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Clare Wilson

Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947

A recently released collection on Ancestry captures information about the 16,868 Polish airmen who served in Great Britain during World War II. This collection also includes records of individuals who served in other divisions of the Polish Air Force (PAF) in Britain, such as women in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), personnel from the Aviation Inspectorate, and Polish volunteers.


The creation of this list was initiated in 1998 when the Polish Air Force Association in Great Britain decided to compile a complete roster of those who served in Great Britain. The initial list was later expanded to include information about where each service member lived after 1947, as well as details related to their dates of death and burial locations, if known.

Mural at the Polish Aviation Museum ©AAFR 2023

In September 1939, when Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland, the country fell within five weeks. Tens of thousands of Polish servicemen travelled to France to continue the fight. The Polish Air Force was established in France under agreements between the Polish government-in-exile and the French government.


The first Polish pilots arrived in Great Britain as early as December 1939, with Polish women joining the WAAF shortly thereafter. Quickly trained in the English language and on British aircraft, the Polish Air Force played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain, successfully preventing many German bombers from reaching British targets.


Memorial in Memory of the Valiant Airmen who brought Aid & Hope to Occupied Poland 1941-1944 - Krakow. ©AAFR 2023

This collection contains transcribed records derived from the originally compiled list. However, researchers should exercise caution, as misspellings and inaccuracies may have occurred during the processing of Polish personnel by British officers.


If you locate a person's RAF service number within this collection, you can use it to request their service records through the Ministry of Defence.


What is contained in the transcribed record?


The entry may include the following information: 

·  Name

·  Military Rank

·  Polish Rank

·  Date of birth

·  Place of Birth

·  Dates of Service

·  Occupation

·  Known or Last Assignment or Post

·  Decorations

·  RAF Service Number

·  Resident Place

·  Death Date

·  Burial Place

 

I had a browse of these documents and have provided one to give an example of one record for Tadeusz Nowicki:- 

Name

Tadeusz Nowicki

Military Rank

Flight Sergeant

Poland Rank

Plutonowy

Birth Date

21 paź 1922 (21 Oct 1922)

Birth Place

Woranów, Ukraina (Ukraine)

Military Date

1940-1947

Occupation

Radiooperator

Known or Last Assignment/Post

300 Db

Decorations

2xML

RAF Service Number

706671

Residence Place

Polska

Death Date

24 lip 2002 (24 Jul 2002)

Burial Place

York, Wlk. Brytania

 

Yes, an Ancestry subscription is required to view the records in this collection. If you do not wish to purchase the rather costly subscription for one or two entries, please feel free to get in touch. As a professional genealogist, I have access to all major subscription websites so can easily obtain these on your behalf.


Additionally, we have recently posted a comprehensive list of the subscription site collections available for Air Force research on our website. If you would like us to consult these collections on your behalf, please reach out.

 

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