Mieczyslaw Marcinkowski was born on 24 February 1919 in Rytwiany in the Staszow district of Poland. After completing his education in 1936 he joined the Polish Air Force and entered the NCO Training School at Bydgoszcz.

 

He qualified as a bomber pilot at Krosno in 1939 and was posted to the Training Squadron of the 1st Air Regiment in Warsaw.

 

He saw combat during September 1939, before escaping to Romania on 18 September. He succeeded in reaching France but decided to head for England and the RAF. He arrived in England via Beirut and Marseilles on 9 February 1940.

 

After assessment he was processed into the Polish Air Force in Britain on 6 August and posted to No. 1 School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum. On 1 September he was transferred to 6 OTU Sutton Bridge to convert to Hurricanes. He joined 151 Squadron at Digby, and in October he was posted to 501 Squadron at Kenley.

 

Sgt. Marcinkowski was posted missing after his second operational flight with 501 Squadron. He was reported missing after a squadron patrol on 1 November 1940. He had last been seen heading for the French coast His Hurricane V7405 separated from the squadron formation and suddenly dived towards the sea. The cause of his death is unknown but may be attributable to the oxygen system freezing, causing Mieczyslaw to lose consciousness. No trace of him was ever found.

 

Sgt. Marcinkowski is commemorated at the Polish Air Force Memorial in Northolt.

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Copyright: Marcinkowski family

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