1945 Unaccounted Airmen Reconciliation Thread

**Jagan** · 5th August 2020, 15:40

This is the 1945 Thread. Compared to the previous years which are usually around 94-95% accounted for, This one is only 86.49% accounted for..

There are 13727 airmen/women recorded in CWGC for 1945

11873 (86.49%) are accounted for with some details on circumstance of death
1854 (13.51%) are unaccounted with no cause of death.

End of Europe Fighting: Between 1st Jan and 31st May.. there are 846 Unaccounted out of 10018 .. thats about 8.5%..
End of FE Fighting: Between 1st June and 31st August .. there are 476 Unaccounted out of 2023 .. thats about 23%..
Rest of the Year: Between 1st Sept and 31st Dec .. there are 517 Unaccounted out of 1637 .. thats about 31.5%..

The month wise distribution of Unaccounted:

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

1945

Some Unaccounted Queries by Region:

Region	Total Casualties	Unaccounted
Europe	8572	1073 (12.52%)
SEAC	2287	429 (18.76%)
Mediterranean	931	141 (15.15%)
Africa - North	358	99 (27.65%)
Africa	296	55 (18.58%)
Middle East	45	34 (75.56%)
Americas	459	15 (3.27%)
Pacific	779	8 (1.03%)

Top Countries

Region	Total Casualties	Unaccounted
United Kingdom	4755	876 (18.42%)
India	492	268 (54.47%)
Italy	544	99 (18.20%)
Germany	2463	88 (3.57%)
Egypt	272	75 (27.57%)
Myanmar	260	44 (16.92%)
Singapore	788	39 (4.95%)

Top Forces

Force	Total Casualties	Unaccounted
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve	7967	1288 (16.17%)
Royal Air Force	848	226 (26.65%)
Royal Indian Air Force	203	146 (71.92%)
Women's Auxiliary Air Force	143	87 (60.84%)
Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force)	46	26 (56.52%)
R.A.F. Iraq Levies	23	20 (86.96%)
Polish Air Force	117	17 (14.53%)

Runnymede returns 8 records Unaccounted
Singapore returns 33 records unaccounted

**wwrsimon** · 6th August 2020, 10:32

I can take a look at the Polish casualties over the weekend if that's helpful.

Regards

Simon

**CZ_RAF** · 6th August 2020, 17:30

Ok Simon, I will leave Polish with you.

Pavel

**wwrsimon** · 8th August 2020, 13:56

Hello again

Here are the Polish casualties with details from the Polish Heritage Society:

Szeregowiec Stanislaw DYSZKANT (P/706211) - he died at Ely Hospital, no further details.

Plutonowy Zygmunt WITCZAK (P/703230) - died of natural causes at Blackpool.

Porucznik Edward PRYKIEL (P/1616) - lost in Dakota KN298.

See also: http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=KN298

Kapitan Stanislaw SADOWSKI (P/0121) - killed in Oxford NM420, crashed at Newton after suffering engine failure.

Szeregowiec Mieczyslaw CHURCHAL (P/706446) - no details.

Kapral Jan BIESCHKE (P/707554) - killed by the blast from a German grenade. Surname Bojenski, also known as Bieschke.

Kapral Wladyslaw SYMONOWICZ (P/782959) - killed in a road accident while riding a bicycle near Padstow.

Plutonowy Jozef GRUSZKA [Service No 783779] - no details on the PHS, but the National Probate Calendar records that he died at the Polish Hospital, Gallowhill, Morpeth.

Szeregowiec Zdzislaw KUZNICKI (P/708992) - based at Gatwick Hall, drowned while swimming.

Kapral Karol STROMINSKI (P/703666) - no details, but records his service number as 703556.

Kapitan Jan WINIAREK (P/0650) - killed in Oxford MM862, crashed at Kinoulton, Notts, after engine failure. The student S. Wojtecki survived.
Winiarek had previously survived being shot down in Wellington LN393 of 300 Sqn, being made a P.o.W., and after returning from captivity he became an instuctor at 16 (P) A.F.S.

Kapral Jan OWSINSKI (P/783004) - died at a military hospital (presumably the Polish Hospital at Gallowhill, Morpeth?).

Chorazy Hilary POZDZAL (P/703531) - died of natural causes. Death registered Welton, Lincs.

Kapral Maksymilian PIORUN (P/793059) - died at the Paderewski Hospital, Edinburgh.

Starszy Sierzant Edward Ryszard DUSZA (P/784882) - no details.

Starszy Sierzant Stefan WANICKI (P/784386) - died at Derby Hospital.

Sierzant Bronislaw KALINOWSKI (P/782545) - died of natural causes. His death was reported in the Nottingham Journal of December 29th 1945:

Newton Airman's sudden death
Just as he showed friends at Newton aerodrome a pair of gloves he had bought himself for Christmas, Sgt. Bruno Kalinoswki (43), a Pole serving with the R.A.F., dropped dead. Kalinowski, who had been stationed at Newton for four years, had told one of his many friends in Nottingham only an hour before his death, "I am so happy. I have just sent Christmas cards to all my friends."

Regards

Simon

**davew** · 14th August 2020, 11:14

Simon

Re Winiarek, the serial should read HM862, as you say an Oxford. I see the database has Beaufighter MM862.

regards

DaveW

**wwrsimon** · 14th August 2020, 11:47

Thanks Dave, it is indeed HM862. It's mis-recorded as MM862 by the PHS.

From the AB Oxford, Consul and Envoy File:

HM862 - 16 PFTS 3.10.43; spun into ground at Kinoulton Gorse, Notts, 6.9.45

Regards

Simon

**yeoldbarn** · 14th August 2020, 14:42

Leading Aircraftwoman Ruth Elizabeth Irving (2005287)
Died 26th February 1945, age 24, due to Tuberculosis and Meningitis at the East Suffolk & Ipswich Hospital
Was in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

**malcolm_raf** · 14th August 2020, 15:47

Hi

Irving - her death is shown as 16 Feb on CWGC

Malcolm

**yeoldbarn** · 14th August 2020, 16:14

Thanks for pointing that out, that was a typo! 16th as Malcolm says.

**yeoldbarn** · 4th January 2021, 08:07

Not a full entry but a clue for further research that could be undertaken by another member. I'm presuming it was a flying accident or failed/crash landing?

Sergeant Edward Terence Pettitt (1584242) - PILOT

Staffordshire Sentinel reports that he died on 21st June at Witney, Oxfordshire.

Note* Newspaper reports his death on the 21st but his alma mater's memorial board and RAFCommands database logs it as the 22nd, so I think it is a typo from the newspaper.