Entry 295 - Polish airmen.

This is a tribute to 7 Polish airmen who died when their Wellington Bomber crashed near Bradley, September 23rd 1943. It reads...

In memory of the Polish airmen who lost their lives here flying a Vickers Wellington XI HZ251 on September 23 1943.

F/SGT Wladyslaw Ostrowski age 27,
SGT Abram Kawenocki age 22,
F/LT Josef Wolnik age 31,
F/SGT Franciszek Ciaston age 27,
SGT Boleslaw Rychel age 21,
SGT Boleslaw J. Swieca age 28,
SGT Jan Czyzewski age 23,
The fallen.

They have passed through the stress and storm of mortal strife,
Through the gateways of the morning to a wider life,
Asking only this of us that we with faith and pride,
Remember in the after years the things for which they died,
Patience strong.

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The board next to the memorial said that the aircraft suffered a catastrophic wing and engine failure and that eye witnesses watched in horror as the wing and engine fell away.

I didn't even know this existed until my walk today down the canal.