A Hero to remember – Sgt. Wilhelm Kosarz, one of Churchill’s Few

08/11/2024
Poles in UK

Wilhelm Kosarz was born on 20th June 1908 in Karvina, Czechoslovakia, his family moved to Poland in 1926.

Prewar he served in the 2nd Air Regiment in Krakow and flew in the famous aerobatic team led by Jerzy Bajan. During the September 1939 campaign he flew from Okecie airfield in defence of Warsaw.

On 22nd September he flew his aircraft to Romania and made his way to England.

Sgt. Wilhelm Kosarz is remembered at the Polish War Memorial at Northolt

The first reference to him is on 6th August 1940 at 3 (Polish) Wing at 3 School of Technical Training in Blackpool.

He joined 302 Squadron at Leconfield on 20th August 1940. To convert to Hurricanes he was sent to 5 OTU Aston Down on 2nd September and returned to 302 on the 26th.

Sgt. Wilhelm Kosarz is remembered at the Battle of Britain Memorial in London

He hit a balloon cable at Langley in bad visibility on 15th October and lost 14 inches from his starboard wing. He then landed safely at Heston.

Kosarz was shot down in flames by a Me109 over Maidstone on 8th November 1940. He baled out but fell dead at Mayfield after his parachute caught fire. His Hurricane, P3538, crashed inverted and burned out at Pennybridge Farm, Mayfield Xavierian College.

He is buried in Northwood Cemetery.