Thursday 30 September 2010

ALEKSANDER OKROJ

He was an instrument mechanic, born on 27th February 1915 at Radom. In 1931 he joined the training school in Bydgoszcz and qualified as an aircraft mechanic in 1934. He was sent straight from the school to the 2nd Air Regiment in Krakow. He was promoted to corporal on 1st January 1939 and transferred a few weeks later to Warsaw where he trained as an instrument mechanic. He took part in the September Campaign, working under difficult and dangerous conditions before being evacuated.

His route is not known but he arrived in France on 20th January 1940 and was posted to the 108th Air Battalion at Montpellier but, on the fall of France, he made his way to England arriving here on 1st July 1940.

Nothing is known of his training regime in Britain but he served with 304 Squadron until they were disbanded in December 1946. He ended his service with them as head of the section responsible for maintenance of instrumentation. During his service he was awarded the Bronze Cross of Merit and the Air Medal (three times).

After his demobilisation, he set up his own watch repair business in the Nottingham area, where the squadron had spent so much time. He died on 5th November 1976.

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