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Introducing
The Institute
of Polish
Military History

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 A message from our President, General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank

'I am delighted to be associated with the work of the Polish Heritage Society and very honoured to serve as its President. The Society's work highlights the enormous contribution which generations of Poles have made to their adopted country. Preserving and celebrating that heritage will only further strengthen the ties between Poland and the United Kingdom.

I worked closely with the Society on the project to build a memorial to the Polish Forces at the National Memorial Arboretum and saw at first hand the energy and dedication of those involved.

I encourage you to explore this website and learn about the many other projects the Society has sponsored. Do please contact us if you would like to be involved in any way'.

General The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB LVO OBE

A Debt of Dishonour is a unique documentary film dedicated Major General Sosabowski and all ranks who served in the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade Group and to their Comrades-in-Arms of the 1st British Airborne Division that fought in the ill-fated “Operation Market Garden” at Arnhem and Driel during September 1944.

Sto Lat-Albert Hall

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The Polish Heritage Society


British Post-WW2 Military Honours List for 48 Polish RAF Servicemen (January 1946 to June 2019)

The Polish Air Force flew a total of 102,486 sorties for the RAF (Sep 1940 – May 1945), shooting down 745 enemy aircraft with another 175 unconfirmed. In addition, they shot down 190 flying bombs (V1) over London. They won 342 British gallantry awards, including 19 DSOs and 191 DFCs.

DB = Dywizjon Bombowy 300 (Mazovian), 301 (Ziemia Pomorska), 304 (Ziemia Śląska),
305 (Ziemia Wielkopolska)
DM = Dywizjon Mysliwski 302 (Poznań), 303 (Kosciuszko), 306 (Toruń ), 308 (Kraków),
315 (Dęblin), 316 (Warszawa), 317 (Wilno)
DMN = Dywizjon Mysliwski Nocny 307 (Lwów)
DMR = Dywizjon Mysliwski Rozpoznawczy 309 (Ziemia Czerwińska), 318 (Gdańsk)
Polish Artillery Observation Squadron 663

PHS_logo_subheadBritish Military Honours awarded to Polish RAF Servicemen

Name Post War RAF Honour Year * Post War RAF Rank Polish WW2 Squadron Official UK Military Reference London Gazette 

1 Abczynski,
Andrew Emil
AFC 1966 Flight Lieutenant 304 205364 44004

2 Andrusikiewicz DFC
Roman Wojciech
AFC 1966 Flight Lieutenant 500664 43635

3 Andrzejewski VM
Stanislaw Jan
AFC 1951 Flight Lieutenant 307 500160 39243

4 Antoniak,
Tadeusz Peter
QCVS 1959 Pilot Officer 316 706548 41727

5 Artymiuk DFC DFM VM
Kazimierz
KCVS  1950 Master Pilot 301, 305 783224 38929
AFC 1954 Master Pilot 301, 305 783224 40188

6 Badeni,
Jan
QCVS 1962 Squadron Leader 301 500303 42552

7 Bar,
Zygmunt
BEM 1965 Flight Sergeant Cranwell 709007 43667

8 Bazarnik MB, Ch.B
Konrad
AFC 1953 Wing Commander 309 501410 39863

9 Belza,
Mieczyslaw
BEM 1960 Sergeant 307 792358 41909

10 Binek,
Wieslaw Stanislaw
BEM 1952 Junior Technician Cranwell 709017 39555

11 Chmielowiec,
Andrzej Boguslaw
MBE 1952 Squadron Leader 500266 39555

12 Czarnecki,
Zibgniew Henryk
QCVS 1955 Master Pilot 302 780829 40366
QCVS 1958 Flying Officer 302 780829 41268

13 Florczak VM
Franciszek
MBE 1972 Squadron Leader 301 500045 45554

14 Gierzod,
Kazimierz
MBE 1951 Flight Lieutenant Cranwell 500357 39243

15 Gorny,
Kazimierz
AFM 1953 Flight Sergeant 794418 39863

16 Grobelny,
Wladyslaw
QCVS 1966 Flight Lieutenant 316 780566 44004

17 Grzybowski VM
Leszek Kazimierz
KCVS  1952 Flight Lieutenant 306 500414 39421
AFC 1953 Flight Lieutenant 306 500414 39732

