Gebirgsjäger cleaning his Kar98 - Stalingrad - Nov.'42

Gebirgsjäger

Flying Officer Nebojska Kujundzic RAFVR. 103 Sqdn

Nebojska “Neb” Kujundzic was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and came to England to study Engineering at Leeds University pre war. He spoke excellent English, was a talented musician and a popular student.

In 1941 he was one of first group of students to be trained at the newly formed of the Leeds University Air Squadron. On completion of his course he sailed for Florida in the USA to undertake further pilot training and returned to England in 1942 where he converted to bombers at Operational Training and Heavy Conversion Units.

He was posted from 1656 HCU at Lindholme to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds on the 3rd March 1943. Tragically he was killed on a daylight cross country flight the next day.

It is thought that Flying Officer Kujundzic’s crew consisted of:

Flying Officer N Kujundzic RAFVR
Sergeant Bowen RAFVR
Sergeant E Weare RAFVR
Pilot Officer Marnock
Sergeant Petts
Sergeant S Mosley RAFVR
Sergeant Collins

On the morning of the 4th March Flying Officer Kujundzic and crew boarded Lancaster W4333 PM-B for a training flight from Elsham Wolds. During this flight one of the Lancaster’s engines caught fire causing serious damage and Neb  gave the order for his crew to bale out.  All did so successfully. Flying Officer Kujundzic remained at the controls and the aircraft crashed near Peterborough. It is thought that he stayed with his aircraft to prevent it crashing onto houses in the area below. The aircraft crashed in an orchard at Yaxley near Peterborough. Flying Officer Kujundzic was sadly killed and is buried at Peterborough Eastfield Cemetery.

His crew were devastated upset at the loss of their captain and were full of praise for the way he had handled the aircraft to enable them to escape. Neb’s father and brother were also killed during the war.

On the 4th March 2003 there was a service of commemoration at Neb’s grave attended by representatives of the Serbian community and Serbian and Montenegro Embassy in the UK and members of the RAF Elsham Wolds Association and the Peterborough Aircrew Association. A fitting tribute to a brave man who died far from his homeland

The surviving crew was broken up. The air bomber Sergeant Eric Weare flew 4 operations with Pilot Officer A S Cook and was then transferred to 156 Pathfinder Squadron. He was shot down over Belgium later in the war but baled out and with the help of the Belgian escape organisation evaded for several weeks. He was eventually moved to Paris where he was betrayed and captured by the Germans. He was taken to the notorious Fresnes prison in Paris for what must have been a very difficult interrogation. Later he was transferred to a normal prisoner of war camp.

He survived the war but passed away in 1990.

Sergeant S Mosley flew 1 operation as mid upper gunner with Sergeant S Burton and crew and 4 operations with Flight Lieutenant E C Lee-Brown. On his 5th with this crew to Spezia they were shot down and all killed. He is buried in the Le Mans Cemetery.

What became of the others is not known although it is clear that they were posted out to serve with other squadrons. We are grateful for the family of Eric Weare and Wim Govaerts in Belgium for the information and photographs used in this item.

Photo & info source: http://www.walter9.info/13Base/html/neb_kujundzic__103_sqdn.html

Nebojska Kujundzic

He.III H - 9./KG 53 "Legion Condor" III.Gruppe - Lille Nord, France '40