Apr 4
    The 1 Polish Wing was led by S/Ldr/F Szczesny. For 315 Squadron flew: S/Ldr Sawicz, F/Lt Lukaszewicz, F/Sgt Matus, F/O Panek, F/O Andersz, F/O Olszewski, Sgt Malec, Sgt Lewandowski, F/O Najbicz, F/O Tarkowski and Sgt Ostrowski.
Poles met B-17s over Rouen at 25K. Missing at the rendezvous point was four British Spitfire Wings. Even as the Wing was taking its assigned position, several single Fw-190s were nibbling at the edges of American formation. During squadron maneuvering two 315's Spitfires were shot down by AAA; those of F/Lt Lukaszewicz and F/O Panek. Both pilots were killed. Soon after that, F/O Andersz caught one Fw-190, which was trying to stalk one the lagging Fortresses. F/O Andersz promptly sent the e/a down, while its pilot bailed out. Around that time the flak hit Sgt Ostrowski’s a/c. His Spitfire crashed killing the pilot.
    Ten miles NE of Rouen few different Staffel of Fw-190s showed up, looking for easy pickings. They were chased away, while S/Ldr Sawicz and Sgt Matus damaged 1 Fw-190 each.
    S/Ldr/F Szczesny did not come back to Northolt and became MIA. It was not known at that time that he bounced one Fw-190 and began to turn with its wingman. Somehow they managed to collide with each other. Szczesny jumped out, landed near the small French village where German soldiers surrounded him. He ended up in the notorious Stalag Luft III.
This proved to be a very difficult day for 315 Squadron, which lost three of its pilots in that sortie.

Pictures taken from a gun-camera. German pilot bailing out from Fw-190. His crate caught fire which is visible right where the starboard wing joins the fuselage. Source: ADN-Zentralbild, Berlin.

Northolt. Early 1943. F/O Sworniowski (left) and F/O Panek.

Couertesy of Robert Gretzyngier.

Around that time "Gaby" Gabreski, future top scoring American in European theatre, was still flying with 315 squadron. He recalled:
    "Mümler assigned me to 315 Squadron, whose pilots I had met at the Embassy Club. My squadron commander would be S/Ldr Tadeusz Sawicz, but I was placed in the special care of one of his flight commanders, F/Lt Tadeusz Andersz. It was from these two men that I would learn my most valuable lessons about air combat.
    From that very first day, I had a warm relationship with the men of 315 Squadron, especially Tadek Andersz. He was a slender, handsome man a few years older than I was, product of a well-to-do family whom he had been forced to leave behind when he fled Poland. I met all the pilots and ground crew members, and since I could speak their language they were all very cordial."

Left: Gabreski climbing out of PK a/c.