Archive Report: Allied Forces

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28/29.08.1942 No. 305 Squadron Wellington IV Z1281 SM-Z P/O. Stanisław Turski

Operation: Saarbrücken

Date: 28/29th August 1942 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 305 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Wellington IV

Serial: Z1281

Code: SM-Z

Base: RAF Hemswell

Location: Wihogne, Liège, Belgium

Pilot: P/O. Stanisław Konrad Turski P-1580 PAF Age 30. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Jan Stanisław Korepta 783164 PAF Age 26. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Jan Tadeusz Klocek P-0720 PAF Age 27. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kazimierz Maciej Górny 780991 PAF Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Czesław Poniatowski 781551 PAF Age 22. Killed (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Hemswell on a diversionary raid Saarbrücken with an assortment of 113 aircraft (71 Wellingtons, 24 Halifaxes, 1 Stirling and 17 Hampdens) 159 other aircraft were sent to bomb Nuremberg, the main operation.

The result of the Saarbrücken raid were not good, bombing scattered over  a large area with just 15 houses destroyed, 51 damaged - one woman fatality for the cost of 7 aircraft lost!

                 

Crew of Z1281 L-R: P/O. Stanisław Turski, Sgt. Jan Korepta, F/O. Jan Tadeusz Klocek, Sgt. Kazimierz Górny, Sgt. Czesław Poniatowski

Wellington Z1281 was attacked and shot down by Hptm. Walter Ehle (2) of Stab II./NJG1 at 23.02 hrs. The aircraft came down east of Wihogne, Liège - all the crew were killed.

(1) Sgt. Poniatowski escaped from an earlier ditching with 305 Squadron. The story of Wellington W5519 SM-U can be found on our website.

(2) This was the 12th abschusse for Ehle. He was killed on the 19/20th November 1943 on final approach to St-Trond airfield. (A total of 31 night and 3 day abschusse - see photo below)

                 

Crew graves at Heverlee War Cemetery (courtesy Victoria Fifield) These are all available at the original high resolution and supplied free to relatives / friends, contact us.

Burial details:

The crew were initially buried at St.-Truiden, after war end the bodies were exhumed and moved to Heverlee War Cemetery.

P/O. Stanisław Konrad Turski. Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot IX. Row F. Grave 3- 6. Born 28th January 1912

Sgt. Jan Stanisław Korepta Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot IX. Row F. Grave 3- 6. Born 13th June 1916

F/O. Jan Tadeusz Klocek . Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot IX. Row F. Grave 3- 6. Born 17th October 1915

Sgt. Kazimierz Maciej Górny Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot IX. Row F. Grave 3- 6. Born 4th January 1920

Sgt. Czesław Poniatowski Heverlee War Cemetery. Plot IX. Row F. Grave 2. Born 21st April 1915

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Victoria Fifield our new volunteer researcher based in Belgium, Chris Mackey, Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol's. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and  2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'. Aircrew Remembered own Archives.

 Left: Hptm. Walter Ehle of Stab II./NJG1

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