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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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300 Squadron crest
28/29.01.1945 No. 300 Squadron Lancaster I PB846 BH-K Fl/Lt. Zarebski

Operation: Stuttgart

Date: 28/29th January 1945 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 300 Squadron (Polish)

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: PB846

Code: BH-K

Base: RAF Faldingworth, Lincolnshire

Location: Berneck, Germany

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Zbigniew Edward Zarębski P-0845 PAF Age 31. Killed

Fl/Eng: W/O. Jan Stefan Gerwatowski 782414 PAF Age 47. PoW (1)

Nav: P/O. Romuald Andrzej Paszkowski P-2377 PAF Age 31. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Lt Zygmunt Andrzej Wesołowski P-1779 PAF Age 39. PoW (1)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O. Piotr Barzdo 705689 PAF Age 34. PoW (1)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kazimierz Cymbała 706584 PAF Age 26. Killed

Air/Gnr: W/O. Ryszard Kazimierz Mańkowski 706090 PAF Age 24. PoW (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 19:58 hrs from their base at RAF Faldingworth in Lincolnshire to bomb Stuttgart - the final heavy bombing of the city of the war.

The pilot had previously served as a fighter pilot with 308, 303 and 306 Squadrons before converting to twin engined aircraft. He was transferred to Bomber Command on health grounds.

Right: Hptm. Gerhard Friedrich.

It is thought probably that they were shot down by the Luftwaffe ace Hptm. Gerhard Friedrich of Stab I./NJG6 at 23:53 hrs. (See further details on this pilot in the Kracker Archives on this site)

(1) Further information : W/O. Jan Gerwatowski - Born on the 11th May 1898 in Zastawie, Poland. Passed away on the 10th July 1954, age just 56. Fl/Lt Zygmunt Wesołowski - Born on the 30th November 1906 in Stanisławów, Poland now Ukraine. Passed away on the 27th February 1974, age 68. W/O. Piotr Barzdo - Born on the 20th September 1911 in Podbrodzie, Poland now Ukraine. Passed away in February 1996, age 85. W/O. Ryszard Mańkowski - Born on the 21st May 1921 in Zaleszczyki, Poland now Ukraine. Passed away on the 02nd April 1994, age 73.

Durnbach War Cemetery - The quality of these photographs shown here can not be fully appreciated when the size is reduced for the web page. (courtesy David Franklin - David has kindly provided us with permission to release high definition copies to relatives)

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Zbigniew Edward Zarębski. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.C.21. Born on the 11th May 1914 in Warsaw, Poland.

P/O. Romuald Andrzej Paszkowski. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.C.22. Born on the 10th November 1914 in Stary Zamość, Poland.

Sgt. Kazimierz Cymbała. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.C.23. Born on the 13th September 1919 in Chlewczany, Poland - now Ukraine.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as shown but also thanks to David Franklin who took the grave photographs for us. Also to Archiwum on this site

KTY - 04.04.2018

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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 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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