Eugeniusz Horbaczewski

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Eugeniusz Horbaczewski

Dziubek
Distinguished Flying Cross (UK)

Eugeniusz Horbaczewski (28 September 1917 – 18 August 1944) was a Polish

Distinguished Flying Cross
(twice).

Biography

Horbaczewski was born in Kyiv, but grew up in Brest. At school, he completed a gliding course. In 1938 he entered cadet flying school in Dęblin, from which he graduated in 1939.[1]

During the

Podporucznik (2nd Lieutenant) but he saw no combat. He was evacuated through Romania, Yugoslavia and Greece to France. Still without a combat assignment he was then evacuated in 27 June 1940 to Britain.[2]

After training on RAF aircraft, on 21 August 1941 he was posted to the Polish

No. 303 Squadron, flying the Spitfire Mk.V. He probably shot down his first aircraft, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter, on 6 November over France. His first confirmed kill was a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 on 4 April 1942. He shot down a Bf 109 on 16 April and a Fw 190 on 19 August.[3]

In February 1943 he volunteered for the

Tunisia Campaign, the flight were attached to No. 145 Squadron RAF.[4] On 28 March he shot down a Junkers Ju 88,[5] then four Bf 109's (on 2 April,[6] 6 April,[7] and two on 22 April[8]). On 6 April his Spitfire Mk.IX was hit and started burning, but as he prepared to jump the wind extinguished the fire and he managed to land on an airfield.[9]

Remaining in

Squadron Leader (being one of three Poles commanding British squadrons). He fought with No. 43 squadron over Malta, Sicily and Italy. On 4 September he shot down a Fw 190 and on 16 September two more. In October he handed over command and returned to Britain.[10]

On 16 February 1944 Horbaczewski took command of the Polish

P-51 Mustang Mk. III. On 12 June 1944 he shot down a Fw 190, and on 30 July one Bf 109 individually and one with his wing man (counted as 0.5 'share'). During this period, he also shot down four V-1 flying bombs.[11]

Death

On 18 August 1944 Horbaczewski led his squadron of 12 aircraft over France on a 'Rodeo' mission, despite being ill with

flu. The squadron, using the element of surprise, attacked a group of 60 Fw 190s of Jagdgeschwaders 2 and 26 over an airfield near Beauvais. Horbaczewski quickly shot down three Focke-Wulfs, but went missing during the dogfight. In 1947, the wreck of his Mustang with his body was found crashed near Velennes (Oise).[12]

Exact circumstances are unclear; he was probably shot down in combat by an aircraft of II./

JG 2
were destroyed).

See also

Awards

posthumously
)
Virtuti Militari V class
Cross of Valour (Poland) 4 times
Distinguished Service Order (posthumously)
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) and bar

References

  1. ^ Pawlak 2009, p. 234.
  2. ^ Krzystek 2012, p. 225.
  3. ^ Sikora 2014, p. 169.
  4. ^ Śliżewski, Sojda 2009, p. 36.
  5. ^ Śliżewski, Sojda 2009, p. 92.
  6. ^ Śliżewski, Sojda 2009, p. 99.
  7. ^ Śliżewski, Sojda 2009, p. 108.
  8. ^ Śliżewski, Sojda 2009, p. 160.
  9. ^ Śliżewski, Sojda 2009, p. 109.
  10. ^ Zieliński 1994, p. 12.
  11. ^ Sikora 2014, p. 170-171.
  12. ISBN 0-9527968-0-5

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eugeniusz Horbaczewski.

Bibliography

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