Ciapek was the Airedale Terrier mascot of the Polish 305 bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force, formed in Bramcote, Warwickshire in August of 1940.
Ciapek flew in Wellington bombers, listed on the manifest as "passenger." He flew on 9 raids before his plane went down in the North Sea. The dog was presumed lost, but the Bomber Command reported he was found, months later, wandering in the countryside with his collar and 9 little wooden bomber tags still on -- one for each of his past successful missions. Ciapek was reunited with the 305 Squadron, and remained with it long after, though he did not fly again.
2 comments:
Lovely story.
My father was stationed at various RAF bases in the 2WW and assisted in training other Polish staff to operate radio transmission in the bombers. Many were killed in action. After the war, contrary to what is often said, the vast majority were sent back to a devastated country whose borders were moved a hundred miles west.
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