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Memorial for:
Pilot - Flight Lieutenant Jan Gebicki
Rear Gunner - Sergeant Edward Morawa
Wireless Operator - Sergeant Tadeusz Egierski
Memorial site location marks the spot
The 'Fairey Battle' was an elegant looking, single engine, monoplane designed in 1937 as a bomber.
It turned out that appearances didn't count for much in actual combat. It was too big for its single
Merlin engine,it wasn't fast enough, or armed well enough and the Luftwaffe shot it down easily.
The 'Battle' was found to be woefully vulnerable. The concept of this single-engined light bomber was
outdated. After 1940 it was used only as a pilot trainer and target tug. In total 2419 were built.
A 'Fairey Battle' Aircraft like the one used in the bombing raid
There is a memorial situated in Watchwood Plantation, Calverton that commemmorates the deaths of three
Polish airmen who crashed there.
Polish Cross Memorial
On the 13th of October 1940 a Polish Air Crew(of number 300 Mosovian Squadron), who were fighting for
the allies, was returning to their UK base, at RAF Swinderby. After a successful bombing raid, their stricken
'Fairey Battle' aeroplane came down in Calverton, tragically killing the three men instantly.
The cross is tendered and cared for by members of the Calverton & District Royal British Legion.
A yearly homage takes place the day before Rememberance Sunday. Representatives from the Polish community
usually come to pay their tributes. The names of the Airmen are also listed on a memorial at St. Wilfrids Church.
Special thanks to Vera & Wilf Dovey & James Tatters for their help with this page
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The men are buried in Wilford Hill cemetery, Nottinghamshire
The quiet corner of Wilford Hill cemetery devoted to war graves
The graves can easily be found by their distinctive pointed shape
In 1995 the Calverton branch of the Royal British Legion gave the original Memorial a makeover,
the results of which are below
Before the restoration
After the restoration
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