Flight Sergeant Janek Prochera F/Sgt Prochera was Polish
airman who made it to England via Romania and the Middle East after his
Squadron had been over run in 1939, he was an air gunner and he joined
156 Squadron in July 1943 after a tour with 100 Squadron. In both
squadrons his pilot was F/Lt McGrath.
F/Sgt Prochera
flew a total of 93 missions in all for Bomber
Command (plus 5 at the start of the war in Poland) and was awarded
Poland's highest award, the Virtuti Militari for the sheer volume of
missions flown
Ops prior to joining 156 Squadron:
100 Squadron
Aircraft - Lancaster, Pilot - F/L McGrath:
4/3/43 Mine Laying
- Bay of Biscay
7/3/43 NUREMBERG
- Good Trip
11/3/43 STUTTGART
- One motor and two turrets unserviceable.
26/3/43 DUISBERG
- Good Show
27/7/43 BERLIN
- Good Show
3/4/43 ESSEN
- Intense Flak and Searchlights
4/4/43 KIEL
- Circled for 20 mins. 10/10 Cloud. Intense Flak
9/4/43 DUISBERG
- Electrical fires during takeoff and bombing run
14/4/43 SPEZIA
- Diverted to Wing
18/4/43 SPEZIA
- Bombed at 7000 feet. Good Show
20/4/43 STETTIN
- Low Level, shot up ships, villages, & Searchlights. Coned over
target.
26/4/43 DUISBERG
- Good visibility. Target ablaze.
30/4/43 ESSEN
- 10/10 Cloud. Flak very accurate. 12/5/43
DUISBERG
- Did not Complete 13/5/43
BOCHUM
- Hit by Flak 23/5/43
DORTMUND - Heaviest raid to date 25/5/43
DUSSELDORF - Fires scattered
27/5/43 ESSEN
- Night Fighters very active 11/6/43
DUSSELDORF - Flak heavy, four holes. Gee burnt
out.
All of the material displayed on this page was donated by F/Sgt
Prochera's family. |