Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

End July/beginning of August 1944, a polish spitfire pilot was shot down at Bonneville la Louvet (north east of Lisieux).

There was a hole in an engine "in which a hand could go through";

His aircraft crash landed violently, the wings were torn apart, the fuselage broke and the pilot finally remained under an apple tree, wounded but alive.

The German army took him as POW, took care of him in a castle nearby, but finaly left him when they retreated, so he was back in the Allies camp.

All this is based on a testimony (of an 88 year old gentleman who still has the windshield of this spit) and this story seems rather well known.

My question is : what was the name of the pilot ? And is he still alive ?

All best
GC

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

Salut Gilles.

Do not know if you do have that info..but this is what I found.

12 July 1944
132 Squadron – 18:45hs – Spit IX, serial NH529 code A – F/L M. Graham (Wounded) around Lisieux
13 July 1944
442 Squadron – around 17:15hs – Spit IX, serial MK772, code P – lost control chasing Fw 190 in cloud near Lisieux. Pilot F/L A W Roseland KIA.
197 Squadron – around 18:25/30 – Typhoon IB, serial MN209, code A – collided with Bf 109 South of Lisieux – pilot F/O K A J Trott (Pow) bailed out.
19 July 1944
Three Typhoons from 266 Squadron shot down by Bf 109’s N of Lisieux, around 20:30hs. All pilots KIA. If you need, I will inform more later.
24 July 1944
401 Squadron – around 17:25hs – Spit IX, serial MJ231 – hit by Flak, belly landed near Lisieux. Pilot F/L W R Tew (evaded OK).
25 July 1944
453 Squadron – around 15:45 – Spit IX, serial NH494, code T, shot down by Bf 109 5 miles SW of Lisieux. Pilot W/O A. W. Dowding (POW).
27 July 1944
453 Squadron – around 07:30hs – Spit IX, serial PL315, code Z, shot down by Flak 5 miles SW of Lisieux. Pilot W/O A H J Harris (KIA); Spit IX, serial PL196,code S, shot down by Flak crash landed around Lisieux, CAT B. Pilot W/O A J Boulton (fate unknown to me).
31 July 1944
302 Squadron – around 19:55hs – Spit IX, serial MJ945 – shot down by Flak SW of Falaise. Pilot F/Sgt J S Szadkowski (POW). SOLE POLE SO FAR found….
2 August 1944
132 Squadron – around 17:00hs – Spit IX, serial NH481, code A – hit by flak Lisieux, crash landed. Pilot W/O V C Parker (Fate unknown to me)

Stopped on 15th August.

All information above from the incredible work of Shores and Thomas on their 3 volumes, The 2nd TAF, ISBN 1-903223-41-5; which I fully recommend to all.

Maybe the Polish Flight Sergeant of 302 Squadron may be your man....maybe....need further clarification and cross checks.

Cheerio
Baumgartner

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

MMM..... this 31 July 1944 polish pilot seems to be a good path.

Merci beaucoup Adriano, I shall continue the investigation and shall keep you posted,

& take care !

Gilles

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

780622 Flt Sgt Szadkowski was still reported a POW 30 Mar 45 so he was not liberated by advancing Allied forces........

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

Hello ,

I found this :

W/O Szadkowski Jerzy Stefan
780622 - 02.09.1921 Wieluń Poland
25.03.1979 York, U.K.
303, 302 Sqdn KW, 2xML

Regards
Alain57

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

More investigation is needed.

I am now looking for local testimonies and confirmation of the date,

I shall let you know the results.

GC

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

Local memories can be deceptive. I remember finding a 605 Sqn Hurricane many moons ago where the locals said the pilot was Polish. What they had found was something at the site inscribed Walsall & this became Warsaw over time!

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

Gilles,

You do know more than me that there are here several real experts on aircraft construction and parts (serial numbers, etc.). Have you found some pieces of this particular Spitfire that can give us some clues about the serial number and, therefore, its true identity? Perhaps one single serial number on one piece, part can change all the search!

Cheerio

A. B.

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

Other Polish pilots
F/Sgt. Pawloski - ML192 - 11/08/44.
F/Sgt. Malinowski - NH191 - 08/08/44.
F/Sgt. Ziendalski - NH608 - 14/08/44.
F/Lt. Wandzilak - PL279 - 26/08/44.
F/O. Borkowski - EN527 - 18/08/44.
Sqn/Ldr Gnys - NH365 - 27/08/44.
Also
302 Sqn. - MJ945 - 31/07/44
308 Sqn - ML315 - 31/08/44.

Alex

Re: Looking for a polish spitfire pilot name
 

Thanks Alex

Adriano: I am in line with you and I have asked the owner of the windshield to check if there is any P/N on it. If we could identify the A/C type, that would be great. I wait for his feedback;

We will stay in touch.

GC