Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Memorial – Warrant Officer Class II Louis Krulicki is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Warrant Officer Class II Louis Krulicki is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Photo of LOUIS KRULICKI – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Grave marker – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star April 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Kitchener Public Library collection of World War Two Soldier Information Cards. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Kitchener Public Library collection of World War Two Soldier Information Cards. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Telegram December 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Photo of Louis Krulicki – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Group Photo – Photo and story courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com Crew in photo: Standing: Vance, Smith, Parish, Lees, Marshal. Kneeling: Krulicki, Farley. Stirling I R9261 from 7 (RAF) Sqn was on a mission to Stettin April 21, 1943. While attacking, the aircraft was hit in one of the engines and left the target area in a height of 2000 feet on a north westerly course which would take the aircraft across the island of Falster and The Great Belt. When Pilot F/Lt Charles W. Parish spotted a ship, he turned right which brought the Stirling over Sjælland. Flt.Engr. Sgt Donald V. Smith, DFM, RCAF, now spotted a Messerschmidt Bf 110 night fighter on the Stirling¿s port side and shouted on the intercom for Parish to take evasive action. At the same moment the Stirling came under fire; was hit, and went out of control. Parish gave orders to leave the plane, and Smith crawled towards the aft emergency exit. When he reached it, he found W/Op Krulicki sitting crouching next to the only half opened door. Smith succeeded in opening it fully, and the vacuum this created sucked Smith out of the exit. During this, Smith could hear the rear gunner Sgt Jack Lees commence fire at the night fighter. Smith succeeded in deploying his parachute, and in the few seconds it took to reach the ground, he saw R9261 explode in a fireball. At 01:55 hours the Stirling fell to the ground approx. 500 meters North West of Kelstrup near Slagelse. All except Smith perished. Apart from Parish and Krulicki the crew included S/L Wilfred A. Blake acting as second pilot, Navigator P/O Elmer R. Vance RCAF, Air Bomber, F/S James S. Marshall RCAF, RAF Sgts (AG) Dennis C. Farley and Jack Lees. They were all laid to rest on Svinø cemetery on April 24 1943.

Memorial – Photo and story courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com Photo of memorial erected at crash site. The only survivor, the Flight Engineer Donald Smith, took part in the unveiling of the monument in 1993.

Plaque – Photo of plaque on monument dedicated to the men who lost their lives on Stirling I R9261. Courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com

Grave Marker – At his request, Donald V. Smith was buried with the other members of his crew in the Svinø cemetery. Photo and story courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com