Wellington Bomber HZ251 - Bradley, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 55.477 W 002° 00.117
30U E 565538 N 5975595
This informal memorial commemorates 7 Polish crewmen of a Royal Air Force Wellington Bomber who were killed when the plane crashed during a training flight on 23rd September 1943.
Waymark Code: WMKG54
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/10/2014
Views: 3
After Germany invaded Poland at the start of the Second World War, many pilots from the Polish Air Force managed to escape to the UK and joined the Royal Air Force.
The pilots were very experienced as they had defended Poland during the German invasion and were highly regarded in the Royal Air Force. Four Polish squadrons were formed and 303 Squadron was for a time the most efficient RAF fighter squadron.
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An information board near to this memorial has information about the plane crash.
At 12:50pm on Thursday the 23rd September 1943 a Royal Air Force
Vickers Wellington Mk XI bomber, serial number HZ251, on a routine
training flight returning to its home base at 6 (C) Operational Training Unit,
Silloth Cumberland crashed near here in the area known then as "Winfred's Cafe."
The seven members of the R.A.F. aircrew, all Polish, lost their lives.
The crash was due to a major wing spar failure.
Eyewitnesses watched in honour as the port wing
and engine fell away, resulting in the tragedy.
The plane crashed onto the bank of the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The information board is located on the tow path next to a small swing bridge. It was erected in 2007 when a more formal memorial was erected to honour the airmen.
This simpler memorial has a wooden cross with a white eagle, the national symbol of Poland. Beneath the cross is a stone block with the carving of another eagle with a wreath in its mouth. Polis airmen who flew with the Royal Air Force wore a silver badge like this on their upper left breast above the pocket.
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Underneath the stone block is a simple plaque with the following text.
IN MEMORY
OF THE SEVEN POLISH AIRMEN WHO LOST
THEIR LIVES IN A WELLINGTON BOMBER HZ251
ON SEPTEMBER 23RD 1943
JOZEF WOLNIK
FRANCISZEK CIASTON ABRAM KAWENOCKI
WLADYSLAW OSTROWSKI JAN CZYZEWSKI
BOLELAW RYCHEL BOLESLAW SWIECA
Details of the formal memorial can be found here.
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