Wellington R1215 damaged by flak, landed at Lindholme airfield.
On the evening of 20th October 1941 this 304 Squadron aircraft was being flown on an operational flight to bomb the docks at Emden and took off from Lindholme at 18.15hrs, the
aircraft attacked the target from 19,000ft at 20.15hrs but was hit by flak in the bomb doors, on the return flight the oil pressure in the port engine
dropped resulting the engine being shut down. A safe landing was made at Lindholme at 23.17hrs and the aircraft was later repaired.
Pilot - F/O Kazimierz Czetowicz PAF (P/0005).
Second Pilot - Sgt Stanislaw Obiorek PAF (P/793334).
Observer - F/O Janusz Kurek PAF.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Josef Apanasewicz PAF.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Alojzy Sankowski PAF.
Air Gunner - Sgt Adam Rogowski PAF.
On 24th / 25th April 1941 Kazimierz Czetowicz was the pilot of Wellington R1697 when it was attacked by a night fighter on Ops to Rostock and was
later commended for bringing the damaged aircraft back to base. He was injured by enemy action while flying Wellington R1697 on 24th April 1942 and
brought the aircraft back to Lindholme.
Wellington R1215 was built to contract 992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester and was awaiting collection in October 1940. It was allotted to 24 MU on 20th October 1940 and was received by them on 31st October 1940. It was then taken on charge by 304 Squardron at Bramcote on 26th November 1940 who were converting from Battles to Wellington MkIc's at the time. It then moved with the unit to Syerston on 2nd December 1940 and then to Lindholme on 19th July 1941. As a result of the flak damage sustained on 20th October 1941 minor Cat.A/FB would have been the assessment and it was repaired on site. The incident does not feature on it's AM Form 78 which would suggest it was very minor. On 8th November 1941 it failed to return from an operational flight to bomb Mannheim with all the then crew becoming PoWs. Cat.Em damage was recorded on the paperwork. It was struck off charge on 30th November 1941.
Obiorek, Kurek, Rogowski and Sankowski were all lost on 10th / 11th January 1942 when Wellington Z1082 failed to return from Ops to Wilhelmshaven.
All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Kazimierz Czetowicz was born in Wilno (now Lithuania) in March 1910 and begun Polish military flying in 1929. Having served in Poland well before
the War he escaped and served in France before arriving in the UK. He was awarded the Polish Cross of Valour and Virtuti Militari and British DFC for
his service while with 304 Squadron. He was posted away from 304 Squadron in January 1943 and would survive the War settling in England; he changed
his name to Cunningham and died in London in January 1983.