The Airmen's Stories - P/O J L Malinski

Jan Malinski, whose family was from Ostrzeszow in Poland, was born on 1st March 1917. On completion of his education he joined the Polish Army, transferring to the Air Force as an Officer Cadet.

In June 1939 he was posted to 132 Squadron, operating PZL P11c aircraft in support of ground forces. He shot down an He111 on 3rd September 1939 and a Me110 on 7th September. During the latter combat he was wounded and had to bale out.

After leaving hospital he returned to his home town Ostrzeszow but was then taken prisoner. He escaped in March 1940 and made his way via Hungary and Yugoslavia to France, where he enlisted in the Polish contingent of the French Air Force. After the collapse of France he made his way to England, arriving on 27th June 1940.

His was first posted to 302 Squadron at Leconfield on 20th August but then went to 5 OTU on 2nd September for conversion to Hurricanes. He returned to 302 on the 26th.

Malinski destroyed a Ju88 on 3rd March 1941. He was posted to 307 Squadron Operations Room on 28th June, moved to the Operations Room at RAF Exeter on 20th May 1942 and returned to 307 Operations Room on 1st December 1943. He resumed flying duties with 307 on 16th September 1944.

In early 1945 Malinski was posted to 229 Group Transport Command in South-East Asia Command, based at Allahabad, while there he was awarded the KW (gazetted 27th September 1945).

Released from the RAF in late 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant, he obtained a commercial pilots licence and joined the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation, later taking part in the Berlin Airlift.

He continued flying until retiring in 1972 and returning to Poland.

Malinski died on 6th February 2006 in Ostrzeszow, Poland.