Bolesław Drobiński

Bolesław Drobiński

DFC
Born(1918-10-23)23 October 1918
Ostroh, Poland
Died26 July 1995(1995-07-26) (aged 76)
England
Allegiance Poland
 United Kingdom
Service / branch Polish Air Force
 Royal Air Force
Years of service1937-1948
RankMajor
Service number76731
UnitNo. 65 Squadron RAF
No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron
Battles / warsPolish Defensive War, World War II
AwardsVirtuti Militari; Cross of Valour; Distinguished Flying Cross (UK)

Bolesław Drobiński DFC (23 October 1918 – 26 July 1995) was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II with 7 confirmed kills and one shared.

Biography

Drobiński made his first flight on a glider in 1934. On 2 January 1938 he entered the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin.[1] After the Invasion of Poland he was evacuated to France via Romania and Italy, then he came to England.[2]

On 11 September 1940 Drobiński was assigned to the No. 65 Squadron RAF and took part in the Battle of Britain.[3] On 2 March 1941 he was posted to the No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 15 May 1941 he damaged a Ju 52 which was on the ground. On 21 June 1941 Drobiński heavily damaged the plane flown by German ace Adolf Galland[4] and forced him to a crash-landing. From 18 March 1942 to 9 August 1942 he was an instructor in No. 58 Operational Training Unit at RAF Grangemouth.[5] On 18 October 1943 he was ordered to No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 3 April 1944 he began to work in the Ministry of Defence. On 26 September 1944 he took command of No.303 Polish Fighter Squadron.[6]

Drobiński was demobilized in 1948. He worked in the oil industry in America. In 1950's he settled in a village in Surrey.[7] In 1960 he obtained British citizenship. In 1969 he acted as a technical advisor for the Battle of Britain, where he reunited with Galland, who was also a technical advisor for the movie. In 1943 he married a South African woman, they had two sons and a daughter.[8]

Aerial victory credits

  • 18 June 1941 – 2 Bf 109
  • 21 June 1941 – Bf 109
  • 22 June 1941 – Bf 109
  • 25 June 1941 – Bf 109
  • 3 July 1941 – Bf 109
  • 6 July 1941 – 1/3 Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
  • 7 July 1941 – 1/2
  • 24 July 1941 – Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
  • 24 October 1941 – Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
  • 13 March 1942 – Bf 109

Awards

Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross
Cross of Valour (Poland), three times
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

References

  1. ^ Pawlak 2009, p. 231.
  2. ^ Krzystek 2012, p. 161.
  3. ^ Sikora 2014, p. 283.
  4. ^ "Bale out 1941". Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  5. ^ Zieliński 1994, p. 43.
  6. ^ Zieliński 2019, p. 55.
  7. ^ Zieliński 2005, p. 40.
  8. ^ "Battle of Britain London Monument - P/O B H Drobinski". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2012.

Bibliography

  • Tadeusz Jerzy Krzystek, Anna Krzystek: Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1940-1947 łącznie z Pomocniczą Lotniczą Służbą Kobiet (PLSK-WAAF). Sandomierz: Stratus, 2012, p. 161. ISBN 9788361421597
  • Jerzy Pawlak: Absolwenci Szkoły Orląt: 1925-1939. Warszawa: Retro-Art, 2009, pp. 231–232. ISBN 8387992224
  • Piotr Sikora: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza Alma-Press. 2014, p. 282-285. ISBN 9788370205607
  • Zieliński, Józef (1994). Asy polskiego lotnictwa (in Polish). Warsaw: Agencja Lotnicza ALTAIR. p. 43. ISBN 83-86217-2. LCCN 95149065. OCLC 34751125. OL 865104M.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link)
  • Józef Zieliński: Lotnicy polscy w Bitwie o Wielką Brytanię. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza MH, 2005, pp. 39–40. ISBN 8390662043
  • Józef Zieliński: 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki. Warszawa: Bellona, 2003 ISBN 8311096309

Further reading