Dowding's Eagles: Accounts of Twenty-Five Battle of Britain Veterans by Norman Franks

Author:Norman Franks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / Aviation
ISBN: 9781473844216
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2015-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

The operation was another Circus – Circus No.4 – six Blenheims attacking the docks at Dunkirk. The attackers were 109s from IV/JG51 and I/LG2, which bounced 249, shooting down one Hurricane whose pilot baled out and was taken prisoner. In the subsequent air fight, Maciejowski, Sergeant G C C Palliser3 and Sergeant S Brzeski each claimed a 109 shot down. Miki had accounted for Unteroffizier Karl Ryback of LG2, who crashed into the sea. He did not bale out, so Miki may have seen the 109’s canopy jettisoned and assumed the pilot would quickly follow. Two other Hurricanes were damaged by pilots of JG51. Until now, 249 had been soldiering on with Hurricane Mark Is but the arrival at this time of Hurricane Mark II was to be a marked improvement.

Miki was posted to 317 Polish Squadron on 18 February (arriving on the 25th) which was in the process of being formed at RAF Acklington. Once operational the squadron became engaged on convoy patrols with the odd abortive scramble. He had missed the upgrade to the Hurricane II with his posting from 249 but these arrived on 317 in July, and by the autumn they began changing over to the Spitfire Vb. The squadron’s first two COs had been British, but in June Squadron Leader Stanisław Brzezina took command and in August, Squadron Leader Henryk Szczęsny. In the Battle of Britain both these men had been with 74 Squadron, known as ‘Sneezy’ and ‘Breezy’.

In April Miki was awarded the Polish Cross of Valour, followed by a second Bar to his KW in August, and the British Distinguished Flying Medal in the spring. The recommendation for the DFM was put forward by Wing Commander Beamish on 12 February 1941. It stated:

‘This Pilot N.C.O. has proved to be a cool and determined fighter pilot who always shows a calm, yet extremely resolute intention of destroying the enemy. His courage and example are admired by all ranks. He has destroyed five enemy aircraft besides damaging several others.’

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