RCAF Aviation History: Pilot Officer. Andrew C. Mynarski, VC
Pilot Officer. Andrew C. Mynarski, VC
(DND Archives Photo, PL-38261,and IWM Photo, CHP 975)
Pilot Officer Andrew C. Mynarski, VC.
P/O“Andy” Mynarski, VC, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and joined theRCAF in 1941. P/O Mynarski was themid-upper gunner of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to participate in a raid onthe Cambrai railway yards in France on the night of 12-13 June 1944. “Shortly after crossing the French coast, Lancaster VR-A, No. KB726 of the Royal Canadian Air Force 419“Moose" Squadron” was briefly coned by enemy searchlights. After some evasive manoeuvres, they were in the safety of darkness again.They began descending to the level of their planned attack when a German Junkers Ju 88 night-fighter came in from astern. Its cannons blazed from below. Three explosionstore the aircraft. Both port engineswere knocked out and began to flame. Hydrauliclines to the rear turret were severed and the fluid ignited, turning the rearof the fuselage into an inferno. The captain,Art de Bryne gave the order to bail out.
P/OMynarski made a heroic effort to extricate the rear gunner P/O George (Pat) Brophy, from the turret of his burning Lancaster, even thoughhis own parachute and clothing were on fire. Ironically, Mynarski, who was able to bail out, died in the action whilethe trapped gunner incredibly survived to tell the tale. The citation for his VC reads:
“PilotOfficer Mynarski was the mid-upper gunner of a Lancaster aircraft, detailed to attack a target at Cambraiin France, on the night of 12th June 1944. The aircraft was attacked from below andastern by an enemy fighter and ultimately came down in flames. As an immediate result of the attack, both portengines failed. Fire broke out between the mid-upper turret and the rear turret,as well as in the port wing. The flamessoon became fierce, and the captain ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft.
Pilot Officer Mynarski left his turret and went toward the escapehatch. He then saw that the rear gunnerwas still in his turret and apparently unable to leave it. The turret was, in fact, immovable, since thehydraulic gear had been put out of action when the port engines failed, and themanual gear had been broken by the gunner in his attempts to escape.
Withouthesitation, Pilot Officer Mynarski made his way through the flames in anendeavour to reach the rear turret and release the gunner. Whilst so doing, his parachute and his clothing,up to the waist, were set on fire. Allhis efforts to move the turret and free the gunner were in vain. Eventually the rear gunner clearly indicatedto him that there was nothing more he could do and that he should try to savehis own life. Pilot Officer Mynarskireluctantly went back through the flames to the escape hatch. There, as a lastgesture to the trapped gunner, he turned toward him, stood to attention in hisflaming clothing and saluted before he jumped out of the aircraft. Pilot OfficerMynarski ‘s descent was seen by French people on the ground. Both his parachuteand his clothing were on fire. He was found eventually by the French but was soseverely burned that he died from his injuries.
Therear gunner had a miraculous escape when the aircraft crashed. He subsequentlytestified that, had Pilot Officer Mynarski not attempted to save his comrade’slife, he could have left the aircraft in safety and would, doubtless, have escapeddeath. Pilot Officer Mynarski must have been fully aware that in trying tofree the rear gunner he was almost certain to lose his own life. Despite this,with outstanding courage and complete disregard for his own safety, he went tothe rescue. Willingly accepting the danger, Pilot Officer Mynarski lost his life by a most conspicuous act ofheroism which called for valour of the highest order.”
Andy Mynarski’s VC is on display at Air Command Headquartersin Winnipeg, Manitoba; in addition to an aluminum side panel from his Lancaster (Serial No. KB726) VR-A, complete with holes from the cannon shellsfired by the German Ju 88 that shot theaircraft down. Also displayed here is aBrowning .303 machine gun from P/O George (Pat) Brophy’s rear turret, and many other major historical artefacts. (RCAF)