18 Hemsley (Horoszko),
Tadeusz
QCVS 1956 Flight Lieutenant 304 501627 40787
AFC 1957 Flight Lieutenant 304 501627 41089

19 Hrycak,
Roman
QCVS 1960 Captain 306, 317 Pakistan AF 42051

20 Ignatowski DFM VM
Kajetan
AFC  1952 Flight Lieutenant 301 500665  39421

21 Jankiewicz,
Marian
QCVS 1964 Flight Lieutenant 315 704305 43200

22 Jankowski,
Stefan
QCVS 1955 Flight Sergeant 705558 40497

23 Kmiecik,
Jerzy
AFM 1952 Flight Sergeant 303 704441 39555
QCVS 1981 Flight Lieutenant 303 704441 48639

24 Kozlowski,
Leon
QCVS 1952 Flight Lieutenant 301 500034 39555

25 Kudrewicz,
Brunon Jerzy
QCVS 1954 Flight Lieutenant 303 501903 40188
AFC 1957 Flight Lieutenant 303 501903 41089
QCVS 1959 Flight Lieutenant 303 501903 41727

26 Ladro DFC VM
Andrzej
QCVS  1956 Flight Lieutenant 304 500233  40787

27 Maisner,
Aleksander
AFC 1956 Squadron Leader 500062 40669
CBE 1969 Group Captain 500062 44863

28 Malenczuk,
Julian Antoni
AFC 1952 Master Pilot 309 793842 39421

29 Miedzybrodzki VM
Leslaw Roman
KCVS  1951 Flight Lieutenant 304 500038 39104
AFC 1952 Flight Lieutenant 304 500038 39421

30 Mikolajewski,
Jerzy
MBE 1994 Warrant Officer G1946205 53893

31 Mondschein
Jan Wincenty
MBE 1955 Flight Lieutenant 301 500259 40366

32 Mudry,
Wlodimierz
QCVS 1955 Flying Officer 780416 40366

33 Naworynsky,
Michael Peter
OBE 2004 Wing Commander 8024026H 57315

34 Niezrecki DFM VM
Waclaw Tadeusz
AFC 1952 Master Pilot 300 782373 39555
QCVS 1967 Flight Lieutenant 300 782373 44210

35 Penczek,
Leopold
AFC 1956 Master Pilot 780123 40725

36 Pieniazek,
Adam
QCVS 1954 Master Pilot 304 780699 40188

37 Ploszek,
Henryk Rudolf
AFC 1967 Flight Lieutenant 4160525 44210
QCVS 1978 Squadron Leader 4160525 47549

38 Potocki VM
Wladyslaw Jan
QCVS 1953 Flight Lieutenant 315 500066 39863
QCVS 1955 Squadron Leader 315 500066 40366

39 Skibinski,
Bronislaw Jerzy
MBE 1953 Flight Lieutenant 309 500021 39732

40 Staszewski,
Michal
BEM 1962 Chief Technician 784891 42552

41 Stepniewski,
Tadeusz
BEM 1960 Flight Sergeant 307 704963 41909

42 Szota,
Bronislaw
QCVS 1952 Sergeant 300 705758 39555

43 Tarwid,
Aleksander
MBE 1976 Squadron Leader 794978 46777

44 Wandzilak DFC VM
Stanislaw
AFC 1956 Squadron Leader 303, 308 500039 40669
OBE 1958 Squadron Leader 303, 308 500039 41268
QCVS 1966 Group Captain 303, 308 500039 44004

45 Wardzinski VM
Erazm
QCVS 1956 Flight Lieutenant 302, 308 500070 40787

46 Wieczorek,
Sylwester
QCVS 1957 Master Pilot 307 781163 40960

47 Wier (Wierzbowski),
Tadeusz
AFC 1955 Flight Lieutenant 300 500238 40366

48 Zajaczkowski,
Waclaw
MBE 1962 Flight Lieutenant 301 500392 42552

Post-War Rank is NOT the final rank (ie, Air Vice-Marshall Maisner) but the rank at the time of the Honour Award (ie, 1969 CBE, Group Captain Maisner)

 


PHS_logo_subheadKey to Awards, Orders and Decorations

VM = Virtuti Militari
DFC = Distinguished Flying Cross
DFM = Distinguished Flying Medal
AFC = Air Force Cross
AFM = Air Force Medal
CBE = Ordinary Commander of the British Empire
OBE = Ordinary Officer of the British Empire
MBE = Ordinary Member of the British Empire
BEM = British Empire Medal
KCVS = King's Commendation for Valuable Service
QCVS = Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service

Dataset compiled by Christopher Marek Rencki FRAI

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