Date: 26/27th February 1942
Unit: No. 305 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Wellington II
Serial: W5423
Coded: SM-R
Location: Tonder, Denmark
Pilot: F/O. Stanislaw Józef Zygmunt Źeromski P-1636 P.A.F. Age; 22, Killed (Ossowcach, Poland.)
Fl/Eng: P/O. Jan Orzechowski 76681 P.A.F. Age; 36, Killed (Piotrkowic, Poland.)
Nav: F/O. Aleksander Roman Golczewski P-0758 P.A.F. Age; 30, Killed (Częstochowie, Poland.)
Obs/Air/Gnr: F/O. Mieczyslaw Gorzeński P-0070 P.A.F. Age; 33, Killed (Przemyślu, Poland.)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Walerian Feliks Gidaszewski P-1798 P.A.F. Age; 24, Killed (Kielczewie, Poland.)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward Ceglowski 784624 P.A.F. Age; 24, Killed (Garbatówce, Poland.)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from Lindholme, Yorkshire at 19.00hrs - part of a 61 force of mixed aircraft (43 Wellington's, 12 Manchester's and 6 Stirlings). The accomodation ship Monte Sarmiento was hit with a loss of 120-130 lives. A further 16 people were killed in the town and another 39 injured. 3 Wellington's were lost this night and W5423 was claimed to have been shot down by Lt Paul Szameitat 6./NJG3 1 km North West of Jejsing, North East of Tonder at 22.15 hrs. Lt Szameitat became an ace with a total of 29 kills but was himself killed on the 1/2nd January 1944 in air combat at Obernkirchen near Buckeberg, Germany.
Wellington W5423
Left to right Wellington W5243 crew: Źeromski Orzechowski Golczewski Gorzeński Gidaszewski Ceglowski
305 Squadron mascot "Ciapek" (Courtesy Chris Mackay)
Burial Details:
All the crew are buried in the Aabenraa Cemetery, Denmark. At the time when the crew were buried, they were provided with a full military funeral by local Danish and German officials The Wehrmacht even provided a guard of honour.
With thanks to Theo Bolton for Luftwaffe details, and to Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski for the use of some of these photographs. We highly recommend all their publications regarding WW2 Polish Air Force and are happy to provide other researchers information where they can be purchased. See "here"
