. (1)

(1) Some publications show this crew member as Sgt. Czesław Sułgut 782213 PAF - we have obtained our information from Polish Aviation Historians.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Swinderby in Lincolnshire at 21:58 hrs as part of a force of 45 Wellingtons and 25 Hampdens to attack Bremen.

On return the aircraft had a fire in the starboard engine which resulted in the propeller falling off and the aircraft came down in the area of Roe Wood Farm, Winkburn, Nottinghamshire at about 03:20 hrs. It is thought that it had been hit and damaged by either flak or a German night fighter over the target area.

Above left: Ariel view of Roe Wood Farm, Winkburn and right: Mr. and Mrs. Broadberry, with rescue equipment, outside their farmhouse in Winkburn. Read more about that diary for that morning.

Local people including members of the Broadberry family, went to the scene to try and assist the crew. Mr and Mrs. Boroadberry were both awarded the BEM for their actions.

Notes:P/O. Stanisław Pietruszka - born on the 27th August 1916 Gruszów, Poland. Sgt. Zygmunt Popławski - born in Biała Podl, Poland, died 08th January 2009. F/O. Henryk Sawłewicz - born in Jodańce, Poland, died 27th November 1985, Sgt. Franciszek Fłorczak - born in Duisburg, Germany, died 17th July 2001. Sgt. Czesław Tegowski - born on the 23rd June 1919 Ksiete, Poland. Sgt. Mieczysław Grzymski - born 25th October 1921 Włodawa, Poland, died 05th February 2011.


Burial Details:

P/O. Stanisław Pietruszka. Newark-Upon-Trent Cemetery. Sec H. Grave 303A. Next of kin details not available - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Czesław Tegowski. Newark-Upon-Trent Cemetery. Sec H. Grave 303. Next of kin details not available - are you able to assist?

With thanks to the Broadberry family for some of the photographs used and the diary entries, also to the sources as shown.

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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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