304 SQUADRON POLISH AIR FORCE IN EXILE

[archivist]

I have just acquired a commemorative envelope issued by the States of Guernsey (British Channel Islands) which, as far as I can tell, has no connection with the PAF. However, it commemorates the 80th Anniversary (in 1998) of the Polish Air Force. It depicts 5 aircraft flown by the PAF between 1918-1998 also the PAF logo and those of WW2 300 and 304 Squadrons and the modern 3rd Squadron. It is a limited edition no 44 of 250 and was mailed via a 30 minute flight in a former PAF MiG15 Midget. It is also signed by Squadron Leader Stanislaw J Machej WW2 veteran of 300 Bomber Squadron and 138 Special Duties Squadron. It is a treasured possession and, although it was expensive, it is not for sale at any price.

[archivist]

OSADZINSKI P/O Alfred

He was a pilot, born on 13th September 1917. He was known to be in service on 1st February 1942 and killed when X9764 was shot down by a fighter near Geetbetz, Belgium on 6th April 1942. He is buried at Heverlee War Cemetery, Leuven, Belgium. On 9th March 1942, he took off on a mission to bomb the Krupp Works at Essen. Because of poor conditions at RAF Lindholme, he took off from RAF Swanton Morley and on his return, landed at RAF Oakington due to lack of fuel. During his crew debriefing his aircraft, R1602, was struck by another during dispersal; both were destroyed by fire – the official verdict was damaged beyond repair.

[archivist]

Believe it or not, this story appeared in a website called Donny Online and is the most concise version I have come across. Donny is the city of Doncaster in Yorkshire, England and is close to Lindholme prison which was built on the site of RAF Lindholme which was the base for 304 Squadron for a long time. Strangely, only five bodies have ever been recovered and Wellingtons had a crew of six. I am still trying to discover whether this aircraft belonged to 304 Squadron
In World War 2, Lindholme Prison was used as a RAF base for Wellington Bombers who took part in the first bombing raids on Berlin. On the first raid a bomber overshot the runway and crashed in to the bog, killing all five members of its Polish crew.
For years afterwards, the moors were haunted by a figure in flying costume that appeared at
Midnight, asking strangers directions in a foreign tongue.
The stories soon spread to the local villages of Finningley and Hatfield that the distinctive tail of the aircraft could sometimes be seen rising and sinking again when the ghost was on the prowl.
In the 1950's the base was the home to a squadron of Avro Lincoln's, the ghost still appeared.
One night a mechanic working late was so scared by an encounter with the ghost that he skipped duty and was brought up on a charge.
The ghost would continue to appear in the middle of night often standing beside the bed of the pilots. One pilot was so shocked by the apparition that he let out a scream that woke the whole dormitory.
In the 1970's the wreckage of the Wellington Bomber was finally recovered and the remains of four airmen were buried in a local cemetery. In 1975, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Jenkins and a RAF squadron leader were returning from a training course at nearby RAF Finningley when they spotted a figure dressed in flying kit, standing near the spot where the bomber crashed.
The story drew to a close in 1987 when peat workers found the forty-six year old corpse of a Polish airman.
He was never identified and in November of that year he was laid to rest in a military cemetery. Since being laid to rest the ghost has not been seen.

[karl]

Neville

What a wonderful ghost story, I loved it! The poor poor man, lost for that also his aircraft was lost. And then to be found, was to place him at peace and for eternal rest God Bless his soul...

Karl

[archivist]

Well Karl,

People react to this in different ways - depending on whether they believe in ghosts I suppose. But it was a persistent story and I hope I am getting close to identifying the aircraft, its crew and its squadron. If I succeed, I will post it here.

Neville

[archivist]

Just when I thought the information supply had dried up, I have come across six new names that need some research and a mass of information on one Polish airman which needs to be collated but I will post it here soon.

