Next stop Poland. Why Poland? Well my Dad was Polish, born on the 27th Nov. 1918, in a place called Luck, Poland, to Katarzyna and Marek Dowgalski. He had two brothers;Tadeusz, and Jerzy the youngest of the brothers, who was lost in the last days of the war. Dad was the oldest. Luck used to be part of Eastern Poland. After the war it became part of the Soviet Russia Ukraine. Now Ukraine is an independent republic. The boys spent their childhood there. Dad was in Poland at the outbreak of the Second World War. When the German Forces invaded Poland he decided to escape to England and fight with the Free Polish Air Force. He made his way across Europe finally reaching Spain where he was provided with passage to England. A fellow friend accompanied Dad on this arduous determined journey. On reaching England Dad joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Non British personal could only enlist in the Reserve as the Polish Air Force had not yet been reformed. Dad was given the rank of Flight Sergeant and posted to a flying training school. Dad could already fly as he was a qualified glider pilot in Poland with 150 hours logged, but they all had to pass through the flying school. The first aeroplanes they flew were Tiger Moth bi-planes. Slowly they progressed through the various types of war planes.During this period of 1941 to 43 the Polish flyers were known to be very impatient in the want to fly combat mission. They had the reputation of being fearless, and soon established themselves as been a force to be reckoned with. The Luftawaffe (German Air Force) called them mad, because a lot of the Poles when out of ammunition would fly their planes into the enemy to bring them down. During the two years of training Dad flew Hurricane, Anson, Botha, Miles Master, The Miles Martinet, Fairy Battler, and finally the fighter of the day..The mighty SPITFIRE! On training in the Spitfire Dad had to qualify in various skills, such as navigation, cinecamera and attack methods, gunnery, bomber affiliation, night flying, dive bombing, escape evasion, low flying techniques and many other highly necessary skills to fly and survive the perils of war time, and to make a difference. Finally Dad was given his fighter pilots wings, unique to the Poles, The Screaming Eagles. Dad qualified as above average. This promotion to Warrant Officer Pilot was considered quite high in the ladder of rank. Dad was posted to 306 Squadron, an all Polish Squadron, and converted to Mustangs, the latest American fighter plane. During this period Dad flew many missions as Bomber escort to Emden, Esson, Osnaburg and the German Rhur. It has been confirmed that Dad flew fighter cover on the Operation Market Garden, which was the air born invasion of Arnhem in Holland, a very intense operation. During this operation he was wounded by german anti aircraft fire, and was fortunate to make it back to base. The full story I do not know. He was awarded the Polish Medal of Valour, which I belief to be one award below the British Medal of Valour, which is rated one award under the British Victorian Cross! When dad recovered from his wounds the allies were well into Europe and he resumed flying Mustangs. His next operation was with the Dam Busters 607 Squadron where he flew as gun emplacement destroyers over the Kemb Dam...he was awarded the bar to his Medal of Valour for this operation...In late 1944 he flew continually on fighter missions over Holland, Belgium and Germany. Dad shot up 4 locomotives, 1 troop train, railway yards and factories, and provided escort all over Germany. On the 8th of May 1945 the German Forces surrended and the fighting was finally over. V.E.Day! From the 10th of May until the 6th of September 1945 Dad flew non hostile duty, and was posted to 303 Squadron, a Polish Squadron. Finally the 11th of May 1947 Dad was de-mobbed from the Air Forces and returned to civilian life. I dont know much detail after this. He met and married Mum an English girl on the 3rd May 1945, during the latter stage of the war. My oldest sister was born in England in 1946. They immigrated to New Zealand, leaving England on the 21st November 1947 for Wellington on the T.S.S Rimutaka, where they naturalized and took the name Grant. Dad took up gliding again and became a prominent figure in world class gliding. The rest of us kids were born in New Zealand. Dad was a fine and courageous man and I am very proud of him. So where too from here? Did Dad walk the same Camino that I was going to embark? He was a pilgrim in a true sense. Dad never did return to Poland, but in 1971 Dad and Mum gave my cousin Chris the opportunity to immigrate to New Zealand. Chris will meet us in Warsaw from New Zealand. He has returned home to Poland numerous times. How, how lucky are we to have our own personal guide and interpreter to introduce us to family and show us beautiful Poland and to forefill the many questions we have...
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 04:10:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015