Nadaje się dla dzieci / Kid Friendly	Niepełnosprawni - niestety nie / No Wheelchair Access
Można zabrać psa / Dogs Allowed	Można pojechać rowerem / Bicycles permitted on paths
Miejsce historyczne / Historic Site

A small monument is erected on a hill in the forest where in the night of 14/15 September 1944 Liberator KG 939 "A-Able" of 31st South African Air Force Bomber Squadron flying on supply dropping operations for the Warsaw uprising was hit and shot down by the gunners of German Flakregiment 80.

Cpt Jack van Eyssen's crew set off from Brindisi, Italy on Sept 14th, 19:30. They got through a storm over Tatra mountains and approached Warsaw on Sept 15th at around 01:00 am. They had to fly low, at insane 200 meters, without dodging the antiaircraft fire. They had to slow down, trying to figure out where the drop zone was, which was almost a hopeless task over the city engulfed in smoke, and presented an ideal target for the German AA gunners. Flying that low they were a sitting duck even for the light MGs which opened up on them, too. After approaching the Krasinski Square (their designated target) they dropped the supplies and tried to get away in the SE direction over Vistula river. The plane was on fire, with just one engine still working, the other three shot to pieces and burning. The plane became unmanageable, the interior was on fire, too, and van Eyssen ordered his men to bail out.
Sgt Herbert Hudson (RAF) and Sgt Leslie Mayes (RAF) were killed while still in the air, probably by AA fire. 2 nd Lt Robert George Hamilton (SAAF) was found on the ground with his opened parachute nearby. It opened too late. The rest of the crew survived.

The "Warsaw Concerto" supply mission cost the Allies the loss of 36 aircraft and 261 crewmen from Poland, South Africa, England, Canada and the USA, a staggering 16,8% ratio, the highest for any Allied air operation, worse even than the ill fated Nurnberg bombing raid by RAF where losses reached 11,8%. Those missions required the highest possible skill and incredible courage (imagine flying 3.000 km over occupied Europe, then keeping the 30 tons monster on its course, blinded by smoke of the burning city, flying slowly just above the rooftops with all the guns trained on you). Except for the Polish crewmen most, if not all, of the Allied airmen of SAAF, RAF and USAAF risked their lives to help the ally they had never known in a country they had never seen. We remember them.

To find the cache go to the back of the monument, behind a small metal fence surrounding the area. Take 50 steps and you will reach some birch trees. Look for three of them growing close together.

IN: lots of gadgets + brand new Geolutin

Musisz być zalogowany, aby zobaczyć dodatkowe informacje.