[archivist]

JOZEFIAK Squadron Leader Stanislaw

Stanislaw Jozefiak was born on 10th September 1919 on a farm in Skalmierzycach near Ostrow Wielkopolski, a town in Central Poland. Between 1937 and 1939 he attended an aviation school where he was trained as a radio operator and air gunner. In September 1939 he was one of a group of students who were evacuated to Romania where he was interned in a camp at Timisoara, about 60 kilometres from the Jugoslavian border.
The following month he escaped and crossed into Jugoslavia, but was recaptured after five days and returned to the camp. He escaped again, in November 1939, and made it to the Polish Embassy in Bucharest, Romania from where he was taken to the port of Constanta on the Black Sea and on to Beirut, Lebanon on board the Romanian ship Transylvania en route to Marseille, where he arrived on November 1939. He made it to the Polish depot at Lyon-Bron. On 20th January 1940, he set sail from Le Havre, France to Southampton, England. On arrival in England, he learned English and finally qualified as a radio operator and air gunner and was promoted to Sergeant.
He was assigned to 12 OTU at RAF Benson and on to RAF Penrith. On 7th April 1941 he was transferred to the newly formed 304 Squadron at RAF Syerston. It was here he teamed up with his permanent crew until the fateful mission to bomb Boulogne, France on the night of 28/29 May 1941. After completing the mission on Wellington bomber R1392, the aircraft was hit by flak which destroyed one engine. Amazingly the pilot recovered control of the aircraft, which was plummeting towards the sea, and they limped back to England on the remaining engine. One of the crew baled out over Boulogne and his body was never found. Sergeant Jozefiak and another crew member baled out over England and both were injured, Sergeant Jozefiak broke his leg and spent several months in Sussex County Hospital. He had been taken there by the local Home Guard, who initially mistook him for a German pilot. The pilot and the other two members of the crew were killed when the aircraft crashed at Darwell Hole, Sussex. Many years later, as an octogenarian, Stanislaw Jozefiak returned there and build a monument with his own hands. The brass plaque and Polish eagle were supplied and made by apprentices at Rolls Royce – who made the engines for the original Wellington bomber.
At the end of January 1942, he returned to his Squadron and flew, with various crews, a total of 53 missions – far more than the obligatory tour of 30 normally expected of aircrew. His targets were mostly ports and industrial cities in France and Germany (with Bomber Command) and then against submarines in the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay (with Coastal Command).
He then went on to RAF Blackpool, RAF Hucknall and various other RAF stations where he trained as a pilot flying Tiger Moths and Miles Masters. On 14th September 1944 he was assigned to 639 Squadron RAF which was an anti-aircraft co-operation unit, flying Hawker Hurricanes.
On 23rd January 1945, he moved to RAF Rednal where he flew Supermarine Spitfires, eventually moving, on 2nd June 1945, to 317 Vilnius Squadron, PAF and serving in Germany where he stayed until the dissolution of the squadron on 18th December 1946. He was promoted to Squadron Leader and was awarded the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari and the Cross of Valour (three times).
On demobilisation he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps, finally becoming a civilian in 1949. He settled in the City of Derby, where he worked at a textile factory. In 1951, he took a job as a pilot with the American CIA but later returned to the factory, ending up as its head of security. Later he bought a furniture and carpet store which he ran until his retirement. At the time of writing, (January 2009) he still lives in Derby and maintains strong ties with Poland. In1996 he wrote his autobiography: “God, Honour and the Homeland”.

[archivist]

With reference to the ghost story that so enchanted Karl, I have discovered that it was a Polish aircraft but it was a Halifax bomber and so it could not have been from 304 Squadron. Unfortunately, I have not been able to identify thecrew.

[archivist]

I have made contact with an 89 year old former navigator with 304 Squadron so I am very hopeful that he will be willing to supply more information. Unfortunately, I cannot communicate by e-mail so I'll have to rely on the Royal Mail and the US Mail (He lives in Deckerville, Michigan). I will post any new information here as soon as I get it.

