I have always wondered if some of you might be able to shed a little light on this photograph. It came from the estate of an American Eagle Squadron pilot who flew with Squadron 71.
The back of the photograph says:
P/O Lukascowisz
Kirton Lindsay, Dec. 1940
Plane: Spitfire
I know that my pilot was based at Kirton Lindsay at that time, but this man’s name appears to be Polish or Chekoslovakian. I know that there were many Eastern European pilots flying with the RAF during WWII, but I have never been able to find this man’s name in any of the books that I have seen.
I have been lurking on the Flypast board for years, but I recently came across this photo again in my files and thought that this would be the perfect place to ask! Surely someone knows something!
Any help greatly appreciated!
Spriso
By: DazDaMan - 8th October 2005 at 02:11
A MkII?
By: spriso - 8th October 2005 at 00:37
Many thanks to all of you for the information– I have printed it out and added it to the file with the photograph!
Any guesses what Spitfire it is??? 🙂
Thanks again,
Spriso
By: VoyTech - 7th October 2005 at 12:06
P/O Marian Lukaszewicz was with 616 Sqn from 8.11.40 to 21.1.41 & they were based at Kirton-in-Lindsey from 9.9.40 to 26.2.41.
This is the man in the photo.
Porucznik (F/O) Marian Lukaszewicz, service no. P-0160. Born 21 June 1916. Graduated from the Polish AF College at Deblin, commissioned on 31 August 1939. Fought over Poland in September 1939 with 151 Eskadra Mysliwska (151st Fighter Flight). Got to France. Flew operationally in the Polish GC I/145. Arrived in Britain in June 1940. Posted to no. 302 (Polish) Sqn in August, but soon sent away for conversion training on British aircraft. In September 1940 posted to no. 307 (Polish) Sqn on Defiants. Dissatisfied with the role of a ‘gunbus-driver’, he applied for re-posting to a day fighting unit. Posted for further conversion training to no. 5 OTU, then to no. 303 (Polish) Sqn. In November 1940 reposted to no. 616 Sqn. In January 1941 reposted again, to no. 315 (Polish) Sqn then being formed. On 21 October he was credited with a confirmed victory. He was one of five no. 315’s pilots killed in the tragic Rhubarb mission on 23 November 1941. His decorations included Krzyz Walecznych (Cross of Valour) and two bars.
His body was lost in sea off Dunkirk, and he has no known grave (although he might be one of the unknown airmen whose bodies were washed ashore and who were buried in France, Belgium or Holland). He is remembered on the Polish AF memorial in Northolt, and on a similar memorial in Warsaw.
By: DazDaMan - 7th October 2005 at 09:13
P/O Kazimierz Lukaszewicz was killed on the 21.8.40.
That’s the one mentioned in the ITV programme. Couldn’t think how to spell his first name!
By: Geoff K - 7th October 2005 at 09:03
‘Poles in defence of Britain’ has no aircrew listed by the name of ‘Lukascowisz’, but it does list three Polish piolots by the name of ‘Lukaszewicz’
P/O Marian Lukaszewicz was with 616 Sqn from 8.11.40 to 21.1.41 & they were based at Kirton-in-Lindsey from 9.9.40 to 26.2.41.
P/O Kazimierz Lukaszewicz was killed on the 21.8.40.
P/O Stanislaw Lukaszewicz joined 317 Sqn on the 26.3.41 from 55 OTU which was not based at Kirton.
By: DazDaMan - 7th October 2005 at 08:37
The surname rings a bell as it was the name of one pilot mentioned in ITV’s Battle of Britain documentary in 2000, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the same guy I’m thinking of as I seem to remember he was KIA in August 1940.
About 95% certain the other Lukascowisz (pronounce Lookashovitz, I think) was Polish.
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October 7, 2005 at 7:28 am