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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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303 Squadron Crest
303 Squadron Spitfire LF.Vb EN836 RF-T Fl/Sgt. Zenon S.T. Bartkowiak

Operation: Ramrod 909

Date: 22nd May 1944 (Monday)

Unit: No. 303 (Polish) Squadron 

Type: Spitfire LF.Vb

Serial: EN836

Code: RF-T

Base: RAF Horne, Surrey

Location: Camblain Chatelain, France

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Zenon Stefan Teofil Bartkowiak 781307 PAF Age 23. Evaded

Page of remembrance prepared with the help of his son, Jan Bartkowiak - March 2015

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off during the early evening from the advanced landing ground at RAF Horne in Surrey on Ramrod 909 operation (escorting bombers) 11 aircraft from 303, 12 from 130, together with 13 from the Canadian 402 Squadrons.

As they approached the target his Spitfire was hit by the intense ack-ack fire and he was forced to bale out. The full story of this, his early and later years can be read by following the link as shown below.

Above, RAF Northolt late 1943 L-R: Jenik, Majewski, Bartkowiak, Gorzenski and unknown (courtesy Jan Bartkowiak)



Left, the full story of Fl/Sgt. Bartkowiak - click on book cover or here.

Burial details:

None, Fl/Sgt. Bartkowiak evaded capture and rejoined his unit within months. Born on Monday 21st November 1921 in Pleszew, Poland. Died in France, 7th February 2002, age 81, in Auchel, France where he and his wife lived - for more, read his story.

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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