1800652, Flight Sergeant (Flight Engineer), Michael Edwin AGAR
Aged 20
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Michael Edwin AGAR was born in Faringdon in 1923 (Faringdon Q4 1923-2C:473) son of Leonard Edwin and Aline May AGAR (né'e WILLSON).
On 10th May 1924, with his mother (aged 30) and brother John R (aged 3), he sailed from London to Kobe in Japan on the Hakozaki Maru.. Their UK address then was 313 Norton Way, Letchworth. The 2 boys returned to London from Yokohama, with their nurse (Lizzie MEALOR) on 8tjh February 1926 on the Kamo Maru to go to their aunt Mrs Sharman in London. His parents' address in 1939 was "Standelfield", Standhill Road, Hitchin, and in 1945 was Bacton, Norfolk. In the 1939 register brother John was a premium pupil motor engineer, staying with his uncle and aunt, Philip and Cora SHARMAN at Malt House Cottage, Smallburgh, Norfolk He was a member of the 3rd Bury St.Edmunds Scout Group (Culford School), attending Culford from 1935 to 1939. His brother John Robert was killed on air operations in Europe in 1942 see here. |
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148 Squadron was converted to a Special Duties Squadron in early 1943. It then became employed in dropping supplies and agents into enemy
held territory. In 1944 they were used to try and supply the Polish Army in its resistance to the Germans. Such long range missions undertaken
from Italy to try and avoid the heavy flak on other routes to Poland were often unable to get their supplies to the intended recipients and
also many aircraft were lost http://groups.yahoo.com/group/300PolishSquadron/message/5985 5.5.1944: Aircraft: Handley Page Halifax V, ser.no.BB438-S, id. FS-S, took off from Brindisi at 20:07 for an arms drop to the Polish Army. Hit by flak near Tarrow, then attacked at 01.00 by German fighters, claimed by Lt. Wilhelm Seuss of 11./NJG5 at Tarnow, north of Mielec at 00.19 hrs. Crashed into a house and farm buildings aircraft at Sadkowa Top in the municipality of Borowa, Poland, killing five members of the crew and Cecilia Podleszanska, the 15 year old daughter of Andrew and Bronislawa Podleszanskich. Two of the crew escaped the crash and were captured. The bodies of the crew were buried near to the crash site and were transferred to the military cemetery at Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery, Poland after the end of the war. Crew:- W/O. Eric Alfred ALDRED, R.A.F.V.R. - Pilot. F/Sgt. Michael Edwin AGAR, R.A.F.V.R. Flight Engineer. F/Sgt Ralph DAWES, R.A.F.V.R. Wireless Op F/Sgt Norman Wilson JOHNSTONE, R.A.F.V.R. Air Gunner. F/Sgt Ronald Albert MENDAY, R.A.F.V.R. Air Gunner. F/Sgt C.W.WARD, R.A.F.V.R. Bombardier..taken as Prisoner of War. the identity of the last crew member, also captured, has yet to be found Originally buried in Borowa, he was re-interred (with his crew) in Krakow on 26th July 1948. 5th May 1990 at Borowa, Poland. Dedication of memorial:- This place is sanctified by the blood of airman of the English Royal Air Force shot down by the Nazi artillery ON 5 May 1944 R. They died for the freedom of their homeland. The monument was donated by the public municipality of Borowa and Equipment Manufacturing Plant Communication Polish Aviation Plant in Mielec. |
Dedication of memorial in Borowa in 1990. photo: MichaelIM via findagrave.com photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details