[archivist]

I have just received some basic information on another 304 Squadron man who is still living. Even at the age of 89 he is still active in Polish affairs:

Born in New Jersey of Polish-born parents, Olejarczyk went to Poland as a baby with his parents, whose extreme patriotism made them long for their homeland once it had been re-established as a sovereign nation following World War I. Ultimately, economic hardships in the newly re-formed Poland forced his father back to the States for employment while Olejarczyk remained behind with his mother, not rejoining his father until 1940. Thus began a lifelong loyalty to two nations, and during World War II, prior to the United States’ involvement, he volunteered for the Polish Air Force in Canada to help in the liberation of Poland (‘Recognize a need and fill it’). The following year he transferred to the American Air Force and was assigned as a bombardier-navigator with the 586th Bomber Squadron, flying B26s in Europe.
After working many years as an analytical engineer for GM, Olejarczyk retired and devoted all of his time to the PAC following the 1981 Solidarity movement’s activities in Poland, when issues of Polish affairs faced by the organization became too absorbing for ‘part time’ attention. Thanks to his wife Bronia, whom he describes as ‘the love of his life’ (and who he met in kindergarten!), Olejarczyk is to this day a hallowed figure about the PAC Federal Credit Union, and who, regardless of age, is still identifying needs and filling them.

and this:

Mr. Olejarczyk was born in New Jersey, but grew up in Warsaw. While he was studying engineering at the Warsaw Polytechnic Institute, Germany invaded Poland and World War II began. Young Kazimierz volunteered for the Polish Air Force in exile (RAF) and transferred to the U.S. Army Air Force in 1944. At war’s end, he moved to Michigan, where he earned a BBA from the Univ. of MI and MBA and MA from the Univ. of Detroit. He worked for General Motors Fisher Body for 33 years, retiring as a senior analytical systems engineer. He also taught Mathematics and Political Science at the Univ. of Detroit. During that period he also reported for the Voice of America and translated for Radio Free Europe.

[archivist]

Is there something fundamentally different about the Poles? I have noticed that so many of the airmen of 304 Squadron have lived well into their 80's and 90's. In the Western model, stress has killed off many in their 40's and 50's and yet these men, who suffered the horrendous pressure of facing AA, flak - call it what you will, survived for so long. If I were a religious man, I would call it God's reward for their suffering. Maybe it was just the relief of having survived these horrors that gave them a long lasting surge of adrenalin. Whatever the cause, it was hard earned and very well deserved.

[archivist]

ANOTHER POLISH HERO LEAVES US

Published Date: 19 January 2009

Tributes have been paid to a decorated pilot from Poland who joined the RAF to fight the Nazis during the Second World War – and was still taking to the air aged 89.

Sgt Ryszard Danilo died on January 2 at the age of 91 in a Preston nursing home.

The father-of-two, from Conway Drive, Fulwood, was born in Galicia, Poland, in 1917.

He joined the Polish army and served with the country's air force at the start of the war, before escaping when Russia invaded.

Mr Danilo, who was known as Richard, travelled to France but was forced to flee when it fell to the Germans in 1940.

He then headed for Liverpool and volunteered to join the RAF, serving with 307 and 304 Squadron and No 10 Air Gunnery School at Walney Island, Barrow, where he married Eliza.

Mr Danilo's son, also called Ryszard, who now lives in Shropshire, said: "He had a colourful history. He achieved so much."

He said his father remained a keen pilot and was still taking to the air in his 80s. Ryszard added: "He took the controls of an aircraft when he was 89."

Mr Danilo had a number of lucky escapes in his flying career.

On one occasion he was coming in to land at a Polish airfield in the first few days of the war when three bombs from an overhead bomber landed across his path.

He felt the ground shake as each hit the ground. Miraculously, none of them exploded.

He flew a variety of aircraft and types of missions including Bomber command, night fighters and Coastal command.

He had a nasty crash at Christmas 1941 when he had to crash land his Beaufighter due to engine failure while returning from patrol over the Solent.

His injuries kept him invalided for a year. He eventually returned to service and was stationed as an instructor pilot at at Walney Island near Barrow.

Sgt Danilo was awarded several medals including the Atlantic Star and the Defence Medal by the British government.

He was awarded the Polish Order of Merit by the Polish government in exile.

