Bolesław Własnowolski
Bolesław Andrzej Własnowolski (29 November 1916 – 1 November 1940) was a Polish flying ace credited with four individual and one shared victories in World War II.[2]
Bolesław Własnowolski | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Vodka (RAF nickname)[1] |
| Born | 29 November 1916 Kraków, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 1 November 1940 (aged 23) Chichester, United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |  Poland United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  Polish Air Force Royal Air Force |
| Rank | Flight Officer (RAF) |
| Service number | P.76736 (RAF) [2] |
| Unit | |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Własnowolski was a pilot for the Polish Air Force in the September Campaign of 1939, flying with 122 Eskadra during the conflict, claiming a Dornier Do. 17 shared destroyed on 2 September.
Escaping to the West, he then served with the Royal Air Force, flying Hurricanes with No. 32, from 8 August to 13 September before a posting to No. 607 during the Battle of Britain. He claimed a Bf 109 on 15 August, and a Do. 17 shared ( of KG 76) and a Bf. 109 (of JG 26) on 18 August.[3] Another Do. 17 was claimed on 15 September, and two days later he joined No. 213 Squadrons.[1]
He was shot down and killed in combat with Bf 109s over Portsmouth on 1 November 1940, and buried in Chichester, England.
Memorial
There is a poignant memorial to Własnowolski., by the side of the path to Kingley Vale from Stoughton, next to the field where his Hurricane crashed in November 1940.[4]
Footnotes
- Gretzyngier 1998, pp. 21–22
- Gretzyngier 1998, p. 86
- Aces High; Shores and Williams, page 643
- http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/18864/Memorial-Hawker-Hurricane-Fighter-Stoughton.htm
References
- Gretzyngier, Robert (1998). Polish Aces of World War 2. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-855-32726-0.