The relationship
between the United Kingdom and Poland was cordial in 1938, when Cardington was
first opened on 24th September 1938, the I
nspector of Air Defence of Poland and
the Polish Military and Polish Air Attache visited the station. In
September 1939, when the German forces
overwhelmed Poland and all organised
resistance was compelled to cease, many officers, NCO's and men of the former
Polish Balloon Battalions,
the 1st Battalion of Torun and the 2nd Battalion of
Legionowo, crossed the Rumania and Hungarian frontiers. In certain cases they
made the
crossing as whole units, consisting of Observer Balloon and Barrage
Balloon Companies, but in many instances , many officers and men who were
unable
to rejoin their parent units, made their own crossings individually. From
Hungary
and
Rumania
, these officers and men, in groups or
singly escaped from the concentration
camps in which they were interned and eventually arrived in France .
Here, the Polish
Balloon Units were not yet organised and therefore these men were detached for
various other duties in the Polish Air Force or
were transferred to other
branches of the service. After the collapse of
France
and following an order given by the Commander in Chief of the
Polish Forces,
these men once again successfully made their escape, this time to
Great Britain
. Thirty-seven officers and about 350 N. C. O.'s and
men of the former Polish
Balloon Units landed in this country and were directed to an assembly point in
Blackpool
.
In 1940 when the defences of Great Britain against enemy air attacks
were extended and many additional Balloon Squadrons formed, it was
thought that these men, all of whom had had experience in balloons, could be
engaged in this particular branch of the service, where they could
play their
part in the defense of Great Britain at the same time continue their fight
against Germany.
The former chief of the Balloon Department in the Headquarters of the Polish Air
Force in Poland who had been appointed Polish Liaison
Officer to Headquarters
Balloon Command, and who was the senior Staff Officer of the Polish Balloon
Units, submitted a project to the
Headquarters of the Polish Air Force in
London, that the British authorities be approached with a view to forming a
Polish Balloon Unit that could
be used in the defence of Great Britain. This
proposal was favourably considered by the British authorities and in October,
1940, the first group of
Polish balloon airmen was sent for special training to
Cardington. There they received instruction, and gained the necessary knowledge
of
ballooning at it then applied
in Great Britain, under the supervision of Wing Commander G. J. Rayner.
On 20th December,1940 after they had completed their training, these operators
were posted to Glasgow and there as part of No. 945
Squadron, they commenced to
fulfill operational duties on the balloon sites allotted to them. In the early
part of 1941, these Polish airmen were
fully employed on four balloon sites, and
were attached to "C" flight, No. 945 Squadron, Royal Air Force, under
the command of Flight Lieutenant
J. Livington who was at that time "C"
flight commander. No.945 Squadron was commanded by Wing Commander J. V.
Garmonsway, which came
under No. 18 Balloon Centre at Bishopbriggs, Glasgow,
commended by Group Captain W. H Dolphin and was part of No.34 Group under the
command of Air Commodore Bastid. As more and more of them completed their
training at Cardington, it was possible to increase the number of
sites operated
by them until a complete flight was eventually formed, manned entirely by Polish
personnel. This flight consisted of five officers
and one hundred and forty N.
C. O.s and airmen which formed "B" flight of 945 Squadron under the
command of Flight Lieutenant W. Z. Zielinski.
The following officers also served
with the Polish Balloon flight at N0. 945 Squadron
.
Flying
Officer K. Kaliaz, who was later posted to Headquarters Polish Air Force.
Flying Officer W. CzechK, who was
later posted to Headquarters Polish Air Force.
Flying Officer J. A. Szyf, who fulfilled the duties of R. A. F. interpreter and
Administrative Officer to the Polish Balloon Flight from the time of
its
formation.
It must be mentioned here that in March and April 1941, Glasgow, was the target
for two heavy and many smaller enemy air raids, in which
the Polish
Balloon Flight took part in the defence of the city.
On 16th April 1941, Group Captain Iwaszkiewicz, Deputy Inspector of Polish Air
Force, visited Cardington Station. The ORB states: "This officers visit
marked the inauguration of an additional ceremony to the daily ensign
hoisting,
i.e. the Polish ensign was hoisted underneath that of the Royal Air Force (the
ensigns are to be so hoisted as a permanent procedure).
The Polish contingent
was on parade at full strength and a Polish Guard was mounted in addition to the
R.A.F. guard. The National Anthem of
Poland and Great Britain were rendered by
the Station Band at the ceremony."
