STANISLAW POZIOMEK

He was a navigator, born on 22^nd March 1900 at Potoczek.  He trained and worked as a teacher.  From 1928 to 1931 he attended the Infantry Officer Cadet School at Ostrow Mazowiecka after which he was posted to the 36^th Infantry Regiment in Warsaw.  In December 1933 he attended a two year Observer training course at the Air Officers training school in Deblin, following which he was seconded to the 5^th Air Wing at Lida.

In 1938/39 he was at the Air Academy and was then transferred as permanent Air Force staff.  Like so many others, on the outbreak of war he made his way to England via Romania and France; once here he underwent further training and was posted to 305 Squadron.  In June 1941 he took command of A Flight and in October of that year he transferred to 304 Squadron, becoming Squadron Commander only a few weeks later on 14^th November 1941.  He remained there until 27^th July 1942.  During this time the squadron suffered very heavy losses and a shortage of replacements enforced its transfer  to Coastal Command.

He was transferred to the Polish Air Force Inspectorate but he became involved in a conspiracy against Air Vice Marshall Stanislaw Ujejski and as a result was sent to the internment camp at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, Scotland.  The exact nature of this conspiracy is not clear.  He was released after the death of General Sikorski in July 1943.  He returned to the Polish Inspectorate, clearly back in favour, and was promoted to Wing Commander.  His new role was Deputy Chief of Staff to the Inspector General of the Polish Air Force.

On a visit to 304 Squadron, to attend the farewell party of the departing Commander (W/Cdr Czeslaw Korbut), he flew on HF188 on an anti-submarine mission over the Bay of Biscay on the night of 10th/11^th April 1944.  He was flying as the guest of Squadron Leader Stanczuk. This aircraft was shot down by German night fighters and the entire crew were lost.  His body was washed ashore in Spain and he was buried in the British Cemetery at Bilbao; his was the only body recovered.

During his career he was awarded the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari on 21^st November 1941, ironically presented to him by AVM Ujejski, and the Cross of Valour (four times).  On 5^th September 1942 he won the British Distinguished Flying Cross, the citation for which read:

“On all his operational missions, this officer has displayed a high standard of navigational efficiency, great keenness and bravery. He has carried out attacks on many important targets both in Germany and German occupied territory and his determination is such that he has always made several runs over the target to ensure accuracy of bombing. On one occasion Squadron Leader Poziomek skilfully flew his aircraft back to this country although it had been hit in seven places by splinters from anti-aircraft shells. Throughout, this officer has displayed fine leadership and has contributed largely to the high standard of morale in his flight.”