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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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308
308 (P) Squadron Spitfire IV MK346 F/O. Tadeusz Karol Mieczysław Szlenkier

Operation: Bodenplatte

Date: 01st January 1945 (Monday)

Unit: No. 308 (P) Squadron (City of Kraków)

Type: Spitfire IV

Serial: MK346

Code: ZF-T

Base: ALG B.61 St. Denis Westrem

Location: St Denijs Westrem, Belgium

Pilot: F/O. Tadeusz Karol Mieczysław Szlenkier 3 x KW (P-2493) 704634 PAF Agę 28 Safe

REASON FOR LOSS:

Operation Bodenplatte, launched on the 01st January 1945, was an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries. The goal of Bodenplatte was to gain air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge so that the German Army and Waffen SS forces could resume their advance. The operation was planned for 16 December 1944, but was delayed repeatedly due to bad weather until New Year's Day, the first day that happened to be suitable. It resulted in almost 500 destroyed Allied aircraft.

The squadron took off at 08:15 hrs to attack various targets along with 302 and 317 squadron. A total of 31 Spitfires attacked and due to excellent visibility the targets were easily identified and a number of successful.

Above: ALG B.61 St. Denis Westrem under attack.

After the operation and during approach they were warned that the airfield was under heavy attack.

The squadron sighted 36 Fw190s of II./JG 1 which were strafing dispersed aircraft and buildings at 09:30 hrs. Then a huge dogfight took place.

During the initial attack three Polish ground personnel - two drivers, and one aircraft mechanic were killed, whilst another 18 were wounded. The casualty numbers were actually remarkably low. More aircraft could have been lost on the ground if not for the 31 airborne, but even so 18 Spitfires, a B-1, a Short Stirling, four Ansons, a DH Mosquito and an Auster were destroyed on the airfield.

The Spitfires were all running low on fuel had to engage the enemy who also were running low on fuel. Fl/Lt. Bronislaw Mach flying MJ418 scored two kills right over the field and claimed another as damaged. Others joined the mêlée. This fracas was punctuated by a German aircraft crashes, marked with a blast and pillar of smoke. Sgt. Stanislaw Breyner in MJ467 scored two more kills, when his mortally wounded victim turned into its wingman bringing both down. More enemy aircraft were destroyed by F/Lt. Ignacy Olszewski flying MJ342, P/O. Andrzej Dromlewicz in MJ888 and W/O. Stanislaw Bednarczyk flying MJ756. F/Lt. Ignacy Olszew in MJ342, Fl/Sgt. Zygmunt Soszyński in MJ954, P/O. Andrzej Dromlewicz flying MJ888, Fl/Sgt. Jozef Stanowski in MJ475 and Sgt. Jerzy Główczewski in MJ396 were all credited with kills.

F/O. Tadeusz Szlenkier in MK346 shot down Fw190A Werk No. 960677 'Blue 14' flown by Gerhard Behrens before he then forced landed his Spitfire after running out of fuel. F/Lt. Waclaw Chojnacki in MJ281 returned early due to bomb release not working, also credited with a kill before he was shot down and killed. F/O. Tadeusz Powierza of 317 squadron was shot down killed. Further details here.

In few minutes it was all over, and the Poles perused retreating Germans on last drops of fuel. In result, the squadron was credited with 12 enemy aircraft destroyed and several probables. Another Polish squadron, which took part in this fight, scored 6 kills and several probables.

This was the last combat for the 308. Polish Spitfires landed with dried tanks and some force landed in a vicinity of the airfield. In became apparent, that although not in the combat for many months, pilots stayed in a top fighter shape. The New Year 1945 was a prominent milestone along the squadron's course.

II. Gruppe of J.G. 1 had taken off from Drope, near Lingen, to attack the Allied airfield at St. Denis Westrem, while the Geschwaderstab, I. and III./J.G. 1 attacked other nearby targets. The attacks by the unit were very costly in aircraft and pilots. Gerhard Behrens was one of twenty-four J.G. 1 pilots killed or missing in Operation Bodenplatte. In return, J.G. 1 claimed destruction of 32 Spitfires.

