[Frances]

The controversial crash of Halifax JP 295 in Banica, Poland is finally being recognised by local authorities who are planning a new monument to the crew at the crash site.
This monument will replace the existing monument which carries an inscription "To seven unknown Polish airmen......" and will be unveiled on the 65th anniversary of the crash, 27/28 August this year. An excavation carried out at the crash site in September 2006 identified the aircraft parts as Halifax, not Liberator as had been previously claimed.

The crew includes - Franciszek OMYLAK, captain and navigator; Konstanty DUNIN-HORKOWICZ, bombadier; Wilhelm BALCAREK, mechanic; Jozef SKORCZYK, gunner;Tadeusz MROZKO, gunner.

Families of five of the crew have been contacted but two families cannot be located - they are those of Kazimierz WIDACKI, pilot; and Jan Franciszek OZGA, wireless operator.
As the crew still have no marked graves it is hoped that eventually there will be official military gravesites allocated to these brave men who died on a supply mission to the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944

Any help would be greatly appreciated in locating families of Sgt OZGA and P/O WIDACKI.
Frances