Date: 22/23rd May 1944
Unit: No. 300 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: LM487
Code: BH-J
Base: Faldingworth, Lincolnshire.
Location: Krefeld
Pilot: F/O. Wilhelm Adler 1746 P.A.F. P.O.W.
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Kazimierz Feliks Kozanecki 780049 P.A.F. Age 31 Killed
Nav: F/O. Mieczyslaw Jozef Bergner P2097 P.A.F. Age 22 Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. Stanislaw Antoni Chabrowski 784982 P.A.F. Age 28 Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kazimierz Jankowiak 704437 P.A.F. Age 25 Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt Leon Winkiel 792294 P.A.F. Age 22 Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kazimierz Nawratil 703889 P.A.F. Age 24 Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 22.47 Hrs from Faldingworth. Part of a group of 361 Lancaster's and 14 Mosquito's to attack Dortmund. The raid fell mainly in residential areas. 852 houses, 6 industrial buildings were destroyed, a further 788 houses were seriously damaged with a ground loss of 335 Germans and 26 P.O.W.'S killed and a further 1,697 people injured. 18 Lancaster's were also lost. Another 300 squadron Lancaster, LL857 BH-B, was lost on this night when it was obliged to return following engine trouble. They partly jettisoned the bomb load over the sea but tragically the underpowered Lancaster collided with the stations gunnery butts. 2 of the crew were killed instantly and another died shortly afterwards. 5 crew survived with injuries.
It is thought that LM487 was shot down on it's homeward bound trip by Hptm. Heinz-Horst Hissbach 5./NJG2 at 01.18 hours at a height of 4,500 mtrs (Although this can not be confirmed) Hptm.Hissbach was later killed by American A/A fire on the 14/15th April 1945 near Geinhausen whilst carrying out a ground strafing sortie (8 American vehicles destroyed - Hptm. Hissbach had a total of 26 night kills and a further 4 day kills at the time of his death.)
Lancaster LM487 BH-J prior to the last trip. (Photo A.R.S. Archive Collection)
Lancaster LM487 BH-J (Photo courtesy of Gretzyngier, Matusiak, Wojcik, Zielinski)
Sgt. Stanislaw Antoni Chabrowsk (Photo courtesy of Gretzyngier, Matusiak, Wojcik, Zielinski)
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery (Photo courtesy of C.W.G.C.)
Burial details:
Sgt. Kazimierza Feliks Kozanecki. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery - Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot II Row E Grave 5
Sgt Leon Winkiel. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery - Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot II Row E Grave 4
Sgt. Stanislaw Antoni Chabrowski. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery - Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot II Row E Grave 2
F/O. Mieczyslaw Jozef Bergner Reichswald Forest War Cemetery - Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot II Row E Grave 6
Sgt. Kazimierz Jankowiak Reichswald Forest War Cemetery - Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot II Row E Grave 1
Sgt. Kazimierz Nawratil Reichswald Forest War Cemetery - Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot II Row E Grave 3
Researched by Kelvin T, Youngs (Aircrew Remembrance Society 2009)
The Aircrew Remembrance Society would like to thank Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski for the use of some of these photographs. Further research material supplied by Theo Bolton - Nightfigher losses, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - Bomber Command War Diaries and of course Bill Chorley for his superb work with Bomber Command Losses) We highly recommend their publications and are happy to provide other researchers further information where they can be purchased.
