Drobiński, Bolesław Henryk (Oral history)

Polish cadet with Aviation Cadet School, Polish Air Force Dęblin, Poland, 1/1938-9/1939; escaped from Poland to GB via Romania and France, 9/1939-1/1940; officer served as pilot with 65 Sqdn, Nos 11 and 13 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 8/1940-2/1941 including Battle of Britain, 8/1940-10/1940; served with 303 (Polish) Sqdn, No 11 Group Fighter Command, RAF and as instructor with No 58 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Grangemouth, 3/1941-10/1943; served with 317 (Polish) Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 10/1943-4/1944; served as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Polish Minister of Defence General Marian Kukiel in London, GB, 4/1944-9/1944; commanded 303 (Polish) Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 9/1944-1/1946

REEL 1 Background in Poland, 1918-1938: family; education. Aspects of period as cadet with Aviation Cadet School, Polish Air Force Dęblin, Poland, 1/1938-9/1939: background to becoming cadet, 1/1938; reasons for intensification of training during 1938; transfer to Lwów on outbreak of Second World War, 1/9/1939. Recollections of escape from Poland to GB via Romania and France, 9/1939-1/1940: plans to escape to west via Romania, 9/1939; crossing into Romania, 9/1939; internment in Slatina, Romania, 10/1939; plans to escape from Romania; method of escaping from internment camp. REEL 2 Continues: reasons for contacting Polish consulate in Bucharest, Romania; journey from Bucharest, Romania to Northern Italy via Belgrade, Yugoslavia; crossing Italian-French border, 10/1939; arrival at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France; orders to proceed to GB to train as bomber pilot. Aspects of training as pilot with Royal Air Force in GB, 1/1940-7/1940: arrival in GB, 1/1940; impatience of Polish pilots at RAF Eastchurch to get into action, 1/1940-5/1940; courses with No 3 Polish Pilots Course at School of Army Co-operation, RAF at RAF Old Sarum, 22/7/1940-28/7/1940 and No 7 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Hawarden, 29/7/1940-21/8/1940. Recollections of operations as pilot with 65 Sqdn, Nos 11 and 13 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of Britain, 8/1940-10/1940: posting to squadron at RAF Hornchurch, 22/8/1940; initial unfamiliarity with Supermarine Spitfire; attempt to intercept German bombers attacking RAF Hornchurch during practice flight, 24/8/1940. REEL 3 Continues: move to RAF Turnhouse, 28/8/1940; pursuit of Junkers Ju 88. Aspects of operations with 65 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 11/1940-2/1941: role of squadron straffing German airfields from RAF Tangmere; reasons why Polish pilots were barred from flying over France; atmosphere in squadron. Recollections of operations with 303 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 3/1941: role played by squadron during Battle of Britain; his initial reluctance to transfer to squadron at RAF Northolt, 1/3/1941; targets attacked during operation to Saint-Omer, France including attack on ship, 15/5/1941; destruction of five Messerschmitt Bf 109s during bomber escort missions over France, 18/6/1941-25/6/1941. REEL 4 Continues: dogfight with Messerschmitt Bf 109, 22/6/1941; contrast in attitude of Polish and British pilots to Germans; prior recollection of attitude of French, 10/1939-11/1939; flying Supermarine Spitfire; squadron morale; rescue of shot down pilot from sea; periods away from squadron as instructor at No 58 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Grangemouth, 3/1942-9/1942 and 4/1943-10/1943, as flight commander with 317 Sqdn, RAF, 10/1943-4/1944 and as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Polish Minister of Defence General Władysław Kukiel in London, 4/1944-9/1944. Aspects of operations commanding 303 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 9/1944-1/1946: taking command of squadron at RAF Coltishall, 26/9/1944; opinion of Londoners under attack from German V weapons; allocation of squadron to attack German V2 Rocket sites in Netherlands; bomber escort duties flying North American Mustangs Mk IV, 4/1945; raid on Berchtesgarden, Germany, 25/4/1945. REEL 5 Continues: flying North American Mustang Mk IV; attitude of Poles on VE Day, 8/5/1945 and reasons for not returning to Poland, 1945; later problem obtaining British citizenship, 1948.