To Danny and all - Polish airmen in the RAF
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My first tour overseas was El Adem in 1968, all sand and spiders. Had the daughter of Sqn Ldr Waselewski on my Albacore crew for a while during the Summer Hols, I think he may have been ATC and used to frequent the sailing club bar. My next posting was Thorney Island, walked into the sailing club and yes, it was also his next posting. 
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John Grzybowski was a son of Leszek Grzybowski, a pre war fighter pilot, who following the Polish Campaign ended up in the Soviet Union but fortunately survived. He later flew Mustangs in the PAF. There were few other sons of Polish pilots in the RAF, Michael Drybanski and Stefan Karwowski spring to my mind. Some were refused RAF service though, as having family behind the Iron Curtain.
Sqn Leader Wasilewski was Stanisław. He passed away in Argentina in 1988.
Sqn Leader Wasilewski was Stanisław. He passed away in Argentina in 1988.
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My father who was an Instructor on Oxfords at RAF South Cerney during WW11 until Mid 1942 had a young Polish Pilot by name of F/Sgt Tadeusz Waclaw Niezrecki who wrote a nice letter when he left S Cerney thanking him for looking after him so well.
This Polish Pilot survived the war and continued in the RAF ending up a Flt Lt . He was involved in a crash in 27/28 April 1942 as co pilot of a Wellington from 301 Squadron. This report was signed by the CO one S/Ldr Krzystyniak. Also in 16 Jan 1942 departing RAF Hemswell with P/O Liska as Captain they crash landed due to lack of Oxygen near Scunthorpe.
Waclaw NIEZRECKI was a Master Pilot in 1952 No 782373 and listed with AFC in London Gazette. I gave his original letter to my father to the RAF Ingham Heritage Centre He also received the DFM . He died 10th June1982. He also received one of the highest Polish Medals VM???
This Polish Pilot survived the war and continued in the RAF ending up a Flt Lt . He was involved in a crash in 27/28 April 1942 as co pilot of a Wellington from 301 Squadron. This report was signed by the CO one S/Ldr Krzystyniak. Also in 16 Jan 1942 departing RAF Hemswell with P/O Liska as Captain they crash landed due to lack of Oxygen near Scunthorpe.
Waclaw NIEZRECKI was a Master Pilot in 1952 No 782373 and listed with AFC in London Gazette. I gave his original letter to my father to the RAF Ingham Heritage Centre He also received the DFM . He died 10th June1982. He also received one of the highest Polish Medals VM???
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
My first jet instructor, at Leeming 1961-62, was Flt Lt Pete (Piotr?) Bobrowski. We never found out his detailed story, but were led to understand that he had been in the Polish Air Force pre-1939. He had a chestful of RAF WW2 ribbons. After Leeming I never saw him again, but I believe he ended up as an Ops Officer at Brize in the late 70s and died while serving there. I have checked the list of BoB pilots, and he is not shown there. I have fond memories of "Bobs".
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I think those Poles in the RAF were refused high security clearance for that reason. I know a Vulcan copilot was warned against marrying his Yugoslav fiance as he would lose his clearance and be posted away. This might have hastened his decision as I think he went to Gnats - tough call
Franek and Mogwi - thanks for the further info on John Grzybowski. As you said, a very pleasant chap. He impressed us one day on the squadron when he told us he had just been to Malvern to get measured up for the Morgan he had ordered, as each one was hand built to order. The Morgan duly arrived and my abiding memory of him is driving around Marham in his new dark blue beauty.
Post 14. The TP at St Athan in the early 1960s was Jan Jankiwicz.
He may have jumped in front of your car papa sierra but he borrowed money from me, which I was stupid enough to loan him. Retrieving same took sometime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old Duffer
He may have jumped in front of your car papa sierra but he borrowed money from me, which I was stupid enough to loan him. Retrieving same took sometime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old Duffer
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thegypsy
Wacław 'Nick' Niezręcki, he flew SD Halifaxes during the war, later RPAF, returned to the UK and joined RAF. At some point flew Canberras. He delivered Lancaster PA474 to BBMF, as he was found to have most recent experience on Lancasters in the RAF from a few years back, ignoring Shackleton jocks!
kenparry
Piotr Bobrowski ex-No 306 Sqn Mustang pilot. He passed away in 1973 at RAF Brize Norton, indeed. His logs are at TNA, but I have not copied them, as yet.
