Seredyn, Mieczyslaw

Date of birth:: October 4th, 1920 (Borek/ Powiat Gostyński, Poland)
Date of death:: June 17th, 1981 (Oleksow/Masovian, Poland)
Service number:: 783156
Nationality:: Polish

Biography

Seredyn Mieczyslaw was born on 4-10-1920 in the Polish city of Borek as the son of Wincenty and Marianna Seredyn. During the Second World War he was a Pilot Sergeant with the Polish 305 (Ziemi Wielkopolskiej) Squadron RAF. In 1942 he was awarded the DFM for courageous behavior and a successful emergency landing after a mission on 29-8-1942 to Saarbrucken.

On the night of 3 February 1943 his Vickers Wellington Mark IV, Z1392 SM-O was attacked by a German night fighter from Leeuwarden Air Base after taking off from RAF Hemswell for a mission to Hamburg. The aircraft crashed near Drogeham (Friesland). Mieczyslaw managed to save himself with his parachute but the other 4 crew members were killed and were buried in the local cemetery and later reburied in the Polish War Cemetery in Breda.

Mieczyslaw was seriously wounded in his arm. At the Nicolai family on the Boskwei he was treated by a doctor and later captured by the German occupier. After being nursed in the PoW/Hospital Holland/Amsterdam, he ended up in various POW camps from which he was liberated in 1945 and repatriated to England.

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Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Sergeant
Unit:: 305 Sqn RAF (Poolse Niebieska Eskadra)

"On the night of 28th August, 1942, Fl/Lt. Czolowski and Sgt. Seredyn were 1st and 2nd pilot respectively of a Wellington aircraft detailed to attack a target at Saarbrucken. When nearing the objective, flying at 18,000 feet, the Wellington was subjected to separate attacks by 2 fighters. The first attack was driven off leaving a trail of black smoke. During the second attack the rear gunner in the bomber was mortally wounded whilst the aircraft sustained severe damage and the fuselage filled with smoke from ignited incendiary bombs. Height had been lost to 5,000 feet and the undercarriage, bomb doors and flaps were hanging down and there were no lights. Flt Lt. Czolowski jettisoned his bombs and ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft. Sgt. Seredyn volunteered to
remain and after assisting others of the crew to abandon the aircraft succeeded in extinguishing the fires. Displaying superb airmanship Flight Lieutenant Czolowski continued the return journey and despite further difficulties which were encountered, returned to base where a crash landing was made successfully. Flt Lt. Czolowski and Sgt. Seredyn displayed courage and fortitude worthy of high praise".

Sources

- https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/m/?control=8&id=1776&title=mieczyslaw-seredyn - https://listakrzystka.pl/seredyn-mieczyslaw/