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230591

F/O Ryszard Zygmuntowicz

Royal Air Force 138 Sqdn.

from:Poland

(d.21st April 1942)

I'm looking for any information about my grandfather's brother, Ryszard Zygmuntowicz. He was a pilot and he died on 21st April 1942 in Kreuth (Austria).

It is interesting that in official documents and information he died during his flight to Czechoslovakia. There are questions about why the plane crashed in Austria, why two members of a plane crew were buried in as "unknown people", why people from Kreuth found a lot of money and communist leaflets in the place of the accident and - last question - why, on a night of bad weather, when all flights were cancelled, the plane took off with Wing Commander Farley (English commander of a Squadron) which was an unexpected event? It's impossible to get any information from any authority and as far as I know, until 2020 year this evidence is secret. I'd like to find someone who knows something about this Squadron. Maybe pilots or their children who have memories from World War II.

Update: The crew were:

  • Wing Co W.R. Farley DFC, RAF (2nd pilot)
  • F/O J.A. Pulton, RAFVR (airgunner)
  • F/O R. Zygmuntowicz, PAF (pilot)
  • Sgt C. Madracki, PAF (navigator)
  • F/Sgt B Karbowski, PAF (rear gunner)
  • Capt. A.H. Voellnagel, RAF
  • Sgt L. Wilmanski, PAF (airbomber)
  • Sgt M. Wojciechowski, PAF (wop/airgunner)

    All the crew were buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Collective Grave 9.H.20-24 (information from CWGC). It is suggested that there may have been four passengers aboard as well as the crew. 138 Squadron flew Special Operations duties, so the passengers may have been agents.



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