Any stories to share?
Old-Duffer
A tall man? Then he is living in London, following retirement from RAF, he spend quite a few years in the Gulf, flying for local AFs as VIP pilot, ending his career in 1988.
Pontius Navigator/ian16th
I am really not sure, as some were allowed, and some not, and I mean children living in the UK for their whole life.
There were Poles in really high positions in the RAF, off hand I recall one flying Vulcans on 230 OCU, another one, as a civilian worked on the initial project of Vulcan, doing an essential work as aerodynamicist. One, Edward Kwolek, as I recall was a senior officer in RAF counterintelligence in ME, much to his satisfaction.
Wacław 'Nick' Niezręcki, he flew SD Halifaxes during the war, later RPAF, returned to the UK and joined RAF. At some point flew Canberras. He delivered Lancaster PA474 to BBMF, as he was found to have most recent experience on Lancasters in the RAF from a few years back, ignoring Shackleton jocks!
kenparry
Piotr Bobrowski ex-No 306 Sqn Mustang pilot. He passed away in 1973 at RAF Brize Norton, indeed. His logs are at TNA, but I have not copied them, as yet.
Any stories to share?
Old-Duffer
A tall man? Then he is living in London, following retirement from RAF, he spend quite a few years in the Gulf, flying for local AFs as VIP pilot, ending his career in 1988.
Pontius Navigator/ian16th
I am really not sure, as some were allowed, and some not, and I mean children living in the UK for their whole life.
There were Poles in really high positions in the RAF, off hand I recall one flying Vulcans on 230 OCU, another one, as a civilian worked on the initial project of Vulcan, doing an essential work as aerodynamicist. One, Edward Kwolek, as I recall was a senior officer in RAF counterintelligence in ME, much to his satisfaction.
Franek
FWIW a new film "Hurricane (Squadron 303)" is premiered here next week.
As the publicity blurb says:
It's not clear if the names mentioned are real or fictional.
...and a bit from IMDb here:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7515456...r/rm2307935488
WT
FWIW a new film "Hurricane (Squadron 303)" is premiered here next week.
As the publicity blurb says:
Hurricane (Squadron 303) is the story of a group of brave Poles who fought in the skies over England in WW2, not just to keep Great Britain free from the Nazis, but also to keep alive the very idea of their own country, which had existed in its modern form for barely twenty years before it was crushed between the opposing jaws of Germany and Russia. Equipped with the almost-obsolete Hurricane and (with some initial reluctance) given RAF blue uniforms, while they fought, Poland lived.
1940. Great Britain stands alone in Europe against the growing stain of the rampant Nazi empire, its nervous inhabitants wondering what the future holds. But a handful of people on this beleaguered island know only too well what one possible future might hold. They have seen Warsaw burn, Poland crumble, France capitulate. Men like Jan Zumbach, Witold Urbanowicz, Miroslaw Feric and Tolo Lokuciewski, pilots of the Polish Air Force, who know that if the Luftwaffe isn't stopped, then Poland, Holland and France were just Hitler's hors d'oeuvres. So they are ready to fight, if they are given the planes. The problem is the British don't trust 'the bloody Poles'. And so the pilots, strangers in what seems a very strange land indeed, will over the course of a few months have to fight several wars at once - with the xenophobia of the authorities and the public, with the language, the unfamiliar Hurricane fighters, with the battle-hardened Luftwaffe. But once they are reluctantly made operational by the RAF, the Polish fighters show what they can do, out-gunning the enemy and out-scoring their allies. The once hostile British fete the Polish flyers as heroes - saviours, even. Now, though, the Poles have a fresh enemy - themselves, as nerves and fatigue take a terrible toll on men pushed to the limit by constant aerial warfare, fighting to save their own country above a foreign land. Not all will make it. Not all friendships will survive. And when it's over, Jan Zumbach will contemplate a pyrrhic victory, as Poland is handed over to Stalin's puppets.
