Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 6007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 401

A Scarce 1944 Bomber Command ´Special Duties´ D.F.M. Group of Six to Halifax, Flight Engineer, Flight Sergeant, Later Warrant Officer E. Szczerba, No. 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, Polish Air Force, Attached Royal Air Force; For His Courage and Skill During 56 Special Duty Operational Sorties, Many of these were Dangerous Clandestine Affairs to Poland which Included Six to Occupied Warsaw to Supply the Underground Forces Distinguished Flying Medal G.VI.R., 1st ´Ind: Imp:´ type (782592. F/Sgt. E. Szczerba.); 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Poland, Cross of Valour, nearly extremely fine, together with Virtuti Militari, 5th Class, to which he is entitled (7) Estimate £ 1,800-2,200 D.F.M. Approved 16.11.1944. 782592 Flight Sergeant Emil Szczerba 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, jointly listed with 784107 Warrant Officer H. Jastrezebski and 704326 Flight Sergeant T. Ruman. Flight Sergeant Szczerba´s Recommendation states: ´As flight engineer this airman has completed many sorties against the enemy, during which he has displayed courage, skill, and fortitude of a high standard. On one occasion whilst participating in a mission to Warsaw, intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire was encountered; the aircraft was held in searchlights and sustained extensive damage. Despite this, the mission was continued and completed successfully. On this return flight further anti-aircraft fire was encountered. Nevertheless the aircraft was flown safely back to base. This airman has participated in six missions to Warsaw.´ Warrant Officer Emil Szczerba, D.F.M., born Drohobycz, Poland, 27.11.1911; enlisted Polish Air Force, 5.8.1940 and served in England from 12.10.1940; Flight Engineer 28.4.1943; posted 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, Newmarket (Halifaxes) and flew fifty-six Special Duty Operational Sorties with the squadron over Poland, Yugoslavia and Italy, ´The squadron´s Second World War activities began in 1941 after the formation of the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.)-an organisation whose function was to promote sabotage against the enemy by stimulating subversive activities, spreading political discontent, disorganising and dislocating communications. The agents, ammunition and equipment to achieve this were dropped inside enemy territory....... Very quickly the task grew too big for a solitary flight... Thus it was that in August, 1941, No. 138 Squadron was re-formed at Newmarket from the nucleus of No. 1419 Flight to do the job; it was now designated No. 138 (Special Duties) Squadron...... For more than three and half years the squadron ranged Europe from Norway in the North to Yugoslavia in the south and at times far into Poland.....it flew out of Newmarket, Stradishall and Tempsford with agents, arms, explosives, radio sets and all the other equipment of the saboteur, parachuting them down at rendezvous points where reception committees of local underground members waited.´ (Bomber Squadrons of the R.A.F., refers). These Special Operations also included supplying the underground in occupied Warsaw, ´On his own initiative, Churchill then authorised the Special Services of the R.A.F. to try and keep Warsaw supplied whatever the risk. Very few aircraft were available at that time, as by and large the whole of Transport Command was fully occupied keeping the Allied Armies supplied in their dash for the Rhine. The units that did try lost 86 percent of their planes in six nights and Air-Marshal Slessor regretfully had to put a stop to these suicide trips. The only units that were able to go on were the Polish Special Duties units and also two South African squadrons in the Middle East, who enjoyed a relatively independent status. It was appalling. In two months 138 Special Duties Squadron (Polish) lost sixty-five officers and one hundred and sixty-nine other ranks, i.e. thirty-two crews and planes. These incredible losses were sustained over twenty-three nights and represented 90 per cent of the aircraft sent´ (Flames in the Sky, Pierre Clostermann, D.F.C., refers); awarded Virtuti Militari, 5th Class, 1944; Warrant Officer 20.5.1945; enlisted Polish Resettlement Corps (R.A.F.) 8.1.1947; Flight Sergeant Szczerba was discharged 8.1.1949.

Sold for
£4,200