Polskie Siły Powietrzne w II wojnie światowej

23 czerwca 1941 r. - ppor. Bolesław Gładych (303 Dywizjon)

Poniższy tekst to meldunek ppor. Bolesława Gładycha (wówczas pilota 303 Dywizjonu Myśliwskiego im. Tadeusza Kościuszki) z walki w dniu 23 czerwca 1941 r. Z lotu tego sporządzone zostały dwa meldunki, spisane z ust rannego pilota przebywającego w szpitalu. Oto pierwszy meldunek:

P/O GLADYCH (Polish)

COMBAT REPORT

Sector Serial No. ... (A)

Serial No. of Order detailing or Squadron to Patrol ... (B)

Date ... (C) ... 23/6/41.

Flight, Squadron ... (D) ... Flight Sqdn 303

Type of Enemy Aircraft ... (E) ... 22

Number of Enemy Aircraft ... (F) ... Me.109's

Time Attack was delivered ... (G) ... 2030

Place Attack was delivered ... (H) ... Nr Desvres (France)

Height of Enemy ... (J) ... 12,000 ft

Enemy Casualties Aircraft ... (K) ... 3 Me.109 destroyed.

Our Casualties Personnel ... (L) ... P/O Gladych wounded.

Aircraft ... (M) ... 1 Spitfire Cat. 3.

Searchlights ... (N)

(did they illuminate Enemy) ... (i)

Did shell bursts assist pilot in interceptint enemy ... (ii)

If not, were they in front or behind ... (O)

GENERAL REPORT:

Near Desvres an Me.109 attacked me, but I made a very sharp turn - got in behind him and fired three short burst cannon and machine gun from 150 yds.

At the third burst the Me.109 broke up into pieces. I then rejoined the Squadron just in time to see an Me.109 about to attack them. I got on his tail and fired two short bursts from 200/150 yds. The e/a turned and started to dog fight. He then broke away and I was able to got in a final burst from 100 yds which caused him to burst into flames - five or six miles from Gravelines.

I then located the Squadron over the Channel and set out to join up with them, but another Me.109 started to dog fight and as I did not know whether I had any more ammunition or not I called for help - No help came, and I thought it was the end. After dog fighting for four or five minutes I became desperate and turned sharply inside the Me.109 and rammed its tail. I broke off the whole of its tail unit with my airscrew. A piece of the e/a hit me in the face and I could not see for blood. I remember seing Manston and then no more until I woke up in Hospital.

Signature P/O Gladych is in Hospital and cannot sighn this report

O.C. Section Flight Squadron Squadron No. /–/


Oto drugi (poprawiony) meldunek:

PERSONAL COMBAT REPORT.

P/O Gladych (Polish)

(C) DATE ... 23/6/41.

(D) SQUADRON ... 303 (Polish)

(E) NO. OF E/A ... several

(F) TYPE OF E/A ... Me.109

(G) TIME OF ATTACK ... about 2040 hours

(H) PLACE OF ATTACK ... between Desvres and French Coast

(J) HEIGHT OF ENEMY ... 10/15,000 ft.

(K) ENEMY CASUALTIES ... 2 Me.109's destroyed

(L) OUR CASUALTIES, a/c ... 1 Spitfire 11B cat. 3

(M) " " personnel ... P/O Gladych injured.

GENERAL REPORT

I was returning in the 1st section of four of 303 (Polish) Sqdn. after an attack on Desvres aerodrome when I heard a warning on the R/T that Me.109's were about to attack us from astern. Looking behind me I spotted an Me.109 chasing a Spitfire and turned. I was able to engage the E/A and then it dived I followed ad on pulling out was dead astern of the German. At 50 yards I fired a short burst whereupon the E/A half-rolled and dived down in flames. I then found I was above and although hearing my Squadron/Leader instructing us to return home I could not see our aircraft. Approaching the Coast I noticed 2 Me.109's 3,000 ft. above, one of which dived towards me. I swung away letting him pass me and then followed him but after we had both pulled out and I was about to attack, the second E/A was on my tail. I turned and a dog-fight developed but another Me.109 joined in. I circled, at times going into tight turns and by this manner tried to reach the Coast. I then observed 8/10 Me.109's circling above me which then took turns to dive at me, most of them firing. My engine was giving trouble and had probably been hit and I could not turn easily. In addition I was beginning to feel very tired.

Suddenly one E/A dived as though to attac an aircraft below me and I adopted the same tactics as before by following him down and pulling out behind him. My guns could, however, not fire. I had got quite close to the E/A by then, when he suddenly half-rolled and my aircraft struck the Me.109, cutting off its tail unit. My cockpit cover was open and a piece of the E/A flew in and cut across my right eye. The stream of blood blinded me but I know I was still over France at 14,000 ft. With an erratic engine I managed to cross the Channel and after informing Operations of my difficulties I intended to land at Manston. I was, however, practically unconscious by this time and cannot recollect anything further unitl I woke up in hospital.

Signature /-/

303 (Polish) Sqdn.

Intelligence Officer's Note

P/O Gladych crash-landed in a field near Manston after his aircraft had hit a telegraph pole, the engine being torn from the aircraft which became a total wreck. The pilot has only recently been released from hospital where he was treated for had cuts on his face, a fractured skull, and a fractured collar bone.

Signature /-/

Intelligence Officer, 303 (Polish) Sqdn.