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| Date: | Friday 9 May 1941 |
| Time: | 00:48 LT |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington Mk IC |
| Owner/operator: | 305 (Ziemi Wielkopolskiej) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R1322 |
| MSN: | SM-F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | IJsselmeer 12 km SW of Lemmer, Friesland -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire |
| RAF Syerston, |
Mission:-Bremen. Took off from RAF Syerston at 2256 hrs. Shot down by a night-fighter (Ofw Hans Rasper, 4./NJG1) and crashed in the IJsselmeer, 12 km SW of Lemmer. Three bodies were later recovered and taken for burial in various Dutch Cemeteries; Plt Off Socharzki, Sgt Sikorski and Sgt Pisarski have no know graves.
Crew:-
Pilot : Sergeant Jan Piotr Dorman PAF P/780672 [Killed]
2nd Pilot : Sergeant Zdzislaw Gwozdz PAF P/780156 [Killed]
Navigator : Pilot Officer Maciej Wojciech Socharski PAF P/1440 [Killed]
Sergeant Ludwik Karcz PAF P/780732 [Killed]
Sergeant Stanislaw Pisarski PAF P/781063 [Killed]
Sergeant Henryk Franciszek Sikorski PAF P/780349 [Killed]
The complex recovery of Wellington R1322 was made by Leemans Speciaalwerken with Leemans aircraft recovery and Miniistry of Defence. Four 500 lbs bombs were found with a lot of wreckage, and most importantly the human remains of those Missing In Action during the most complex operation ever in Dutch history. In the middle of the waters of the IJsselmeer a huge cofferdam was created and drained. The Lancaster of battle of Brittan memorial flight did a flyby honouring the brave crew and the children of the local town involved in the recovery. A book is been written about this remarkable operation followed all over the world.
Sources:
1. https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T1023&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
2. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1941 Page 53.
3. https://youtu.be/K4NR4436B2g
4. http://leemansspeciaalwerken.nl
5. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Images:
Media:
Dutch started in IJsselmeer recovery of #RAF #Wellington bomber R1322 (with possibly remains of Polish missing crew) pic.twitter.com/VlyEQMK23q
— Frenkie (@Frenkie58) 25 August 2016
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 05-Apr-2016 20:11 | Red Dragon | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Feb-2017 18:23 | Leemans aircraft rec | Updated [Operator, Embed code, Photo, ] |
| 18-Apr-2017 23:21 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 04-Nov-2017 23:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 16-Feb-2018 18:27 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Destination airport, Embed code, ] |
| 07-May-2019 10:39 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Source, ] |
| 15-Jun-2022 17:31 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, ] |
| 07-May-2024 06:49 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 07-May-2024 07:05 | Rob Davis | Updated [Narrative, ] |
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