WW2 Plane Crash
On 14 November 1943 at 16:56 hours, an RAF Mitchell II B25 bomber, number FV941 SM-D of the 305 (Polish) Squadron based at Swanton Morley, crashed in a field adjacent to Hall Lane, Colkirk.
The crew had been practicing formation flying with two other Mitchell bombers.
A North American B25 Mitchell, similar to the FV941
The aircraft was seen to make a steep banking turn, turn over and then spin into the ground from 1000 feet.
A witness said the aircraft cartwheeled across the ground, disintegrated and burst into flames.
Sadly, all the crew perished in the crash:
Flt. Sergeant Henryk Anglik, aged 28, pilot
Flying Officer Walery Stanislaw Fuchs, aged 24, navigator
Flt. Sergeant Marian Julian Andruszkow, aged 25, wireless operator
Sergeant Jan Twardowski, aged 21, gunner
The crew are all buried in the cemetery at Newark-on-Trent. Many Polish squadrons were based around Newark.
The cemetery has a special plot of RAF war graves including those of 397 Polish airmen to whom there is also a dedicated memorial.
May they rest in peace
Niech spoczywaja w pokuju