Service with No. 945 Squadron continued until 20th July, 1942, when the Polish
Balloon Flight moved to Donibristle House, Aberdour, Fife;
there its new flight
headquarters was established and they became "E" flight of No. 929
Squadron, Royal Air Force, South Queensferry, (
West
Lothian
). At the time of the transfer, No.945 Squadron was commanded by Wing Commander
W. V. Dumbreck, under the command of Group
Captain D. O. Smallwood, C. B. E., T.
D., D. L., officer commanding No.18 Balloon Centre and was part of No.34 Group
under the command of Air
Commodore P. L. Lincoln, D. S. O.,M. C., as Air Officer
Commanding No. 34 Group.
On
the 20th October 1942 Air-Vice Marshall Vjetski, Polish A.O.c., visited
Cardington station.
The Balloon Barrage of the Polish Flight, was intended to give protection to the
Forth
Bridge
, Rosyth Dockyard and Donibristle Fleet Air Arm
Aerodrome. Whilst with No. 929
Squadron, this Polish flight experienced many small air raids in this area in
the course of their duties.
During the period that
the Polish flight was with No.929 Squadron, facilities were offered by Balloon
Command to enable Polish balloon operator
N.C.O's to increase their knowledge of
ballooning by attending an advance balloon handling course at Pucklechurch and
Cardington. This was of
great importance to these men who will in future become
instructors to Balloon Units in
Poland
. Also, with thanks to, Balloon Command, many
Polish balloon operators received
special training on waterborne sites, and for this purpose, they were attached
to "C" flight No. 929 Squadron, for
a period of twelve months.
On 1st March 1943, Squadron Leader S. Mazurek, P.9888 Technical, was attached
to Manchester for special duties, he returned to the Station at
Cardington on
21st March 1943.
Polish airmen of this flight also formed a crew for a Mark XI balloon, which was
to be used for parachute training and for this purpose they were
sent to No.10
Balloon Centre, where they received a special course of instruction. On
completion of their training, this crew was then detached to
Bonnytown Camp,
Strathvithie,Fife, Scotland,where they manned the balloon for training Polish
and other allied paratroops. It must be mentioned
also, that many of the Polish
balloon operators were given the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the
work which was carried out at the
Admiralty Shore Servicing Stations, where Mark
VI balloons were serviced and which were used for convoy work. All this training
has given the
Polish balloon operators great experience and a wide knowledge of
every type of balloon used in
Great Britain
by Balloon Command of the Royal
Air Force, which is very important to these men
as they are considered to be the nucleus of the future balloon Units in
Poland
.
Under the command of Flight Lieutenant M. H. Ptasinski, the following officers
served with the Polish Balloon flight whilst at No. 929 Squadron,
South Queens
ferry.
Flying Officer S. Foltanski
Flying Officer K. Bialowas
Flying Officer M. Ziolczynski
Flying Officer J. Paczosa - later posted to Headquarters Polish Air Force
Flying Officer J.A, Szyf - who continued his duties as RAF interpreter and
Administrative Officer.
From January 1943, No.929 Squadron was commanded by Wing Commander J. M.
Todd., D. F. C., T. D., and after reorganisation, the unit came
under No.15
Balloon Centre commanded firstly by Group Captain R. Caley., M. C. and latterly
by Group Captain, D. O. Smallwood, C. B. E., T. D., D.
L., and was part of No.33
Group. commanded by Air Commodore J. G. Murray.
On
2nd April 1943, Flying Officer J.Paczosa,P.1521 was attached to the Balloon
Development Establishment from No.929 Squadron, he returned to
No.929 Squadron on 4th
April 1943. On 17th May 1943 Squadron Leader S. Mazurek, P.9888 technical, was
detached to Henlow for Parachute
Training, he returned on 29th May 1943. on 2nd
June 1943, Squadron Leader S. Mazurek, P.9888 technical, was detached to London
for Kite
Balloon Duties, he returned on 4th June 1943.
On
15th June 1943 Squadron Leader S. Mazurek, P.9888 technical, was posted from
Balloon Development Establishment to Polish Inspectorate
General, London. On 7th
February 1944, Flying Officer A. Kalisz, P.0787 was attached to Cardington from
No. 11 Balloon Centre until 12 February
1944.
On June 15th, 1944,
Germany
started a new type of warfare against
England
, when they launched a missile known as the "V1" or doodlebug,
which
caused a great loss of life and extensive damage to London and the southern
counties. As the danger of these missiles became greater,
Balloon Command gave
an order that all units at their disposal, should proceed to the south of
England to form a "Curtain Barrage", as one of the
defences against
these flying bombs and so, on July 3rd 1944, the Polish Balloon flight as a
body, received orders to proceed to Cardington where
all the necessary equipment
was issued. The Polish flight was then attached to No. 950 Squadron from Scapa
Flow and as "E" flight of this unit they
deployed at Outwood, Surrey,
where they flew their twenty-two balloons as part of the "Curtain
Barrage". Now being part of No. 950 Squadron,
the Polish flight came under
the command of Wing Commander M. V. Maloney and under No.24 Balloon Centre at
Hull, commanded by Group
Captain A. P. Besley, forming part of 30 Group,
commanded by Air Commodore A. P. Lincoln., D. S. O., M. C.
