JAN MATEJACK

He was born on 29th April 1922 in Merrghole, Germany and in 1938 he joined the training school in Swiecie. Due to the outbreak of war his course could not be completed and he was evacuated from his base at Moderowka to Romania. There are no details of his route but he went via Syria and arrived in France on 22nd January 1940.

He remained there until the fall of France, after which he made his way to England. At this early stage of the war, he may have arrived at RAF Eastchurch in Kent. There is no further detail of his life until 1st September 1941 when he started his pilot training – which he finished on 15th July 1942.

From there he went to 4 Air Gunnery School at RAF Morpeth in Northumberland to acquire flying experience. This suggests that he was flying Blackburn Bothas which carried the trainee air gunners or possibly flying the target tugs. This lasted until April 1943 when he returned to the Blackpool Depot. On 15th January 1944 he began a navigator course on completion of which he was posted to 304 Squadron on 3rd March 1944. At this time they were engaged in anti-submarine warfare based at RAF Predannack in Cornwall and flying long missions out over the Bay of Biscay.

During his service he was awarded the Cross of Valour twice and the Air Medal.

He survived the war and died in the USA in February 1970.