M Plt Julian Malenczuk
 

So I was enjoying Founder's day Dinner at an Oxford college when a young woman sitting opposite me overheard some aviation related conversation and asked "Do you know anything about the Canberra?" SWMBO's eyes glazed over and off we went. Transpired that the grandfather of the young lady had been the late M Plt Julian Malenczuk, who had apparently been killed near Snowden she thought in a Canberra crash. I have discovered it was not in a Canberra but in an Anson, VM407. However, my enquirer was pretty convinced that her Grandfather was involved with the Canberra, so does anyone have any information on this aspect; however, with his date of death being 11 August 1952, it seems unlikely.


He was awarded an AFC in the New Years Honours 1952, any idea where I could find the citation?

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=28386




"At Cirencester Cemetery are located 87 graves of soldiers: 25 of the First World War and 55 from the years 1939-1945. Seven of them are the graves of Polish, which lies six airmen and one unknown soldier.

The cemetery is the grave of MPlt (Master Pilot - stage crew Officer Warrant equivalent force in the RAF after the war) Maleńczuk Julian, a former Polish Air Force pilot who joined the Royal Air Force. On August 12, 1952, the plane took off at Anson XIX (VM407) RAF Aldergrove base in Northern Ireland to fly to an RAF base at Llandow in Wales. Because of bad weather, low cloud and fog, the crew got lost and crashed into the highest mountain in Wales - Snowdon.

Three crew on board killed: one Polish (as above) and two British: F/Sgt J. Tracey and F/Sgt W. Elliott. "




My father was detailed to guard the wreck.

radar101

- More info in this contemporary press cutting.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...psgjgu9a3z.jpg

Thanks, WT, had seen that or report similar in content. When we get rid of gite guests at the end of the summer I shall return to the fray.


Do you recall which newspaper that report came from

The London Times

Announcement of Malenczuk's AFC award was, as ever, in the London Gazette: www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39421/supplement/34

AFAIK the Gazette doesn't publish citations for AFCs, only for "top" medals such as VC or DSO. You can get someone's service record from the MOD, and that might include medal citations: www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records. If the applicant is next of kin (which maybe your contact is) it's free and she may get more information.

OL - thanks for your interest. Have passed that on a while back and AFAIK she has applied and is waiting


Cheers W