Józef Kwieciński was born on 4th May 1917 in Kamienica Konin, east of Poznan.
At age 16 he joined the Polish Army as a Cadet and graduated from a three-year cadetship with the Infantry Junior NCOs School at Nisko-on-San, south of Lublin, in in early 1936.
He later volunteered for the Air Force and in 1937 he completed a flying training course at the 4th Air Regiment. On 15th September 1937 he began professional service in the PAF.
He later completed an Advanced Flying Course and was posted to 1st Air Regiment in Warsaw. After fighting in September 1939 he escaped to Romania and from there he eventually travelled to France.
He then moved to the Polish Wing at 3 School of Technical Training at Blackpool on 1st June 1940 to await a posting.
Kwieciński went to No. 1 School of Army Co-Operation, Old Sarum on the 1st Polish Pilots Course, for testing and grading. This ran from 5th to 13th July.
On 14th July Kwieciński arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge, as an LAC, and converted to Hurricanes.
He was posted to 145 Squadron at Westhampnett on 4th August 1940, with the rank of Flight Sergeant.
On 11th August Kwieciński probably destroyed a Me110 south of Swanage.
Kwiecinski failed to return from a combat south of the Isle of Wight the next day, in Hurricane P3391, and was reported ‘Missing’.
He shared in the destruction of a Me110 in the action but this was never claimed because all three of the pilots in Kwieciński’s section were shot down and killed, Kwieciński, F/Lt. W Pankratz and P/O JH Harrison.
He is commemorated on the Polish Air Force Memorial at Northolt.
Source: bbm.org.uk
Pictures: bbm.org.uk, British Poles
