France 1940 Mission 15 Defensive Patrol Saint Raphael 13/06/1940
On 9 June 1940 the German vanguard was approaching Paris from the west and the Wehrmacht had launched another offensive across the Aisne River. The following day the French Government declared Paris an open city. But on the morning of 11 June 1940 worse news was received with Italy declaring war on Britain and France! Later that day as the wireless news services reported Italy's opportunistic aggression and US President Franklin D Roosevelt's comment which captured the mood of all those who were fighting to defend the French Republic - "the hand that held the dagger has struck it into the back of its neighbour."
That evening GCII/7 receives orders to deploy to southern France to counter any Italian offensive. The following day the Patrouille Polonaise leaves Meaux-Esbly to re-join the rest of the GCII/7 at Avelanges. Two days later the entire Groupe de Chasse moves further south to Chissey airfield. On the morning of 13 June 1940 GCII/7 is ready for battle, just in time to counter the first determined Regia Aeronautica attack on mainland France.
Three Dewoitines of the GCII/7 Patrouille Polonaise piloted by Lt. Władysław Gnyś (Red 3), Lt. Tadeusz Kowalewski (White 6) and Adj. Władysław Chciuk (Red 5) take off to patrol the frontier shortly after dawn.
As the Polish flight approaches the town of St Raphael.....
..... they spot two flights of Italian Fiat CR.42 'Falco' biplane fighters approaching from the east. Despite being outnumbered two to one the Poles immediately move to intercept the Regia Aeronautica formation.
Two of the Polish players Wayne (forum member whisky sierra) and Paul consider their options. They were dismissive of the Italian biplanes ..... at least at first
As Lieutenants Gnyś and Kowalewski take on one flight the third Polish pilot Adj. Chciuk breaks formation to attack the other (player Rod cementing his table nickname "Lone Wolf" )
The Italians turn into Chciuk's attack, opening fire on the D.520. In the exchange of fire 12.7mm and 7.7mm rounds strike Chciuk's aircraft holing his fuel tank leaving the machine trailing a thin stream of vapour.
The opposing forces pass each other, Gnyś and Kowalewski too high to engage the enemy. As the Italian flights come together however two of the Falcos clip each other.
The Polish flight reverse course as the nimble Italian fighters also turn towards their enemy.
In the next pass it is Lt. Gnyś on the receiving end of a fusillade of fire from the Italians .....
..... followed by Lt. Kowalewski as a trio of Falcos pull up and start shooting on his six o'clock.
Despite the early damage taken by Adjutant Władysław Chciuk he stays in the fight, his aircraft ceasing to smoke as his main fuel tank runs dry. At that moment however it is Władysław Gnyś who's aircraft takes further hits and begins to smoke.
With Kowalewski and Gnyś struggling to control badly damaged machines, both pilots decide to break off and head for home.
Chciuk really is a 'lone wolf' now, having split S to get back into the fight.
Despite the heavy damage taken by his aircraft, Lt. Kowalewski tries to evade the Italian flight using his D.520's superior speed. The three Falcos of the 75 Squadriglia, 23o Gruppo continue to give chase.
His flight commander Lt. Gnyś also breaks off, his fighter still trailing smoke.
Adj. Chciuk's persistence pays off as he finally brings down one of the Regia Aeronautica fighters with a well timed deflection burst. The pilot sergente Raffaele Marzocca bails out safely and floats to earth, to be made a prisoner of war by French troops. The Fiat biplane is Władysław Chciuk's fifth victory, making him the first Polish ace of the campaign.
Chciuk and his remaining Italian adversaries again separate ......
..... before the Polish pilot performs an Immelmann to make a head on pass.
Opening fire at close range as they fly by each other at almost 600kph, Chciuk scores a number of hits on a Falco with his machines guns and cannon.
Reversing again he opens fire at long range. He shoots well, his tracer rounds penetrating the CR.42's fuel tank and igniting the vapours.
The stricken Fiat which had already taken heavy damage is consumed by flames in the air. The pilot tenente Lorenzo Viale burns with his aircraft, paying the supreme sacrifice.
Adj. Chciuk has no time to celebrate his sixth victory and second for the day as a burst from another CR.42 flown by Tte. Mario Benedetti of the 74 Squadriglia, 23o Gruppo peppers the D.520, causing flames to spew from the engine compartment.
Chciuk wastes no time in bailing out of his burning fighter, suffering only burns to his hands and arms as he pulls back the canopy and jumps into the void.
Now alone in the sky with both his wingmen down and the last enemy defeated, Tte. Benedetti turns for home.
Both Lieutenants Władysław Gnyś and Tadeusz Kowalewski manage to nurse their badly shot up D.520's back to Chissey, bringing with them a new found respect for the 'antiquated' Italian biplane fighters. Kowalewski's 'White 6' is deemed a write off and scrapped for parts while 'Red 3' will be out of action for two weeks. That afternoon after receiving treatment for his burns Adjutant Władysław Chciuk also makes it back to Chissey, where his arrival and survival is met with no little celebration. Not only is he the first Polish pilot to make 'ace', but he is also the first to score a double kill in one sortie.
The following morning his arms still wrapped in bandages Adj. Chciuk is decorated with the French Croix de Guerre by the GCII/7 commander Cdt. Durieux. Later that day he receives a second honour - the Polish Cross of Valour (Krzyz Walecznych) - from Poland's Prime Minister in Exile and Free Polish Forces commander in chief General Władysław Sikorski. The General spoke to all the Polish pilots and ground crew of GCII/7 complimenting them on their efforts to hold back the Germans and now the Italians. He agreed the situation was grim, but stated that he would never surrender the fight to liberate their homeland.
That evening General Sikorski flies to Boulogne. Within days he will be in England pledging Polish support to the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and moving his government in exile to London.
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