Mascot of the Month: Ciapek – 305 Squadron Mascot
Ciapek was adopted by Polish 305 Squadron as their official pet mascot during World War II. As former RAF officer C. H. Ward-Jackson wrote in No Bombs at All (as related in Destiny Can Wait), Ciapek became such a part of the squadron that he only understood Polish. He flew many bombing missions with the squadron, listed in the flight log as a “passenger.”
Captain Edward Kwolek, in his memoir about his wartime service in the Polish Air Force, writes this about Ciapek:
“He had his oxygen bottle, which was opened at an altitude of about 3000 meters. He lay beside it, enjoying the oxygen. He also had parachute harnesses, which could easily be attached to the harnesses of one of the crew members responsible for the ‘passenger’ in the air. For each bombing mission, Ciapek received a small bomb carved from wood, 2 and 1/2 cm long, and hung on a collar. He had up to eight of them on his collar.”
Tragically, on one of Ciapek’s missions, the plane never returned and was presumed lost at sea. It seemed Ciapek was killed in action—until months later he reappeared in a nearby town.
“A police officer on the northern coast of Norfolk found a dog on the beach with a collar marked with the inscription and 8 wooden bombs. The dog appeared lifeless, clearly washed ashore by the sea. The dog was wrapped up and transported to a nearby airport,” wrote Lt. Aleksander Onoszko in his wartime memoir.
How Ciapek had survived the plunge into the North Sea and the months following remains a mystery. Happily, however, Ciapek was reunited with 305 Squadron and remained with it long after.
He was just one of many furry or feathered companions adopted by fighting units during the war. These animal friends were popular with the troops and served an important function in helping to maintain morale, because they reminded soldiers of life beyond the battlefield.
Thanks to @RGPoulussen for sharing this priceless video of Polish 305 Squadron mascot Ciapek joining the crew as they climb on board transport to their bomber for the next mission. Posted on X/Twitter by @RGPoulussen, April 2, 2020:
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2 Comments
Ciapek was my Grandfathers dog. My grandfather Tadeusz Karwowski was in the video at the end of the piece who served as an engineer for the 305. The stories are sketchy regarding Ciapek’s fate. The ending you told is the nicer ending.
Hi Philip – thanks so much for your comment! How cool that Ciapek was your grandfather’s dog. He is so adorable, and the film clip that I found online is truly priceless.
I assume your grandfather was not on that fatal flight. He must have been heartbroken when Ciapek (and his crewmates) didn’t return. Do you know why he would not have known that Ciapek ultimately survived?