A renowned photographer, Krystian Data, travelled to Bury St. Edmunds to pay his respects and conduct a photo shoot with possibly the oldest Polish RAF airman in the UK, Lt John Franklin (Mieczysław Frąckiewicz). He is celebrating his 104th birthday today, and during the war, he served in the 304 Bomber Squadron. Below, we share an account of the visit.
This morning, I loaded my gear into the car and set off to meet someone truly exceptional.
After a two-and-a-half-hour drive from my home in North London, I arrived in Bury St. Edmunds, nestled in the east of England near Cambridge. I pulled out at the house, and there stood John, a remarkable 104-year-old gentleman. I was immediately struck by how amazingly well a man of his age could carry himself. Though he supported himself with a walking cane, he stood in front of me tall and straight. He then greeted me with a warm smile and extended a firm handshake.
He was accompanied by his daughter, Linda, who kindly helped coordinate and arrange this photoshoot.
His full name is John Franklin, but his original name was Mieczysław Frąckiewicz. He is not just any centenarian; he is the last surviving Polish RAF pilot from World War II. His life story is a wellspring of inspiration, a tale worth delving into. I won’t tell it all here, but I’ll offer a brief glimpse.
Born in eastern Poland, which now lies in Belarus, his hometown was reduced to rubble, and he was exiled to Siberia by the Soviets. Forced into gruelling labour building railway tracks, he was separated from his family, never to hear from them again.
In 1941, he managed to join the Polish army under General Anders’ command, and from there, they journeyed through Kyrgyzstan to Persia what is now Iran and then Iraq. Having applied to the Polish Air Force in Great Britain, he went there by the sea. The voyage led through the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and he arrived at the RAF base in Kirkham, UK in early March 1943. Following training, he joined Squadron 304. The rest is history, and it’s well worth diving into.
Before the shoot, we had a little chat where he showed me his old photographs and told me about how they sank the German submarine, U-bot(!)
During the session, he was a wonderful sitter, cracking jokes with a beaming smile. John wore his medals proud on the left side of his RAF jacket but I think we’ve had a few of these little moments, where I’ve managed to capture him just a little more thoughtful. I think I ended up with an amazing selection of photographs that portray this extraordinary man by encapsulating an array of emotions and hopefully showing just a tiny bit of what he is about.
It will be extremely difficult to pick just a few photographs summarising my encounter with him. So what you’re probably looking at right now are just a handful of images, carefully curated with some difficult choices made along the way.
It was a privilege to meet John, hear his stories firsthand and thank him for his service by shaking his firm hand. Mieczysław Frąckiewicz aka Lieutenant John Franklin, I salute you!
Krystian Data
Photos: Krystian Data @Data Images, Polish Heritage Flight and British Poles
