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The Airmen's Stories - P/O W Rozycki

 

Wladyslaw Rozycki was born on 11th August 1907 in Poland. In 1928 he commenced his compulsory army service then transferred to the air force, training at the flying school at Bydgoszcz and then the School of Aviation in Deblin. In 1938 he was assigned to 141 Fighter Squadron. In the September campaign he destroyed a Hs126.

He was evacuated through Romania to France but elected to continue to England, where he was commissioned in the RAFVR on 13th February 1940 at RAF Eastchurch.

 

 

From 1st June 1940 he was at the Polish Wing at 3 School of Technical Training Blackpool, to await a posting. On 4th July Rozycki was attached to 15 EFTS Redhill, for testing and grading. He moved on to 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on the 18th.


On the 22nd he crashed on the aerodrome in Hurricane N2354 but was unhurt. After converting to Hurricanes he was posted to 238 Squadron at St. Eval on 19th August.

He destroyed a He111 on 11th September, damaged another on the 15th, shot down another on the 25th, destroyed a Me110 on the 28th and damaged a Me109 on 10th October.

Rozycki was posted to 306 Squadron at Ternhill on 20th November 1940. He was awarded the KW (gazetted 23rd December 1940) and Bar (gazetted 1st February 1941).

On 3rd May 1941 he went to 23 Squadron at Ford. He was awarded the VM (5th Class) (gazetted 10th September 1941). On 23rd April 1942 Rozycki joined 307 Squadron at Exeter. He was awarded a second Bar to the KW (gazetted 20th August 1942) and the DFC (gazetted 15th November 1942).


Tour-expired, he was posted to HQ 10 Group on 11th November 1942 as Polish Liaison Officer, remaining there until 28th May 1943, when he went to 54 OTU as an instructor.

Rozycki rejoined 23 Squadron, then at Sigonella, Italy on 4th October. The squadron returned to the UK in June 1944 and began bomber-support operations.

Rozycki was posted to 5 Ferry Unit on 22nd August 1945. He was released from the Polish Air Force in September 1946 and awarded a third Bar to the KW (gazetted 31st October 1947).

He settled in Melton Mowbray.

He later emigrated with his family to Canada where he died on 8th August 1970.


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