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Description
Stanislaw Skalski
Polish Fighter Ace
1915-2004
Polish Air Force
Royal Air Force (Commander of 601 Squadron)
Awards :-
Virtuti Militari (Gold and Silver Cross) - Polands Highest Military Decoration
Order of Polonia Restituta Knights Cross (5th Class) (Polish: Order Odrodzenia Polski, English: Order of Rebirth of Poland) - one of Poland's highest Orders
The Cross of Valour (Polish: Krzyż Walecznych)
Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - (UK)
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) - (UK)
1939-1945 Star with Battle Of Britain clasp (UK & Commonwealth)
Italy Star (UK)
For a detailed account of Stanislaw Skalskis' life see :-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C…
A summary :-
Top Polish fighter ace of WWII mainly in the European theatre with a total of 22 enemy aircraft downed.
On 1st September 1939 whilst flying with 142nd Fighter Squadron (Polish) in Torun, he and a fellow pilot downed a Henschel Hs 126, German reconnaissance aircraft.
Skalski then landed next to the stricken aircraft and helped pull the crew from the wreckage and helped to bandage a wounded crew member.
Skalski was at various times in his career :-
Wing Commander in 316 PAF (Polish Air Force)
CO (Commanding Officer) of 317 PAF
CO of PFT (Polish Fighting Team) better known as "Cyrk Skalskiego" (Skalski's Circus)
CO of 601 (County Of London) Squadron the first Polish airman to command an RAF squadron
Skalski flew alongside the British in the Battle Of Britain, he was credited with four planes downed and one shared.
On September 5th 1940, he was shot down while flying an RAF Hurricane fighter. As a result he was badly burned during his escape from the plane. For the rest of his life he was, naturally, very wary when around flames. Even cigarette lighters made him flinch.
After returning to Poland to fly with the Air Force Of The Polish Army after the war, he was arrested by the communist regime ( a common fate for Polish pilots who fought with the British and Americans during the war) under the false charge of espionage. After being tortured he was sentenced to death which was later commuted to life imprisonment.
When Stalinism in Poland collapsed in 1956 he was released and eventually allowed to rejoin the military.
Stanislaw Skalski retired in 1972.
In 1988 he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier (General brygady)
In 1990, he met the German pilot who he had helped on the first day of the war, and the widow of a second.
Brigadier General Stanislaw Skalski, Polands' leading ace, died in 2004, aged 89 years.
This submission is not intended to glorify warfare as such, but it is intended to raise awareness of the incredibly brave and courageous fighter pilots from all countries
Polish Fighter Ace
1915-2004
Polish Air Force
Royal Air Force (Commander of 601 Squadron)
Awards :-
Virtuti Militari (Gold and Silver Cross) - Polands Highest Military Decoration
Order of Polonia Restituta Knights Cross (5th Class) (Polish: Order Odrodzenia Polski, English: Order of Rebirth of Poland) - one of Poland's highest Orders
The Cross of Valour (Polish: Krzyż Walecznych)
Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - (UK)
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) - (UK)
1939-1945 Star with Battle Of Britain clasp (UK & Commonwealth)
Italy Star (UK)
For a detailed account of Stanislaw Skalskis' life see :-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C…
A summary :-
Top Polish fighter ace of WWII mainly in the European theatre with a total of 22 enemy aircraft downed.
On 1st September 1939 whilst flying with 142nd Fighter Squadron (Polish) in Torun, he and a fellow pilot downed a Henschel Hs 126, German reconnaissance aircraft.
Skalski then landed next to the stricken aircraft and helped pull the crew from the wreckage and helped to bandage a wounded crew member.
Skalski was at various times in his career :-
Wing Commander in 316 PAF (Polish Air Force)
CO (Commanding Officer) of 317 PAF
CO of PFT (Polish Fighting Team) better known as "Cyrk Skalskiego" (Skalski's Circus)
CO of 601 (County Of London) Squadron the first Polish airman to command an RAF squadron
Skalski flew alongside the British in the Battle Of Britain, he was credited with four planes downed and one shared.
On September 5th 1940, he was shot down while flying an RAF Hurricane fighter. As a result he was badly burned during his escape from the plane. For the rest of his life he was, naturally, very wary when around flames. Even cigarette lighters made him flinch.
After returning to Poland to fly with the Air Force Of The Polish Army after the war, he was arrested by the communist regime ( a common fate for Polish pilots who fought with the British and Americans during the war) under the false charge of espionage. After being tortured he was sentenced to death which was later commuted to life imprisonment.
When Stalinism in Poland collapsed in 1956 he was released and eventually allowed to rejoin the military.
