"Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Last year I photographed a bronze plaque newly fixed to the headstone of an unknown airman who's date of death is shown as 7 August 1941. The new addition bore the name of Zdzislaw Brozda of 308 Squadron, lost in Spitfire P8573. After I raised a query with the CWGC the plaque was removed as it had been placed without their permission and "....no information concerning a possible positive identification of the remains".

Does anyone know by whom, or why, this plaque was fixed to the headstone and what grounds there might have been for positively associating this casualty to this particular unknown burial?

Maybe Wojtek Matusiak might have a view?

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

From th e308th Squadron Website
"-Aug-41. Spitfire II P8573. Sgt Brozda. KIA
Evening sweep: shot down over France, his body couldn't be identified and he was buried as "unknown"."

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

I agree that he may well have been buried as "Unknown" and, as such, this is quite possibly his grave at St Omer. However, there seem to be other possible candidates for this particular war grave and so the question remains as to how, or why, this specific grave was linked to Brozda? If conclusive evidence could be found then it might be possible to convince the CWGC to replace the stone.

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Andy,

Czech ace P/O Plzak of the 19 Sqn is other candidate.
When I was at Longuenesse last time no plaque was there.

Michal

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Yes, I agree that the other candidate is Plzak. I am just curious as to how, why and by whom the plaque was fixed to the stone? It was very elaborately made and engraved and had been screwed onto the headstone. Maybe someone has evidence to make a link with Brozda? If so, one hopes they will share the information with the CWGC/MOD so that a proper decision can be made. Possibly there is some local evidence. The question is: what?!

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Andy,

I will contact my colleagues in that area if they know something more.

Michal

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Michal

Did you ever get any more feedback on this mystery?

Andy

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Andy,

Source is Cumft & Kujawa. Text send to you by PM. Other candidates are L. Stapel & Plzak. Translation of quote: Brozda remains buried as unknown in Longuenesse, as his body could not be identified.

Regards,

Rob

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Rob

One wonders what was the source of the rather definitive statement that Brozda was buried as "unknown" in Longuenesse when there are clearly other candidates for that particular unknown airman.

Andy

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Andy,

Sure. I do not have the answer. Clues may be buried in the Casualty Files. The plaquette producer may not have had more data than present in this thread, and may have wished to make a statement to MoD/CWGC. A statement of this kind, regarding an Allied aviator buried as unknown, being quite possibly a certain PAF aviator, has been seen in Holland too. These events do not seem to be connected, but I shall dig into that some more.

Regards,

Rob

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Andy,

In Veghel, NL, is buried an unknown Polish airman. His identity has been claimed by Jos van Alphen & Jan Hey as Tadeusz Koloszczyk. Claim submitted to CWGC, and rejected, as proof was considered to be less than 100%. The grave is cared for by a Mr. Van Boxtel, who eyewitnessed the crash. He added a plaque with the name of this aviator. There is no connection to the case in Longuenesse. Therefore a similar story, but of no help to you. Shall ask the MoD if a claim for the Longuenesse grave has been received.

Regards,

Rob

Re: "Unknown" Polish Airman at Longuenesse
 

Checked the AHB Cas Card today; no mention or hint of a location for burial