Michal BRZEZOWSKI
Polish Air Firce
Michał Brzezowski was born in the town of Dawidgrodek on 26 II 1920.
Michał graduated from flight school in 1939 as a fighter pilot in the Polish Air Force. When Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, he fought with his squadron based at Wilno in northeast Poland. On September 18 he crossed the Romanian border by air, and eventually reached France with most of the Polish Air Force.
He underwent conversion training on French aircraft and was posted to a Polish fighter section of French Groupe de Chasse II/6. In early June 1940, he was shot down in air combat, but on June 15 he shared an enemy kill.
Following the fall of France, Michał was evacuated to Britain, arriving on 7 July 1940. After another short conversion training, he was posted to the newly formed Polish 303 Squadron.
On September 11 1940 Michał downed two He 111 bombers during the Battle of Britain. However, only four days later he was shot down and killed over the Thames Estuary in Hurricane I no. P3577. His body was not recovered and his plane was lost.
He was posthumously awarded the Cross of Valour.
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Source: Information from the appendix of the book "303 Squadron: The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron," a chronicle of Polish 303 Squadron's finest hour written by Arkady Fiedler during World War II.
Copyright 303 Squadron - The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron