JAN BLAZEJEWSKI

He was born on 4th February 1904 at Winnica Podole. He trained as a pilot at the Aviation Cadet School in Deblin and graduated on 15th August 1933 as a Second Lieutenant and was attached to 6th Air Regiment as an observer. Between 17th May and 6th October 1934 he was back on the strength of the Cadet School to complete his training at the Squadron Pilot School in Sadkow.

He fought in the September Campaign between 1st and 16th September 1939 and was then evacuated to Romania, then on to France, and finally to Great Britain where he eventually joined 304 Squadron.

On 16th December 1941 he took off in Vickers Wellington R1064 from RAF Lindholme, in Lincolnshire, on a mission to bomb the docks at Ostend in Belgium. His aircraft was seen to plunge into the sea and the whole crew perished; the cause remains a mystery. His was one of the four bodies recovered and he was buried in the Duinkerken Town Cemetery, France.

He was posthumously awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari on 21st November 1941 by Air Vice Marshal Ujejski for bravery in action. He also won the British Distinguished Flying Cross for courage and exemplary leadership after twenty bombing missions over France, Germany and Continental Europe (more than 120 hours). This was recommended on 31st July 1941 by Air Vice Marshall Oxland.



                   

An informal pre-war photo

Photo courtesy of Aircrew Remembrance Society

DFC Recommendation courtesy of Chris Kropinski
Informal photo courtesy of Lech Blazejewski