1940. Great Britain stands alone in Europe against the growing stain of the rampant Nazi empire, its nervous inhabitants wondering what the future holds. But a handful of people on this beleaguered island know only too well what one possible future might hold. They have seen Warsaw burn, Poland crumble, France capitulate. Men like Jan Zumbach, Witold Urbanowicz, Miroslaw Feric and Tolo Lokuciewski, pilots of the Polish Air Force, who know that if the Luftwaffe isn't stopped, then Poland, Holland and France were just Hitler's hors d'oeuvres. So they are ready to fight, if they are given the planes. The problem is the British don't trust 'the bloody Poles'. And so the pilots, strangers in what seems a very strange land indeed, will over the course of a few months have to fight several wars at once - with the xenophobia of the authorities and the public, with the language, the unfamiliar Hurricane fighters, with the battle-hardened Luftwaffe. But once they are reluctantly made operational by the RAF, the Polish fighters show what they can do, out-gunning the enemy and out-scoring their allies. The once hostile British fete the Polish flyers as heroes - saviours, even. Now, though, the Poles have a fresh enemy - themselves, as nerves and fatigue take a terrible toll on men pushed to the limit by constant aerial warfare, fighting to save their own country above a foreign land. Not all will make it. Not all friendships will survive. And when it's over, Jan Zumbach will contemplate a pyrrhic victory, as Poland is handed over to Stalin's puppets.
...and a bit from IMDb here:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7515456...r/rm2307935488
WT
Last edited by Warmtoast; 2nd Sep 2018 at 15:42.
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I was locking up our hangar at Northolt one summer’s evening when Joe Kmiecek was locking up the 207 Sqn Office. “Beautiful evening isn’t Sir” I ventured. “Yes” he agreed and “Look at them!’ Gesturing towards the two Luftwaffe transports on South Side, displaying the black and white crosses. “What the hell was it all about, eh?” And he got on his moped and rode off to the Mess. The last word on WW2 couldn’t be better said.
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Yes, the names are real, but I do not know how they are portrayed in the film. Actually, there are two films on 303 premiered this summer, one English and one Polish. Not sure if keen to see them though!
Blacksheep
Joe Kmiecik!
Yes, the names are real, but I do not know how they are portrayed in the film. Actually, there are two films on 303 premiered this summer, one English and one Polish. Not sure if keen to see them though!
Blacksheep
Joe Kmiecik!
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Your fault, Franek, for having such complicated names and pronunciation!!
Do you have anything as simple as John Smith?
Do you have anything as simple as John Smith?
if you want to learn a little more about him, read Eric Williams’ “The Wooden Horse”.
YS
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Indeed it is possible I flew with more than the three I listed if they used different names.
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I don't know if this is of any use to you. The relevant part is just above the section marked "Industry". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley,_North_Yorkshire
Flt. Lt. "Rusty" (Rostarg?) "Kennedy"?. WW2 pilot but Air Traffic at Linton when he was my next door neighbour in OMQ's at Dishforth. This was about 1967 - 1969. A real gentleman married to a great English lady (who ,I am ashamed to admit, name escapes me!) When he retired they ran the shop/post office in Knaresborough. I remember (Vaguely!!!) many happy nights. A great character and excellent ATCO. Would love to know if my "hazy" memories trigger any others on this post?
Bill
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John Smith is Jan Kowal, pronunced Yan Koval. How about Featherstonehaugh, Woolfardisworthy or Wriothesley?
Mike Manson aka Michał Maciejowski, one of the few. I am in touch with his daughter, though have not heard for a while. Will check the book, if I have not that already. He did some flying prior to catering career.
Rusty Kennedy does not appear on my list, but if he changed his name, I could miss him. I have Rokosz, but I think he was not the man.
Mike Manson aka Michał Maciejowski, one of the few. I am in touch with his daughter, though have not heard for a while. Will check the book, if I have not that already. He did some flying prior to catering career.
Rusty Kennedy does not appear on my list, but if he changed his name, I could miss him. I have Rokosz, but I think he was not the man.
Franek wrote:
Mike Drybanski was in the Senior Entry at RAFC when I arrived on the Junior Entry in 1968. One of the nicest of those who got us into shape during 'crowing', he was also an accomplished glider pilot.
Sadly killed when his SOAF Strikemaster was shot down in 1973.
There were few other sons of Polish pilots in the RAF, Michael Drybanski and Stefan Karwowski spring to my mind.
Sadly killed when his SOAF Strikemaster was shot down in 1973.