Date: 1941 Dec 28/29			A/C Type: Wellington IC		SN: T2553		Code: KX-B		A/C Nickname:
File: 478		Airforce: RAF		Sqn/Unit: 311 Sqn (Czech)			Mission/Raid: Wilhemshaven
1	Pilot	Sgt. Alois Siska                POW					9
2	CP/Obs	Sgt. Josef Tomanek    died 2 Jan 1942 on sea - MIA					10
3	Fl Eng/AG	F/O Josef Mohr           died 2 Jan 1942 on sea					11
4	WO/AG	F/O Josef Scerba            POW					12
5	WO/AG	Sgt. Pavel Svoboda        POW					13
6	Rear gunner	Sgt. Rudolf Skalicky     downed with A/C - MIA					14
7							15
8							16
Emergency landing on North Sea. Three survivors, barely alive, came ashore in a dinghy on Petten beach.

Rear gunner Rudolf Skalicky drowned when the aircraft sunk and is MIA since then.

The others stepped with 5 men in the dinghy. End December in a rubber boat on the freezing cold North Sea is not a pleasant situation. After 4 nights and days, Sgt. Mohr died of exposure and his body had to be set overboard. He washed ashore on the North-Holland coast and was buried in Bergen aan-Zee. Sgt. Tomanek also died, was also set overboard, never found back. He can be buried as unknown RAF Sgt. 1942, probably with normal CWGC-headstone, from Bergen-aan-Zee up to the Danish west coast.

For the remaining 3 men in the dinghy, it was a struggle for life. They barely made it to Petten beach and were taken to hospital. For the crew of T2553 a commemoration monument was erected on the location where they came ashore, see below.



Sources: 

- Website Czech consulate.
- Website CWGC
- Newspaper articles



  © ZZairwar (Zuyder Zee Air War)


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