The Airmen's Stories - P/O E W Jereczek

Edmund Wincenty Jereczek was born on 27th October 1904 in Koscierzyna, Poland.

At the time of the German attack on Poland he was serving with the Liason Platoon of the Coastal Ground Defence Command, based at Kepa Oksywska near Gdynia.

Above images courtesy of Jaroslaw Gwardys via Joel Diggle.

On 14th September 1939 Jereczek and a fellow officer named Nowacki took a RWD-13 light aircraft (similar to an Auster) from Gdansk Aero Club and flew it to the island of Gotland off the SE coast of Sweden. Although given permission to remain in Sweden, Jereczek made his way to England and was commissioned in the RAF on 5th January 1940.

He completed his training and was posted to No. 1 School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum. On 1st September 1940 Jereczek arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge. He crashed there on the 10th, in Hurricane P3644, after a misjudged landing approach.

After converting to Hurricanes he joined 43 Squadron at Usworth on 22nd September. Jereczek later moved to 229 Squadron at Northolt.

In 1941 he was posted to 25 EFTS Hucknall, as an instructor. He went on a course to FIS Woodley and 5 FIS Perth in the second half of 1942, after which he returned to Hucknall.

He was awarded the AFC (gazetted 26th May 1945).

Jereczek was posted to 16 FTS Newton on 13th November 1945 as an instructor.

He was released from the RAF in December 1946 and settled in England, where he died on 26th August 1984.