Polish Mustang PK-E, 315 Sqd

[Bergen]

Originally Posted by Peter S

F/O Swistun. Yes, I would say so. No one else would report what was said over the radio.

Not a lot, I’m afraid.
794407
Born 15.11.1915. After Polish Campaign in Soviet captivity. Arrived in UK on 14.10.1941.
25(P)EFTS, 16(P)SFTS
11 AGS
Sept.1943 sent to 61 OTU
Jan 1944 posted to 315 “City of Deblin” Squadron

58 operational sorties (111 hours)
¾ V1 (1/2 + ¼) on 22.7.1944
Decorated with Cross of Valour with Bar

I never came across his family.

Thanks again.
What does 25(p) etc mean ?
What was his victories ?

[Peter S]

Originally Posted by Bergen

and is to be found in the ORB of 315 Sqd ?

Yes

[RSwank]

Bergen,
If I had to make a guess I would think a good possibility would be 86 Squadron based at Tain, Scotland, or 547 Squadron based at Leuchars, Scotland, but I can't be sure without further research. I'll see what I can find. Maybe someone else will comment in the meantime.

[Bergen]

Originally Posted by RSwank

Bergen,
If I had to make a guess I would think a good possibility would be 86 Squadron based at Tain, Scotland, or 547 Squadron based at Leuchars, Scotland, but I can't be sure without further research. I'll see what I can find. Maybe someone else will comment in the meantime.

Thanks again.
Are the ORB´s for these possible to obtain online ?

Yours

[Peter S]

No idea! However you can find a part of it here (F540):

http://orb.polishaf.pl/315sqn/1944-1...-squadron-f540


I'll reply to your PM.

Peter

[andy bird]

Bergen,

Page 66 - A Separate Little War (This is the unedited version)

At Peterhead seven Mustangs picked up with 2 Lib's. at 15.00 hrs the formation turned on a southerly coarse after a monotonous flight nearing the Norwegian coast at a height of 1,000 ft a Mustang on the edge of the protective umbrella, piloted by Antoni Ciundziewski flying FB391 on its port side spotted some thing grey on the surface with a slight wake behind. Peeling away to investigate and levelling off at 70 feet, he found a tug towing a barge at 8 knots. He attacked with m/g going from port to starboard across the tug. With the sea swell, rising quite heigh he gained another 30ft for safety. Suddenly, he was up against well concealed camouflaged gun positions on the shore, shortly afterwards light 37mm flak from Marstein Light joined. With his section leader bellowing voice in his headphones, to regroup on the other six Mustangs, against his expressed orders Ciundziewski began a strafing run on the shore emplacements seconds later he reported being hit, with his Merlin struggling and oil splattering the perspex his leader shouted 'Bail Out' (this was picked up by a RAF W/T Station) With a second hit the Mustang caught alit and lost height immediately. The gunners had great satisfaction of seeing the single-engine fighter ploughing into the sea at 15.49 hrs (German Time) the machine was seen to topple over in the seas swell. Antoni Ciundziewski was not seen to surface from the stricken craft and no parachute or dinghy is sighted or reported by his colleagues or the Liberator crews upon their return to Scottish shores.

KInd Regards

Andy Bird

[RSwank]

Bergen,
I have not seen ORB online for 86 or 547 Squadrons (which is not to say they are not online, just that I have not found them). However, if you read the ORB links for the 315 squadron given by Peter S you can see that when CIUNDZIEWICKI was lost he was part of the two plane PATROL along the coast of Norway. It looks like there were four such two plane Patrols on that day, probably each along a different 20 mile stretch of coast, mainly, (I suspect) looking for activity to be reported back to Coastal Command. When the fighters were used to ESCORT strike forces (often Beaufighters) the description used is "ESCORT", see for example activity on 1944-11-15. I am beginning to think the statement about "Escorting Liberators" on 10 Nov may not be correct. There may have been Liberators flying that day, but perhaps on different missions, antisubmarine sweeps or the like.

[Peter S]

Originally Posted by RSwank

I am beginning to think the statement about "Escorting Liberators" on 10 Nov may not be correct. There may have been Liberators flying that day, but perhaps on different missions, antisubmarine sweeps or the like.

ORB states clearly:

"2 Mustangs IIIs of this squadron took off on patrol off the coast of NORWAY (20 miles) according to plan to protect Coastal Command A.V. Patrol 7 LIBERATORS flying at 1000 ft, according to plan."

[Bergen]

Originally Posted by RSwank

Bergen,
I have not seen ORB online for 86 or 547 Squadrons (which is not to say they are not online, just that I have not found them). However, if you read the ORB links for the 315 squadron given by Peter S you can see that when CIUNDZIEWICKI was lost he was part of the two plane PATROL along the coast of Norway. It looks like there were four such two plane Patrols on that day, probably each along a different 20 mile stretch of coast, mainly, (I suspect) looking for activity to be reported back to Coastal Command. When the fighters were used to ESCORT strike forces (often Beaufighters) the description used is "ESCORT", see for example activity on 1944-11-15. I am beginning to think the statement about "Escorting Liberators" on 10 Nov may not be correct. There may have been Liberators flying that day, but perhaps on different missions, antisubmarine sweeps or the like.

Did the 86 or 547 Sqd´s ever conduct antisubmarine sorties ?
Were they fittet with any Leighlights, depthcharges etc ?

Bergen

[RSwank]

SteveB,
Good points. I was looking at the staggered takeoffs and wondering what that meant. I wonder if we are misreading some of the terms. I don't know what seven Liberators flying together at 1000 ft, 20 miles off the coast of Norway would be doing, but maybe a single Liberator equipped with ASV radar is searching for surface shipping. Maybe there was more than one Liberator, but each had a separate search/patrol area. Maybe they/it orbited in a set area over a period of hours, so the escort fighters would replace each other. I wonder if 1000 feet up and 20 miles off the coast is just the right altitude to be able to scan "up to the coast" but not get interference from the coast itself. Questions... Questions....