Henryk Szczesny

Polish Air Force

Henryk Szczesny was born in Ruszkow, Warsaw on 27 March 1910 and joined the Polish Air Force in 1931. He went to the Cadet School at Deblin and was commissioned in 1933, joining the 5th Air Regiment and later moving to the 3rd Air Regiment as a fighter pilot.

He fought in the September 1939 Campaign in Poland, evacuated to Romania, was in hospital in Bucharest and later escaped on a Greek ship which took him to Malta. He went to France, then to England. He joined the RAF Eastchurch on 20 February 1940.

Henryk oversaw a platoon of Polish cadets at Manston and was then at the Polish Wing of the Technical Training School in Blackpool. He was sent to 5 OTU Aston Down and after converting to Spitfires joined 74 Squadron, was eventually posted to 302 Squadron's Operations Room, and later 317 Squadron.

In 1942, he was assigned as Polish Liaison Officer at HQ 10 Group, then to HQ 12 Group. He was then appointed Squadron Leader of the Polish Wing at Northolt. He was leading the Wing on 4th April 1943, escorting American bombers detailed to attack the Renault factory near Paris. On the way back they were attacked by Fw190s. He shot one down and collided with another. Bailing out, he was captured by a German patrol and was held in Stalag Luft 3.

Awards:

Virtuti Militari Cross (5th Class)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Cross of Valour with bar (3 times)
Air Force medal
1939 Defence of Poland medal
1939-1945 War medal
Defence medal

Henryk returned to the UK in 1945 and was posted to RAF Coltishall and attached to HQ 12 Group for liaison duties, then went to 4 RU East Wretham as Senior Admin Officer. He stayed in the RAF postwar, in the Fighter Control Branch.

He retired on 27 March 1965 as a Flight Lieutenant, retaining the rank of Squadron Leader. He died in London on 25 July 1996 at the age of 86 years.

Source: Several Facebook posts