And one of the aviation historians

[Roger]

Hi All
I went up Buckden Pike yesterday with a couple of friends and looked at the memorial cross near the top. Sorry about the fat bloke spoiling the pic!
It commemorates the crash of an aircraft with a Polish crew in 1942.  There was only one survivor, and he made his way to safety by following the tracks of a fox - hence the foxes head on the memorial.  The rest of the crew were buried in Newark's Polish cemetery.
If anyone has more detail on this and would like to share with the class that would be great.
Cheers
R

[Bigkev]

Hi Roger,

The aircraft in question was a Wellington Mk.1c S/n N2848, carrying as you say a Polish Aircrew.

It occurred on the night of 30/31 January 1942 after a training flight that encountered poor weather conditions and icing. It is thought the aircraft descended to a lower level to reduce the affect of icing though to descend in that area was not permitted, it is thought it was either due to the affect of ice or by pilot decision to descend, which resulted in the crash. The rear turret was severed in the crash and saved its occupant, Sgt Jozef Fusniak PAF.  The gunner freed himself and looked for the rest of his crew. All were dead save the wireless operator who was badly injured but alive. Making him as comfortable as possible the Rear Gunner then went to seek help. He made his way down the hill to village of Cray after following the tracks of a fox. A local woman Nanny Parker found the gunner and raised the alarm, but on reaching the site, rescuers found all the crew had perished including the one he had left injured. For his efforts Sgt Jozef Fusniak was awarded the British Empire Medal for bravery in May 1942

Details of the aircrew are as follows.

 Pilot - F/Lt Czeslaw Kujawa PAF (P/0115), aged 26. Buried Newark Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.

Second Pilot - P/O Jerzy Polczyk PAF (P/1615), aged 24. Buried Newark Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.

Observer - F/O Tadeusz Jan Bieganski PAF (P/1368), aged 28. Buried Newark Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Jan Sadowski PAF (792642), aged 32. Died of injuries. Buried Newark Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.

Front Gunner - Sgt Jan Andrzej Tokarzewski PAF (782024), aged 25. Buried Newark Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.

Rear Gunner - Sgt Jozef Fusniak PAF (780945). Broken left ankle.

Hope this helps,

Bigkev

[Roger]

Thanks Big Kev, I'll share that with my friends who were on the walk.

Cheers
R

[Pen-Pusher]

Also of interest locally. On 7th September 1941, K-King. Wellington bomber W5441 of 104 Squadron,4 Group, Bomber Command, RAF Driffield, crashed in farmland adjacent to the village of Middleton-on-the-Wolds. Casualties unknown. Most of the aircraft was recovered but fragments of the plane's unique geodetic structure are still being unearthed from time to time.