Date: 21st May 1944 (Sunday)
Unit: No. 308 Squadron (Polish)
Type: Spitfire LF. IX
Serial: ML215
Code: ZF-R
Base: R.A.F. Chailey
Location: 1 km west of Wiry, 16 km south of Abbeville, France
Pilot: Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski P1213 P.A.F. Age 28. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
This day saw the start of a massed attack against German communication and radar targets over Northern France - this was to be maintained until the invasion. Consequently these actions resulted in a huge increase in casualties, in particular on this day (30 aircraft lost) and the 22nd May 1944 (A further 13 lost).
Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski's aircraft received a direct hit from flak, he pulled up but was then hit again, the aircraft exploded (8.5 West of Lillebonne).
Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski (Courtesy Stanislaw Bochniak DFC - Via Peter Sikora)
Spitfire LF. IX ML 215 (Courtesy of Gretzyngier, Matusiak, Wojcik, Zielinski)
The squadron's ORB states how the Rhubarb went, they were performing a sweep in the area north of the Seine to Mount Gassicourt Crepy En Val Gayeux. Orders to attack the enemy railway communications.
Pilots involved in this operation - carried out between 07.30 and 08.40 were:
Fl/Lt. Jeka (1) his Spitfire IX ML254 was badly hit by flak at 08.10 S.W of Buchy, seen to open his canopy after crash landing and consequently taken P.O.W.
Fl/Lt. Czarnecki (2) flying Spitfire ML116 wounded also after being hit by flak at 08.00 West of Buchy - see photo of ML116 attached. Other pilots involved in this mission were: Sawoszczyk (3), Korwel (4) Chojnacki (5).
Outside Officers Mess, Northolt Left to right: Zielonka, Kurowski, unknown with Miksa's monkey, Ptocki, Jeka and Kedzierski
308 Squadron with Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski 5th from right, Stanislaw Bochniak DFC playing the accordion
(Courtesy Stanislaw Bochniak DFC - Via Peter Sikora)
(1) Fl/Lt. Jeka killed whilst flying on special operations for the U.S.A in 1958. Trained to fly the U2 Spy plane, but was killed in a B26-B (44-34375) during an operation to bomb an Indonesian communist training camp.
Hit by ground fire and although reported that 3 parachutes were seen, all three crew members were killed. Relatives informed that the loss was due to an accident in the U.S.A.
(2) Fl/Lt. Czarnecki emigrated to Argentina, we have no further information about him.
(3) Sawoszczyk, who died in 2001 in USA
(4) Korwel killed by communists in 1952 after he returned to Poland (he was a Guinea Pig Club member)
(5) Chojnacki killed on 1st of January 1945 during battle over Ghent (Bodenplatte operation). "Link"
308 Squadron with Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowsk standing on wing, 2nd from right (Courtesy Peter Sikora)
Left to right: Langhamer, unknown, Kurowski, Pomietlarz, Bondarczuk, unknown, Jeka and Piterezak.
Used for the cover of the book "For Your Freedom And Ours" (Courtesy of the late F. Tomczak, 306 Squadron, via Peter Sikora)
For Your Freedom And Ours (Authors Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud)
Fl/Lt. Czarnecki's Spitfire ML116 after being hit by flak - returned back to R.A.F. Chailey (Courtesy of Peter Sikora)
Grave of Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski (Courtesy André Demaret)
Burial details:
Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski. Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension - Somme, France. Plot VI Row E Grave 3
Further details:
Born on the 4th March 1915, in Prague. On 3rd January 1936 joined the P.A.F. Cadets School for training, graduating in March 1938.
Joined Air Regiment Warsaw and on 15th October promoted to the equivalent of P/O. Joined 217 EB Bomber brigade - took part in operation until around the middle of September 1939 when they were evacuated to Romania - eventually leaving via France to Britain early in 1940. After a short period with 300 Squadron as a navigator he was sent on pilot training. Promoted to F/O. in March 1941. 29th May 1942 posted to 306 Squadron. Transferring to 308 Squadron on 25th August 1943.
Awarded Cross of Valour with bar.
Page of Remembrance dedicated to John Kaye - son of Fl/Lt. Jan Kazimierz Kurowski - John has also sent us many photographs and further information.
The Aircrew Remembrance Society would like to thank Peter Sikora for the detailed information on Jan. To André Demaret for the grave photo, we hope to have others from the Abbeville Cemetery. Laurent Viton of France for the very accurate crash location. Robert Gretzyngier, Woitek Matusiak, Wadldemar Wojcik and Josef Zielinski for the use of some of these photographs and of course the valuable work that the C.W.G.C. carry out.
