No. 305 Squadron, Wellington II, W5374 (SM-J) - Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire
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SMacB
N 52° 26.157 W 001° 00.068
30U E 635879 N 5811406
Vickers Wellington no. W5374 (SM-J) - 24 Dec 1941, After bombing Cologne, damaged by flak and force-landed near this place in fields with the loss of all crew.
Waymark Code: WM107VM
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/17/2019
Views: 3
Vickers Wellington no. W5374 (SM-J) - 24 Dec 1941, After bombing Cologne, damaged by flak and force-landed near this place in fields with the loss of all crew.
24/25.12.1941 No. 305 Squadron Wellington II W5374 SM-J F/O. Golacki
Operation: Köln
Date: 23/24th December 1941 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: No. 305 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Wellington II
Serial: W5374
Code: SM-J
Base: RAF Lindholme
The aircraft took off at 17:32 hrs from RAF Lindholme joining 30 other aircraft - 10 from Lindholme and 21 from Helmswell.
It is believed the aircraft had been damaged by enemy flak. On return to England it was seen approaching Sibbertoft at about 500 ft in a very low cloud base. It would appear that the crew had been flying blind since crossing the coast and were apparently lost. Eye witness reports state that the Bomber was on fire prior to crashing just a short distance out of the village of Sibbertoft on the Naseby road, and had just managed to clear the village buildings.
The aircraft exploded when it crashed at 21:20 hrs, locals from the village removed the bodies and placed them in the outbuildings of the Red Lion pub.
"The present roadside combined memorial plaque & wooden seating area have recently replaced an earlier memorial on the same site. Circular plaque on rear wall of a brick built walled enclosure with copings, lower wall & opening facing the road. Loose slate base. Plaque with raised inscription in white lettering, blue background. RAF winged insignia in relief, beneath first line of inscription."
SOURCE - (
visit link)
A blue plaque inside the enclosure reads:
SIBBERTOFT PARISH COUNCIL
On the 24th. December 1941 a
Vickers Wellington No. 5374 (SM-J)
returning from a bombing mission over
Cologne crashed near this place with the
loss of all members of the Polish crew,
having been badly damaged
by German anti aircraft
artillery.Names of crew:
Pilot: Sgt. Henryk Rozpara 782473 PAF Age 29.
Pilot 2: F/O. Czeslaw Stanislaw Golacki P-1554 PAF Age 22.
Nav: F/O. Alfons Antoni Szymon Nowak P-0092 PAF Age 33.
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Jan Siwiec P-1148 PAF Age 26.
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Eugeniusz Jerzy Baracz 781148 PAF Age 26.
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Zdzislaw Kurowski 781880 PAF Age 26.