At the end of the war Mr Danilo settled in Preston and found work as an engineer at Leyland Motors, designing a large extension to the Spurrier Works building at Farington Moss and supervising the construction.

He also designed many church buildings around Lancashire on a voluntary basis.

Ryszard added: "He was writing a book of his memoirs. I'm hoping they can be put together and archived. It will be a lovely legacy for my father."

Richard, who has another son, Jan, was also an active member of the RAF Association, the Polish Air Force Association and the Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team.

In 1998 he was part of a team which recovered the wreck of an American fighter plane near Walker Lane, Fulwood.

The aircraft had crashed while on a test flight from Warton in June 1944.

A tribute on the Aviation Forum website said: "He worked tirelessly to keep the memory of his fallen comrades alive, among other projects he was involved in, and he was working as much as possible at the end.

"Richard was a real gentleman and will be missed dearly by all that knew him."

Mr Danilo's funeral will take place at St Ignatius Catholic Church, Meadow Street, Deepdale on Thursday at 11.30am.

He will be buried in the Polish section of Carleton Cemetery, Blackpool, at 2pm.

[archivist]

Tonight has been a milestone in my research. Ever since day one, I have wondered what the pilot of R1268 (Jan Waroczewski) looked like - that was the aircraft that started my whole quest. Out of the blue, another researcher has sent me photographs of Jan Waroczewski and the two other crewmen who were killed on R1392 as well as pictures of their funeral at Newark. I will have to wait to process them and add them to my manuscript. My hands are shaking; its almost emotional.

[archivist]

BIALY W/Cdr Jan

He was born into a privileged family on 16th June 1897 in Krakow. In 1916 he was conscripted into the 57th Infantry Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian army, spending come time as a cadet in the Officer training school at Opava, later serving on the Russian and Italian fronts. He was captured and spent two years as a Prisoner of War.

In November 1918 he joined General Hallera’s “Blue Army” and by 1920 he was a Company Commander of the 48th Infantry Regiment in the Polish-Bolshevik War, eventually being posted to the 11th Infantry Division.

In May 1925 he crossed over to the Air Force with the 2nd Air Regiment and then the 3rd Air Regiment where he trained as a pilot. His military career trail is confusing and he appears to have spent some of this time back with his old regiment. On 14th July 1928 he became Commanding Officer of 113 fighter squadron and later 121 squadron.

He was seriously injured at an air show in Katowice in May 1930 when he crashed whilst performing low level aerobatics. He took a long time to recover and was unable to continue as a fighter pilot. He suffered another crash in 1935 but his injuries were relatively minor and he eventually took over as Commander of two squadrons of light reconnaissance P23 Karas

At the outbreak of war he was involved in reconnaissance and bombing missions against German tanks and artillery but he eventually fled to France via Romania and Beirut. There are unconfirmed references to him being interned in Romania and escaping. The capitulation of France forced him and his men to escape again his time via Morocco to Glasgow. He trained at RAF Blackpool then moved to RAF Bramcote as the first Commander of 304 Squadron, a position he held from August 1940 until December 1940 when he left following differences with the British advisor.

He became Polish Liaison Officer at 25 Flying Training Group but disliked being a desk jockey and requested to be sent back to the Squadron as a pilot; in January 1943 he got his wish and became second pilot to Squadron Leader Ladro. He was involved in the battle in which they fought off four Ju88s and was wounded in the leg in that skirmish.

In mid-1943 he went to Scotland to set up and command a training centre for Special Operations and was later active in SOE operations, moving to Italy in 1944 and parachuted into Poland where he took a high rank in the Armia Krajowa and was eventually captured and imprisoned by the Russians (NKVD).

After the war he returned to Poland and lived there until his death on 2nd October 1984, aged 87. In 1952 he was arrested, and imprisoned for several months, by the secret police. He is buried in Bytom Municipal Cemetery.

He won many gallantry medals; the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari, the Cross of Valour (three times), the Gold Cross of Merit with Swords and the Silver Cross of Merit.

[Jaga]

Hi Archivist,

I am so happy to see you back! Did you receive my e-mails?