Operation: Osnabruck

Date: 12/13th June 1941 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: 301 Squadron (Polish) Land of Pomerania

Type: Wellington Ic

Serial: R1348

Code: GR:?

Base: RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire

Location: At base, RAF Swinderby

Pilot: Fg.Off. Teofil Pozyczka 76737 PAF Age 28. Injured

Pilot: Plt.Off. Daniel Pławski P-0218 PAF Age 24. Safe

Obs: Fg.Off. Antoni Henryk Voellnagel 76802 PAF Age 19. Safe

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Hubert Korab-Brzozowski 780577 PAF Age 20. Safe

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Stanisław Pchałek 781764 PAF Age 22. Safe

Air Gnr: Sgt. Waclaw Zuk 793039 PAF Age 19. Safe

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 23:07 hrs on an operation to Osnabruck and returned to base.

On landing they overshot and collided with Wellington X3163 GR:K (later repaired) which had landed at 01:27 from the same operation. No injuries reported on that aircraft.

Wg.Cdr. Teofil Pozyczka was born on the 27th April 1912 in Radom, he attended both Primary and Secondary Schools in the city, he joined the Polish Air Force in 1935 Technical Group, graduated in 1937 with the rank of Podporucznik and posted to Deblin Air Force Training School as a maintenance officer.

After he escaped from Poland to Romania he then like many other Polish flyers, made his way via Lebanon to France after General Sikorski signed the treaty with the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill it allowed Pilots and Ground Crew to come to the UK to train, Teofil was one of those.

He arrived at RAF Eastchurch on the 27th January 1940, for basic training, he was then posted to 15 EFTS at RAF Redhill on the 15th May 1940, and then onto 10 OTU at RAF Hucknall on the 11th June 1940. This was just a few weeks before Teofil was posted to 301 Squadron on the 7th July 1940, he flew with the Squadron for nearly 2 years before being transferred to 18 OTU at RAF Bramcote.

On the 19th January 1944 Teofil was transferred to 300 Squadron, stationed at RAF Ingham in Lincolnshire, he assumed command of the Squadron on the 2nd April 1944 until 31st January 1945. When he was again transferred this time to the Operations Room of Number 1 Group Bomber Command, he stayed there for 12 weeks before being transferred once again this time to 301 Squadron.

Teofil commanded the Squadron from the 2nd May 1945 until its disbandment on the 18th December 1946.

Teofil Pozyczka Service Number 76737 was awarded the Virtuti Militari Silver Cross numbered 9128, plus the Cross of Valour with 3 Bars, and the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

Burial details:

None - all survived, however:

Wg.Cdr. Teofil Pozyczka. VM, KW x 4 DSO. DFC. Survived the war - died on the 28th October 1974 age just 62 in Ipswich, Suffolk.

Fg.Off. Daniel Pławski. VM V kl., 3xKW, 2xML, ODRK. Killed on the 06th June 1942 whilst with 301 Squadron Wellington IV Z1331 GR-C on an operation to Essen - all 6 crew missing - believed killed.

Flt.Lt. Antoni Henryk Voellnagel. VM V kl., 4xKW, ML. Killed on the 21st April 1942 whilst with 138 Squadron. Special duties. Halifax II V9976 - all 8 crew killed. Durnbach War Cemetery. Collective grave 9. H. 20-24.

Sgt. Hubert Korab-Brzozowski. VM V kl., 3xKW, ML. Killed on the 30th June 1941 still with 301 Sqn, Wellington Ic, R1373 GR:L on a mission to Bremen - 5 crew PoW, Hubert the only fatality. Becklingen War Cemetery. Plot XXVI Row E Grave 2.

WO. Stanisław Pchałek. 3xKW, ML. Lived at 74 Barons Court Road, Fulham. Job description Photographer. He died From delayed Carbon Monoxide poisoning at his home on 24th October 1953 at Fulham Hospital.

An inquest opened on 28th October 1953 and adjourned on 4 November 1953 with an Open verdict. Findings: Delayed Carbon Monoxide (coal gas) poisoning at his home, in circumstances not fully disclosed by the evidence.

Flt.Sgt. Waclaw Zuk. VM V kl., 4xKW, ML Killed on the 30th October 1942 whilst with 138 Squadron. Special duties. Halifax II W7773 NF-S on a SOE operation 'Wrench' all 7 crew killed. Oslo Western Civil Cemetery. Plot II. Row B. Collective grave 8.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Alisson Graver (relative by marriage to W/Cdr. Teofil Pozyczka), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945, thanks also to Shaun Noble for the information concerning the death of Stanisław Pchałek, other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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