Wellington HZ251, near Skipton.
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Wellington HZ251, near Skipton
September 23rd 1943. Wellington HZ251 was on a training flight from RAF Silloth in Cumbria, when for reasons unknown, the port wing spar failed and the wing detached. The Wellington crashed beside the Leeds Liverpool Canal killing all on board.
Instructing the crew was highly experienced airman Fl Lt Wolnik, holder of Poland’s highest military decoration, the Virtuti Militari. He had married just 3 weeks earlier.
Crew, all Polish Air Force
Flight Sergeant F Ciaston, 27, Pilot
Sergeant W Ostrowski, 27, Co-pilot
Flight Lieutenant J Wolnik, 31, Navigator
Corporal B J Swieca, 28, Wireless Op / Air Gunner
Corporal B Rychel, 21, Wireless Op / Air Gunner
Corporal J Czyzewski, 23, Air Gunner
Segeant A Kawenocki, 22, Wireless Op / Air Gunner
Report in the Blackpool Gazette from June 2009 in which Fl Lt Wolnik’s widow is interviewed. Thanks to Flickrer Chrissie T for the link.
www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Blackpool-war-he…
Flight Lieutenant Josef Wolnik. (Photo © Crown Copyright/MOD 2007)
Josephine Stebbing, wife of Fl Lt Jozef Wolnik at the unveiling of the memorial. (Photo © Crown Copyright/MOD 2007)
Nicely shot Ian, great shadows~
Super research and how I now wish I had carried my camera from the car 🙂 so much better than mine with the addition of blue sky and light .
Superb shot to accompany this story.
Excellent series of shots!!
Nicely taken – I can almost hear the last post being played
That’s some memorial stone there Ian, very impressive.
A beautiful memorial to these unfortunate airmen.
Cześć ich pamięci!
Historia Polski / History of Poland
CZEŚĆ I CHWAÅA BOHATEROM !!!!
Honour and glory to the heroes!
Many Polish airmen died in training and operations with the RAF. Heroes all!