Ranoszek, Gerard

Gerard Karol Ranoszek

Lieutenant Colonel, Wing Commander
(RAF No. P-0663)


* 04. 11. 1911 Wierzebie
+ 17. 07. 1992 JAR


One of the most successful Polish night fighters, after graduating from high school he enrolled at Gdansk Polytechnic. He also underwent flight training at the Air Force Reserve Officers' School and in 1935 became a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve.


In 1939 he was mobilized and evacuated prototypes of Polish aircraft. Via Slovakia and Hungary he reached France, where he began retraining for French fighters, but did not take part in combat.


After the defeat of France, he moved to the UK via North Africa. He retrained as a Hurricane fighter and in December 1940 was assigned to the 32nd Squadron. Polish squadron, but he also flew combat missions, and during a patrol on the night of 10-11 May he was credited with damaging an enemy bomber.


Perhaps because of this, he decided to pursue a career as a night fighter, and at his own request was transferred to 307. Polish Night Fighter Squadron at Exeter on 7 February 1942, armed with Beaufighter aircraft. From July 1942, he served as B Squadron Commander and, after the death of W/Cdr Michałowski, as temporary Squadron Commander. During his tour he added three certain kills of German bombers to his score.


First, he and his radar operator Sgt Jerzy Trzaskowski scored damage to Do 217 (26 June).


They were far more successful on the night of August 4-5. They were first listed on an enemy aircraft, which they identified as a Ju 88. After a short gun burst, the German machine, designated M2+CL by the 3rd/KüFlGr 106, crashed in flames into the sea. Just 10 minutes later, they encountered another bomber - again a Ju 88 A-4 from the same unit as the previous opponent, this time coded M2+HL. The engagement was uneventful, with the German machine exploding while still in the air and its wreckage landing near Molescombe Farm near Frogmore in Kingsbridge County.


S/Ldr Ranoszek scored his last success on the night of 24-25 September. Together with radar operator F/Lt Stanislaw Sawczynski, they crashed a Do 217 bomber into the sea after a long fight and landed with great luck at their base, as oil leaking from the opponent's engine had hit their cockpit and made forward vision completely impossible.


He retired on 28 May 1943 and became a liaison officer with the 10th and later 12th Group Fighter Air Force.


He returned to combat flying a year later, again with the 307th, this time as its commander. He was the first Polish reserve officer to become a squadron commander. He was at its head until December 1944, but he did not improve his record. After graduating from the War College, he served in staff positions.


After demobilization, he chose to live in South Africa, where he also died. His ashes are now interred at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.


He was awarded, among other things, the Virtuti Militari V. Class No. 09682, four times Krzyz Walecznych and the British DFC.

Source:
http://www.polishairforce.pl/ranoszek.html
Gretzyngier, Robert: 307. dywizjon myśliwski nocny, Bellona, Warsaw 2005, ISBN 83-11-10112-4
J.B.Cynk - Polskie Sily Powietrzne 1939-1945, AJ-Press 2001, ISBN 83-7237-089-3

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Gerard Ranoszek - vítězství





zdroj:
http://www.polishairforce.pl/ranoszek.html
Gretzyngier, Robert: 307. dywizjon myśliwski nocny, Bellona, Warszawa 2005, ISBN 83-11-10112-4
J.B.Cynk - Polskie Sily Powietrzne 1939-1945, AJ-Press 2001, ISBN 83-7237-089-3

Štítek na kolumbáriu s urnou ppłk. Ranoszka na Vojenském hřbitově Powązki ve Varšavě.

Fotografie z roku 1992





Zdroj: http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/ranosz/ranosz.htm