RAF/Polish medal group

[merdock]

Hi,
Help needed with this group they belong to the son of the receipient and have been in the frame for a very long time and will never be taken out,
The son knows very little about his father just a couple of things ,he would like to know what the 2 polish awards are for? criteria etc his father is listed in offical listings as being entitled to them .
Thanks for any help you can give him.#

Nice of you to write. I can confirm that Jozef S was a pilot with the 301st Squadron and awarded the 5th class Virtuti Militari #9664. One of the last VMs awarded which were made in 1920s.

His military rank at the time of the award was that of a Plutonowy, or PRIVATE first class. Many Polish pilots were enlisted and never promoted to officer rank. Your father later was promoted to Flight Lt. My father in the Polish Navy was a Chief Petty Officer.

You should have at least 15 Polish and 4 British of his decorations. If you do not then write for a copy of his military record at the British MOD. Read the attached letter
Regards
Prof. Z. Wesolowski

[scotty1418]

Hello,

Any info as to why he has a French pilots badge?

[merdock]

Hi,
Sorry have no idea why.

[skypilot]

301 Squadron was one of a number of Polish squadrons formed primarily using exiled Poles who had escaped to the UK. A fair few had come through and fought with the French in France and also via the Middle East so the French wings are not that unusual per se.

301 Squadron operated Wellington bombers and later, RAF configured US Liberators.

The Virtuti Militari (Centre, blue & black ribbon) was awarded in 5 classes. It was the highest Polish award for bravery in the face of the enemy. It is rare to see any of the higher classes. It was generally awarded during WW2 for sustained bravery over a period of time. Wesolowski's book confirms Jozef Stephani's award of VM 5th class (number 9664 - this will be stamped on the rear of the medal).

The second Polish award is the Cross of Valour (KV). It is a lower level gallantry award and appears quite often in Polish groups. The one shown has 2 bars signifiying 2 further awards of the medal. Up to 3 bars have been noted on some medals and are not that rare a sight.

The group is very nice, especially with the Polish officers cap badge and shoulder title which are highly collectable in their own right.

Full service records of the recipient should be available from the Sikorski Institute in London who hold comprehensive records of exiled Polish service personnel and will probably be able to supply full details of missions flown, bases, dates, personal information etc. They are generally extremely helpful.

I have owned a few groups like the one shown, including one to a fellow member of 301 squadron and they are very collectable. An excellent website covering Polish squadrons in the RAF can be found here: http://polishsquadronsremembered.com/

[skypilot]

I should also add that the badge below the French Pilots insignia is the squadron badge of 301 Sqdn. The chained eagle below the shoulder title is a Polish pilot's badge (would be interested to know which maker's name is on the reverse) and the blue circled badge with three "seagulls" is a rank insignia badge if I recall. I shall check my resource books on the final 2 badges. I recognise the top right one but the name escapes me at the moment.

[Gary Jucha]

Officer

Infantry and Motorised Cavalry Officers school - Scotland

[LuftMike]

Isn't the blue enamelled badge with the gulls an NSFK badge?

[Bob Hritz]

Isn't the blue enamelled badge with the gulls an NSFK badge?

Yes, this is a German glider badge.

Bob Hritz

[merdock]

Hi,
The Glider badge turns up regularly in polish groups are you sure it's german what are the letters below the gulls? If german i asssume that either the Germans trained prewar pilots .
Mark

[byterock]

Hi,
The Glider badge turns up regularly in polish groups are you sure it's german what are the letters below the gulls? If german i asssume that either the Germans trained prewar pilots .
Mark

As they should.

There where over 15,000 trained pilots and 20+ schools before the the war and they had the same sort of insignia (the gull wings) for pilot level.

Polish glider pilots and glider designs dominated most international competitions.

Needless to say wiped out by the war.

[Circuit'n'bump]

Jozef Stefani

I'm actually looking for more information on Jozef Stefani! can anyone help? i have photo or two here. I've been looking for years for information on him.

[skypilot]

I would strongly recommend you try the sources mentioned above, especially the Sikorski Institute.

Good luck.

[AngloPolack]

I should also add that the badge below the French Pilots insignia is the squadron badge of 301 Sqdn. The chained eagle below the shoulder title is a Polish pilot's badge (would be interested to know which maker's name is on the reverse) and the blue circled badge with three "seagulls" is a rank insignia badge if I recall. I shall check my resource books on the final 2 badges. I recognise the top right one but the name escapes me at the moment.

3 seagulls indicates a glider instructor. The script beneath the emblems is a cursive 'S' leaning against a 'P'.
The French insignia were related to a brief period he spent with the French Air Force in North Africa on his way to England via Gibraltar. He only ever mentioned time spent in Greece and Morocco after 9 days internment in Hungary. Apparently he and his group were something of an embarrassment to the Hungarian authorities. They were on parole but planning to steal a plane and fly to England (moral dilemma there!). Their CO told them he knew what they were planning and not to do it. A very short while later they were pretty much given a packed lunch and a train ticket and sent on their way. I have a few photos from somewhere sunny, presumably taken on the way. Oddly enough in several of them the group are wearing berets. There are quite a lot of photos from his service days, usually 6 or 7, presumably flight crews but unfortunately the backs are blank or just Hemswell 42 soI've no idea who else is there.
I've just had a look at the medal collection and see that in moving them about a couple have toppled over. I know from experience that I'll have to have the back off the case to right them. I'll leave it for a few days. If anyone has any questions regarding the backs etc. I'll possibly be able to answer them then.

[AngloPolack]

3 seagulls indicates a glider instructor. The script beneath the emblems is a cursive 'S' leaning against a 'P'.
The French insignia were related to a brief period he spent with the French Air Force in North Africa on his way to England via Gibraltar. He only ever mentioned time spent in Greece and Morocco after 9 days internment in Hungary. Apparently he and his group were something of an embarrassment to the Hungarian authorities. They were on parole but planning to steal a plane and fly to England (moral dilemma there!). Their CO told them he knew what they were planning and not to do it. A very short while later they were pretty much given a packed lunch and a train ticket and sent on their way. I have a few photos from somewhere sunny, presumably taken on the way. Oddly enough in several of them the group are wearing berets. There are quite a lot of photos from his service days, usually 6 or 7, presumably flight crews but unfortunately the backs are blank or just Hemswell 42 or similar so I've no idea who else is there. There are several large group photos and a number, apparently professionally taken, of General Sikorski's funeral.
I've just had a look at the medal collection and see that in moving them about a couple have toppled over. I know from experience that I'll have to have the back off the case to right them. I'll leave it for a few days. If anyone has any questions regarding the backs etc. I'll possibly be able to answer them then.

I also have his logbooks listing missions, duration and other crew.