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Operation: Dortmund
Date: 14th/15th April 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: 305 (Ziemia Wielkopolska) Sqn, Polish
Type: Wellington II
Serial: Z8586
Code: SM:W
Base: RAF Lindholme
Location: Wroot, Lincolnshire
Pilot: Fg Off. Stefan Sznidel KW, VM P-0612 PAF Age 33. Injured - died later.
Pilot 2: Fg Off. Kazimierz W. Konopasek KW, VM, DFC P-1208 PAF Age? Survived
Nav: Fg Off. Kazimierz Joszt KW, VM P-0923 PAF Age? Survived (1)
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Kazimierz Pasich KW, VM P-784835 PAF Age 22. Injured - died later.
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Bronislaw Wladyslaw Sędzimir KW, VM P-780511 PAF Age? Survived (2)
Ai /Gnr: Sgt. Waclaw Szmidt KW, VM P-792066 PAF Age? Survived
KW = Krzyz Walecznych - Cross of Valour
VM = Virtuti Militari - The War Order - Poland’s Highest Military decoration
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 21:44 hrs from Lindholme to attack Dortmund. 208 aircraft took part 142 Wellington's, 34 Hampden's, 20 Stirlings, 8 Halifax's and 3 Manchester's of which 9 aircraft were lost. The raid was not classed as a success with 1 Military installation severely damaged, 4 homes destroyed and a further 31 damaged. 4 people were recorded as killed on the ground and 27 injured.
The raid cost the lives of 53 aircrew and 17 being made PoW's. The aircraft was thought to have run out of fuel on the return leg and crash landed at Wroot, Lincolnshire, very nearly made it home!
The identity of the crew is not complete but it is believed to be the original crew.
Left to Right: Fg Off. Kazimierz Joszt, Fg Off. Stefan Sznidel, Sgt, Bronislaw Soltysiak, ?, Sgt. Bronislaw Wladyslaw Sędzimir and Sgt. Kazimierz Pasich after a decorating ceremony (Credit: Chris Mackey)
This was the regular crew for Sgt Bronislaw Soltysiak but he was grounded for medical reasons and therefore was not on this operation. He was later returned to flight status.
The Wellington shown above, W5573 SM:O crashed at 05:43 hrs. on the 6th May 1942 after an operation to Stuttgart. None of the crew were killed and the reason for the crash has not been established. This crash happened at Blyton, North North East of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire just a few miles from home.
(1) F/O. Kazimierz Joszt KW, VM was killed on a Gardening mission on the 31st/1st November 1942 aboard Wellington IV Z1279 SM:O from 305 Squadron.
(2) Sgt. Bronislaw Wladyslaw Sędzimir KW, VM was killed on a mission to Essen on the 1st /2nd June 1942 flying Wellington II Z8583 SM:Z from 305 Squadron.
Burial details:
Fg Off. Stefan Sznidel. KW, VM. Polish War Graves. Newark. Grave J.308. Born 15th April 1904.
Sgt. Kazimierz Pasich KW, VM. Polish War Graves Newark. Grave: 232. Born 30th March 1920.
Researched with photograph supplied by Chris Mackey and dedicated to relatives of the crew lost. Info from Aircrew Remembered own archives. Thanks to Malcolm Soltysiak for identifying his father in the crew photograph and his flight status for this mission (Jun 2021).
]RS 19.06.2021 - Identification of Sgt Bronislaw Soltysiak and other updates
Original upload details unknown
]RS 19.06.2021 - Identification of Sgt Bronislaw Soltysiak and other updates
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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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