The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. A Siudak

Antoni Siudak was born on 1st April 1909 in Imbramowice, north of Krakow, Poland. He enlisted in the Polish Air Force on 28th October 1930 and was posted to the 12th Squadron of the 1st Air Regiment in Warsaw.

He carried out his flying training at Bydgoszcz and Grudziadz, graduating on 21st November 1933 and being posted to the 114th Fighter Squadron. He went in 1934 to the 112th Fighter Squadron.

In 1935 he was serving with the 1st Air Regiment but was posted as an instructor to the Academy in Deblin the following year. In the September campaign he was not operational but involved in getting men and machines to Romania.

After the September campaign he made his way to France via Romania. On 13th November he joined the Armee de l'Air and was posted to GC I/8 at Lyon-Bron, operating the Caudron CR714.

He later served at Angers with the Defence Flight covering the nearby seat of the Polish Government in Exile, flying the Bloch MB151

After the fall of France, Siudak made his way to England and went to the Polish Wing at 3 School of Technical Training at Blackpool, to await a posting.

He joined 302 Squadron at Leconfield on 23rd July 1940. Siudak went to Duxford with a 302 Squadron detachment on 13th September 1940.

He shared in the destruction of a Do17 over South-East London on the 15th. He destroyed two Me109s and shared in the destruction of a Me110 on 5th October.

The next day a lone raider struck at Northolt just after mid-day. Siudak was killed when a bomb destroyed his Hurricane, P3120, as he was taxying.

He is buried in Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex and is remembered on the Polish Air Force Memorial at Northolt.

Siudak was awarded the VM (5th Class, gazetted 1st February 1941).