The Airmen's Stories - F/O J Borowski

Jan Borowski flew with the Warsaw Fighter Brigade in the Polish campaign and, flying a PZL P11c, claimed a Me109 destroyed on 1st September 1939 and shared a Do17 and a He111 on the 6th.

Escaping through Romania he arrived in France and served with GC III/6, flying MS406 aircraft from Le Luc, south of Dranguignan.

The Group was withdrawn to Algiers from where the Polish airmen made their way via Casablanca and Gibraltar to the UK. Borowski was posted to 5 OTU Aston Down where he converted to Hurricanes. He joined 302 Squadron at Northolt on 17th October 1940.

(Above image courtesy of the Sikorski Institute)

The next day, in very poor weather, his Hurricane P3930 WX-X crashed and burnt out while attempting to land on Kempton Park racecourse. It is thought that he may have struck a barrage balloon or its cable. F/O PEG Carter was also killed.

Borowski was 28 and is buried in Northwood Cemetery and commemorated on the Polish War Memorial at Northolt.

Below: the incident is commemorated on a plaque at Kempton Park racecourse.