The Airmen's Stories - P/O W J Glowacki

Witold Jozef Glowacki was born in Berlin to Polish parents on 30th October 1913, they moved to Poland after the First World War.

He enlisted in the Polish Air Force and in 1937 graduated with high marks from the Fighter School at Deblin, where he remained as an instructor.

He flew with the Deblin Defence Flight until the Polish collapse and then made his way via Romania to England, arriving in early January 1940. He was commissioned in the RAFVR on 27th January at RAF Eastchurch.

He moved to the Polish Wing of 3 School of Technical Training at Blackpool on 1st June 1940 then went on No. 3 Polish Pilots Course at No. 1 School of Army Co-operation, Old Sarum for testing and grading.

The course ran from 22nd to 29th July. Glowacki went to 7 OTU Hawarden the next day and after converting to Hurricanes he joined 145 Squadron at Westhampnett on 12th August.

He was attached to 253 Squadron at Turnhouse from 16th to 20th August, when he rejoined 145 Squadron. He moved to 605 Squadron at Drem on 31st August. Glowacki claimed a Me110 destroyed on 11th September. He destroyed a Me110 on the 23rd.

On 24th September, with F/Lt. IJ Muirhead of 605, he chased a Do17 to the French coast. They were attacked by three Me109s and Glowacki was shot down in Hurricane P3832.

Although photographs have been found showing him alive but injured after the crash (above), he subsequently died (possibly from a severe reaction to an anti-tetanus injection) and is buried in Guines Communal Cemetery, France.

He was 26 years old.

He was awarded the VM 5th Class on 1st February 1941.