ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 277928
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| Date: | Wednesday 20 May 1942 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington Mk 1c |
| Owner/operator: | 18 OTU |
| Registration: | N2813 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Cefn Rhydoldog -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Sywell |
| Return. |
Details:
The Wellington was used in the early years of the war performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command. It started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engine bombers such as the H.P. Halifax and later, the Avro Lancaster during 1942 and the Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly in the training roll with the OTU’s (Operational Training Units).
It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles.
A larger heavy bomber aircraft, the Vickers Warwick was developed in parallel with the Wellington; the two aircraft shared around 85% of their structural components. Many elements of the Wellington were also re-used in a civil derivative, the Vickers Viking. While the Wellington was superseded in the ETO (European Theatre of Operations), it remained in operational service for much of the war in the Middle East and in 1942, Wellingtons based in India became the RAF's first long-range bomber operating in the Far East.
The RAF OTU’s was the last stage of training for aircrew before being assigned to an operational unit, upon arrival at the delegated squadron they would be crewed with the other members of the squadron on an almost random basis just by picking men out of the crowd until the necessary mix of trades had been reached. But it was not unusual for the crew who went through training together would end up in the same squadron if the requirements called for whole crews.
No.18 Operational Training Unit was formed in June 1940 from the Polish Training Unit as part of No.6 Group to train light bomber crews onto the Wellington and based at RAF Sywell, N2813 took off from Sywell during the evening on a cross country night navigation exercise which took them from Northampton, the Midlands, Mid Wales and out over the Irish Sea to a timed point, then south towards Pembrokeshire and return over the Severn and back to Sywell. Unfortunately, while they were over the high mountains of Mid Wales, one of the engines iced up and quickly stopped with the propellers still in the fully fine setting, creating heavy drag, and with no means of feathering the propellers the aircraft began to lose height quickly. The only option that remained was to abandon the doomed aircraft.
All the crew jumped out into the pitch-black night and landing into the unfamiliar ground below.
Luck was with the crew, apart from a few bumps and bruises, they landed within the large open valley just northwest of the village of Rhyader.
The following morning, back at Sywell they were listed as missing! The trainee wireless operator failed to transmit their position and situation. It was a phone call from the local Police to Sywell that gave cause to stand down the search and transport was sent out to retrieve the crew.
The crew are unconfirmed, but it seems they all went on to 300 Polish squadron.
The following month, on the 27th of July 1942 Sgt Bakalarski was piloting another Wellington, Z1270, a superior mark X, on a bombing raid on Hamburg. On the return route they were intercepted by a Luftwaffe night fighter which severely damaged the aircraft. All the crew except the pilot were wounded and they had to make a forced landing into German held territory and were captured.
N2813 & Z1270 Crew:
Sgt Piota Bakalarski P782808 PAF. Pilot. Uninjured.
F/O Kazimierz Falinski. PAF.
Sgt Zdzislaw Kobiela. PAF.
Sgt J Osizewski P784072 PAF.
P/O Bolestaw Boguszewski. PAF.
Wreckage:
The empty Wellington flew on in a Westerly direction and losing height rapidly crashed into the top of Cefn Rhydolog. The wreckage was found by the recovery team near the abandoned homestead, known locally as Esgair Pen y Garreg. Pieces remain scattered in amongst the ‘Moon Grass’ of the open moorland and not easily found.
Additional Information:
Wellington Z1270 was shot down by Hauptmann Paul Kratz flying a Junkers JU-88c of II Gruppe/ Nachtgershwader 2 and landed on the island of Sylt, Denmark. All crew members being wounded except the Pilot, However Boguszewski died as a result of wounds received while being brought out of the wreckage of the Wellington. The crew were sent to Stulag POW camps.
Sgt Bakalarski went to Stulagluft VIIIB in Poland and was given the POW number 25064. F/O Falinski went to Stulag III and became prisoner 616, he was accompanied by Sgt Kobiela. Sgt Osizewski went to Stulag IX becoming POW 43036. All except Bakalarski saw out the war as POW’s.
This is the story of his escape:
“Escaped from Stalag VIII B, Poland, (Arbeitskommando at Jaworzno) via Germany, France and Spain.
Sergeant Bakalarski was separated from his companions and transferred to a Prisoner's Camp, here he was closely questioned, but refused all information beyond his Name, Number, Rank and Date of Birth. He was then sent to another camp, where he remained for one month, before making his first attempt at escape. On this occasion, he and a Canadian soldier were recaptured after 3 days at a point near the Polish frontier. On being returned to the camp, Sgt Bakalarski was sentenced to two weeks in the cells and later was one of those who were chained as a "Reprisal" measure.
This punishment lasted 4 months in all and ended in March 1943, when he was transferred to another part of the camp. Finding that, here no chance of escape was available, he volunteered for work in a Coal Mine and from it he in company with Sgt Raginis, made his second attempt assisted by a Polish Civilian. This man was unfortunately killed during the escape, but Sgt Bakalarski succeeded in boarding a train, only to be rounded up later as a Polish Patriot. He was so brutally treated however, that he disclosed his Identity and was sent back to the Camp, where he was sentenced to two months imprisonment.
On being taken from the Prison he again escaped and after several incidents made his way to Cracow, where he was re-joined by Sgt Raginis. They were able to proceed to Germany in the guise of volunteer workers, from there they travelled into France making for the Spanish Frontier. They arrived at Luneville on 15th September 1943 and later in company with some others, they set out to cross the Pyrenees on foot, snow was falling and was more than knee deep in the mountains. One of the party became very ill and Sgt Raginis and the guide went ahead to find help, thus becoming separated from Sgt Bakalarski who continued his exhausting journey with only one companion. The weather continued to be most severe and his passage through the mountains occupied two days and a night. Andorra was reached on 27th October 1943 and from here contact was made with an organisation which arranged the subsequent journey to England."
For this successful ‘Home Run’. Sgt Bakalarski received the DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal).
The Wellington was one of two bombers named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellesley.
Aerial shots for the film Battle of Britain were taken over the airport and nearby area.
Sources:
www.tracesofwar.com
nationalarchives.gov
https://listakrzystka.pl
www.rafcommands.com
https://vwma.org
www.polishsquadronsremembered.com
www.geni.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-May-2022 18:51 | Davies 62 | Added |
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