Syktus Maria Lewkowicz

Born:

21 December 1911, Kraków

Death:

06 June 1942, Slootdorp

Number:

P/783107

Rank:

leading aircrafman

Department:

Polish Air Force, 301 Polish Bomber Squadron

Cemetery:

Bergen op Zoom (war cemetery)

Section/row/number:

Plot XXXII Row B Coll Grave 6-8.

Earlier grave:

Begraafplaats Huisduinen, Den Helder

We have compiled the text below based on the website of the Stichting Herdenkingspalen Hollands Kroon. They took the initiative to erect a memorial post at the crash site. On 5 June 1942, the twin-engine Wellington MKIV (Z1467 GR-L) bomber took off at 23:36 from Hemswell airfield in England with a six-man Polish crew from the Polish 301 squadron, 301 Dywizjon Bombowy „Ziemi Pomorskiej”.

The bomber’s target was Essen. On the way there, it was intercepted by a German night fighter, flown by Oberleutnant Ludwig Becker of 6./NJG 2, and set on fire. The bomber continued to fly on fire and crashed at Molenweg 38, behind the farm of the J. Kuperus family. The entire crew lost their lives in the crash on 6 June 1942 at 01:21.

The flames from the wreckage spread to the farm, which burned down completely.

The crew were buried by the occupying forces in the then military cemetery of honour in Huisduinen (municipality of Den Helder). After the war they were reburied at the Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery.

The crew consisted of:

Flight lieutenant Franciszek Andrzej Witakowski (29-10-1899, Krabia p. Gostyń)
Corporal Zygmunt Nogaj (26-4-1914, Poznań)
Flight lieutenant Fideles Józef Łukasik (23-4-1905, Kraśnik)
Leading aircrafman Syktus Maria Lewkowicz (21-12-1911, Kraków)
Flying Officer Andrzej Kułakowski (19-8-1913, Kraków)
Corporal Jan Danik ( 12-11-1912, Łuniniec)