.jpg)
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.
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.
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.
Not already a subscriber? Sign up to our website now & don’t miss out on future articles & newsletters
Struggling with your own Air Force Research? Contact us for a FREE Consultation Now