Stanislaw Skalski retired in 1972.
In 1988 he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier (General brygady)
In 1990, he met the German pilot who he had helped on the first day of the war, and the widow of a second.
Brigadier General Stanislaw Skalski, Polands' leading ace, died in 2004, aged 89 years.
This submission is not intended to glorify warfare as such, but it is intended to raise awareness of the incredibly brave and courageous fighter pilots from all countries
who flew for their countries under the orders of people who should have known better and should know better now.
The following info. was kindly provided by Diversdream after the original submission - I was given permission by Diversdream to reproduce the following but did not realise it at the time. I have redressed that now. Many thanks Diversdream - I hope you are still producing, writing and reading.
"He chose to return to his homeland of Poland - as did another Ace Witold Lokuciewski both joining the 'new Polish AF'.
He returned with 18 Victory's in the war, and was the Ace of Aces in the PAF.
In 1948 he was accused of being a spy for America and Britain by the Communist Controlled Polish Government and spent 2 years as a prisoner because of these charges.
His cell was described as being 'quite Tiny' and he was unable to sit down at all while inside it being always kept on his feet.
He also suffered several periods of 'intense and bloody torture' and 'violent interrogations' at the hands of his own people that he had done so much for in the war (his family were told he had been shot several times for his crimes when trying to find out his fate or where his body now lay).
In 1953 after Premier Stalin had died, the charges were still upheld as correct but his sentence was 'commuted' from death to life imprisonment.
Stanislaw Skalski was never told of this and lived under a continual fear that each day might be in fact his last, while the torture and interrogations still continued.
He remained in this utterly shocking state of imprisonment until 1956 when a 'Amnesty' was declared for all those that like him were classed as 'enemies of the state' and had been kept as 'Political Prisoners' (many of which were ex Polish Army/Navy/Air Force or Resistance members from the wartime period).
After emerging from his 'tiny cell' in 1956, the formerly 'serious but jovial' Polish Pilot was now described by many who met him after this as being completely changed by his experience and a very resentful, Bitter and deeply distrustful of those around him.
Little wonder after what he went through.
He was lucky dozens of former Polish 'Heroes' were arrested on trumped up espionage charges, put on trial and executed.
Stansislaw Skalski died on 12 Nov 2004 in his beloved Warsaw,a very bitter and angry man who was never able to get over his treatment after returning to his homeland that he had such affection for and had hated to leave back in 1939.
He was awarded the DSO DFC 2 Bars by the RAF and Poland awarded him the Virtuti Militari, Golden Cross Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross Cross of Valour 4 Bars, Polonia Restituta and the Knight's Cross Cross of Grunwald.
His Campaign awards were 1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain clasp and the Italy Star. "
He returned with 18 Victory's in the war, and was the Ace of Aces in the PAF.
In 1948 he was accused of being a spy for America and Britain by the Communist Controlled Polish Government and spent 2 years as a prisoner because of these charges.
His cell was described as being 'quite Tiny' and he was unable to sit down at all while inside it being always kept on his feet.
He also suffered several periods of 'intense and bloody torture' and 'violent interrogations' at the hands of his own people that he had done so much for in the war (his family were told he had been shot several times for his crimes when trying to find out his fate or where his body now lay).
In 1953 after Premier Stalin had died, the charges were still upheld as correct but his sentence was 'commuted' from death to life imprisonment.
Stanislaw Skalski was never told of this and lived under a continual fear that each day might be in fact his last, while the torture and interrogations still continued.
He remained in this utterly shocking state of imprisonment until 1956 when a 'Amnesty' was declared for all those that like him were classed as 'enemies of the state' and had been kept as 'Political Prisoners' (many of which were ex Polish Army/Navy/Air Force or Resistance members from the wartime period).
After emerging from his 'tiny cell' in 1956, the formerly 'serious but jovial' Polish Pilot was now described by many who met him after this as being completely changed by his experience and a very resentful, Bitter and deeply distrustful of those around him.
Little wonder after what he went through.
He was lucky dozens of former Polish 'Heroes' were arrested on trumped up espionage charges, put on trial and executed.
Stansislaw Skalski died on 12 Nov 2004 in his beloved Warsaw,a very bitter and angry man who was never able to get over his treatment after returning to his homeland that he had such affection for and had hated to leave back in 1939.
He was awarded the DSO DFC 2 Bars by the RAF and Poland awarded him the Virtuti Militari, Golden Cross Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross Cross of Valour 4 Bars, Polonia Restituta and the Knight's Cross Cross of Grunwald.
His Campaign awards were 1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain clasp and the Italy Star. "
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Excellent work my friend!