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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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Operation: Anti-submarine sweep
Date: 16th October 1942
Unit: No. 304 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Wellington IC
Serial: R1413
Coded: NZ-J
Base: RAF Talbenny, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Location: Bay of Biscay
Pilot: F/O. Stanislaw Marian Targowski DFC. P-1073 PAF Age 33. Missing
Pilot 2: F/O. Gerard Twardoch 792266 PAF Age 27. Missing
Obs: F/O. Tadeusz Oleś P-0367 PAF Age 32. Missing
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Zygmunt Stanislaw Piechowiak 792815 PAF Age 22. Missing
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Wladyslaw Młynarski 781558 PAF Age 27. Missing
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Franciszek Kubacik 793503 PAF Age 26. Missing
REASON FOR LOSS:Took off at 08.25hrs on an anti-submarine sweep. During the patrol the squadron received a telegram informing them that F/O. Targowski had been awarded the DFC.
Shot down by Uffz. Werner Steurich of 13/KG40 T 16.38 hrs. Extract from the 13 / KG 40 combat reports written by Lt. Dieter Meister (below) describes the encounter: (see Kracker Luftwaffe Archive)
Although flying evasive turns he was always heading for England. He also flew in such a way that his machine guns were effective. Then he dropped his depth charges to gain more speed.
After his attack, Lt Meister flew very low over the Wellington and got into the rear gunner's range of fire. One engine was shot to pieces, coolant began to leak as well as fuel. The two other Ju88's forced the enemy away. Lt. Meister's Ju88 fell behind and tried to gain height.
Flying a new attack Uff Steurich's cone of fire was well aimed and the Polish pilot collapsed over the control column. The Wellington's nose went down and the plane crashed into the water. A yellow dingy was observed."
Crew all killed - they had already beaten off successfully an attack by V/KG 40 (Same force that shot them down on this date) exactly a month previous to this action.
None all are still classified as missing.
F/O. Stanislaw Marian Targowski DFC. Remembered on the Polish War Memorial, England as well as the Warsaw memorial. Born 8th December 1909, Poland
F/O. Gerard Twardoch. Remembered on the Polish War Memorial, England. Born 11th February 1916, Poland.
F/O. Tdeusz Oleś. Remembered on the Polish War Memorial, England. Born 27th January 1910, Poland.
Sgt. Zygmunt Stanislaw Piechowiaki. Remembered on the Polish War Memorial, England. Born 4th April 1920Poland
Sgt. Wladyslaw Mlynarski. Remembered on the Polish War Memorial, England. Born 2nd February 1916, Poland
Sgt. Franciszek Kubacik. Remembered on the Polish War Memorial, England. Born 9th May 1916, Poland.
With thanks to the following for the crew photographs: Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski 'Ku czci poległych lotnikow 1939-1945'. With further thanks to Michel Beckers for improved photo of F/O. Tadeusz Oleś - May 2016.
KTY 13-05.2016 - Further photo added courtesy Michel Beckers.
History Airborne Forces • Soviet Night Witches • Bomber Command Memories • Abbreviations • Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained • USA Flygirls • Axis Awards Descriptions • 'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination • Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis • SOE Heroine Nancy Wake • Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
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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