Overall, Operation Bodenplatte was a short-term tactical success for the Germans, but a long-term strategic disaster. The Allied air forces lost an estimated total of 305 aircraft destroyed and 190 damaged, including those lost or damaged in aerial combat. Only a handful of Allied pilots were killed and the aircraft were replaced within the week. Meanwhile the Luftwaffe lost 271 fighters and nine Ju 88s destroyed with 89 more aircraft damaged, the majority to anti-aircraft fire, either Allied or their own. The most significant blow to the Luftwaffe was the loss of 213 fighter pilots killed or missing (including those captured) plus 21 wounded. This toll included more than 60 of their more experienced fighter pilots. In the remaining 17 weeks of war the Luftwaffe fighter force was never able to recover from these losses. The Luftwaffe was to lose another 200 pilots killed during the last six weeks of the war.

Above: 308 Squadron pilots at Ghent November 1944

On the ground from the left: Sgt. Wiktor Karasinski 79387 (died 18th October 1998), Fl/Lt. Kazimierz Ignacy Dolicher 76806 (died 17th November 1999), F/O. Wactaw Chojnacki P2483 (killed 01st January 1944), Sgt. Jerzy Eligius Główczewski 704204 (died 13th April 2020), Sgt. Józef Sawoszczyk 792373 (died 31st December 2001), W/O. Władysław Majchrzyk 783296 (died 13th April 2020), Sgt. Zygmunt Soszynski 794439.

Behind the fuselage from the left: Sgt. Stanisław Breyner 76723 (killed on the 14th October 2001), Fl/Lt. Kazimierz Budzik 76723 (died 12th November 2014),, Sgt. Raymund Kaniok 781368 (died 08th February 2016).

On the edge of the wing from the left: Sgt. Stanisław Bednarczyk 781368 (died 03rd September 2002)., Fl/Lt. Tadeusz Szlenkier 704634 (died 28th September 1998)., Fl/Lt. Wacław Stanski 782355 (died 18th July 1986), Fl/Lt. Jerzy Mazurkiewicz 782355 (died 27th October 1992) (courtesy Polish Army Veterans Association in America)

Burial and further details:

F/O. Tadeusz Karol Mieczysław Szlenkier. 3 x KW. Born on the 31st October 1917 in Vevey, Switzerland. Son of Karol Stanisław (died 05th August 1944) and Halin (died 05th August 1944) of Warsaw, Poland. In 1925, he moved with his family from Radom to Warsaw, Husband of Hanna Maria (née Jasiukowicz - died 02nd July 2018, served in the Warsaw District of the Home Army), they had four children of Rustington, Sussex, England. Joined 308 squadron on the 19th September 1944.

After the end of the war, he decided not to return to communist Poland. In 1963, he obtained a master's degree in engineering from the University of London. Began working at de Havilland, then Canadair and Lockheed Corporation. He took part in the work on aircraft structures with variable geometry wings. Later, he worked at Hawker Siddeley Aviation, working with Dornier and Fokker plants.

Right: Tadeusz and Hanna

From 1974, he led the construction teams working with Aérospatiale and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm on the Airbus A320 project. From November 1977, he served as head of the Hawker Siddeley Aviation project office, and from 1980 to 1983 at Airbus Industries he worked as head of the technical development department of the consortium. He took part in the work on the Airbus A320, A330 and A340, implemented new technologies in production processes. In 1985, he moved to the United States, where he worked at the Hamilton Standard Division of United Technologies Corporation on new engine systems. At General Motors Corporation, he was an advisor on aircraft engines and wing aerodynamics. Passed away on the 28th September 1998, age 80 in Rustington. Following his cremation the urn with his ashes was placed in the family tomb at the Powązkowski cemetery Z-3-18,19

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of these pilots with thanks to the National Archive Kew, AIR-27-27/1678-97/98. Niebieska Eskadra. Kracker Luftwaffe Archives. Andrew Mielnik Memorial Archiwum. We would like to thank Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak and Waldemar Wojcik for the use of some of these photographs. We highly recommend their publications regarding WW2 Polish Air Force. Detail of Operation Bodenplatte courtesy Wikipedia.

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 21-10-2024

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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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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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