On
4th July 1944 Flying Officer S. Foltanski, A&SD, P.0648, Flight Lieutenant M
Ptaskinski Balloon P.426, Pilot Officer J.A. Szyff, A&SD, 62767 and
Flying
Officer K. Hialowas, Balloons P.1748 were attached to Cardington from 929
Squadron returning 10th July 1944,,14th July 1944 and 15th
July 1944
Owing to the rapid advance of the allied armies
in France and the capture of Germanys launching sites there, they, the Germans,
started to
launch their Flying Bombs from bases in Belgium and Holland and so,
on August 26th, 1944, Balloon Command, in order to prevent the missiles
from
penetrating in the London area, ordered No. 950 Squadron, which included the
Polish flight, to occupy new positions in North Kent,
consequently "E"
flight headquarters were set up at Cooling Castle, Cliffe, which is in the
vicinity of Rochester and Chatham on the banks of the
Thames estuary. With this
transfer, No.950 Squadron then came under No. 23 Balloon Centre, commanded by
Group Captain R. B. Dowling. Thanks
to further advances of the allied armies in
Belgium and Holland, the launching of these flying bombs became only sporadic
and it was therefore
decided, by higher authorities, to dissolve the
"Curtain Barrage", and subsequently on September 23rd 1944, the Polish
flight received an order to
deflate all twenty-two balloons and be prepared to
move to No. 15 Balloon Centre, Newcastle on Tyne, to await further orders.
In
remembrance of the Polish Balloon Unit which served in
Great Britain, the Commander -in -Chief of the Polish Forces at the request of
the
Air Officer, Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Air Force, approved the
Honorary Polish Balloon Badge and granted that it was to be issued to all
Polish
Balloon Personnel.
(I
have been unable to locate an image of one of these- can you help?)
The Air Officer Commander-in -Chief of the Polish Air Force, Air Vice-Marshall
M. Izycki, at the request of Squadron Leader H. Grabowski, Polish
Liaison
Officer to Headquarters Balloon Command, presented many officers of the Royal
Air Force with one of these badges in appreciation of their
services with Polish
balloon flight.
In
accordance with the tradition of the Polish Balloon Units in
Poland
, this Polish Flight in
Great Britain, observed September the 15th, as their
Commemoration Day.
In
conclusion, it must be added that Balloon Command, at the request of the Polish
Liaison Officer, granted to Polish Officers, opportunities for
them to be
employed in various offices under Balloon Command, in order that they may widen
their knowledge and so in consequence, Squadron
Leader S. Mazurek and Flying
Officer J. Paczossa were engaged on the construction of all types of balloons at
Cardington. These Polish Officers
were employed in the Balloon Development at
Cardington where they were engaged on the construction of all types of balloons,
one of them
carrying out the work on the prototype of Kite Balloon
"P".
Squadron Leader W. Z. Zielinski, after relinquishing the post as commander of
the Polish flight on December 1st .1942, was attached for
operational duties at
No. 6 Balloon Centre, Wythall,
Birmingham
, then to No. 906 Squadron in
London
and later to No.911 Squadron.,
Chelmsford.
Squadron Leader W. Z. Zielinski was posted for duties in the Operations room of
Nos.22 and 23 Balloon Centres at the time
of forming of the
"Curtain Barrage". A special task was assigned to
him and in particular he was given the opportunity to become acquainted with the
exigencies of
the cooperation between Balloon Command and Fighter Command and
other units designed for the aerial defence of Great Britain .
Squadron Leader H. Filipowicz was given the opportunity to become acquainted
with waterborne balloon sites, in Plymouth, Sheerness and
lastly
with No. 929 Squadron, South Queensferry, Scotland, he gained valuable
knowledge and experience in this branch of balloons.
Flight Lieutenant K. Pictrowicz, whilst at No.1 Balloon Centre, Kidbroke, was
employed in the engineering and hydrogen sections, which
enabled him to extend
his knowledge in this particular specialised work.
During the period of their operation as a Polish Balloon Flight, the
Commander-in -Chief of the Polish Forces at the request of the Air Officer,
Commander -in-Chief of the Polish Air Force, awarded to several Polish officers
and men, the Cross of Merit, as a reward for their devotion to duty
and for the
excellent work whilst serving in Great Britain, and in addition for their
services in France and during the German-Polish campaign.
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