Polish RAF officer ID

[Mgn040]

Can anyone out there help me Identify this Polish RAF officer. I have had no such luck and according to the medals he was a ww1 Veteran and rank of Sqn Ldr during ww2.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Mgn040,

Many thanks for your post and congratulations on your acquisition Major (Squadron Leader) Pilot Mieczysław Bukowiński, Born in Kiev on the 24th October 1898, WW2 PAF Service Number : P0176, awarded the Air Medal with 3 Bars served at RAF Hucknall. After the end of the war he emigrated to Argentina and died in Rosario on the 2nd January 1967.

If I find anything else I will post it, I hope the above information is of some use and help to you.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Tomasz70]

Looks like S/Ldr Bukowiński. There were at least two men in the Polish Air Force with that name. One was Jerzy Bukowiński, Observer, and the other was Mieczysław Bukowiński, Pilot. It seems that your jacket could belong to the other one, as M. letter is visible before the surname.
Major / Squadron Leader Mieczysław Bukowiński, RAF service number P-0176, born on 24.10.1898 in Kiev, Ukraine, died on 02.01.1967 in Rosario, Argentina. Last known assignment - RAF Hucknall. Honoured with 4 air medals.
More info probably available from The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum PISM Home Page.
Just additional info - his son Andrzej Bukowiński is known Brasilian director of commercials, with 25 awards in Cannes and Venice.

[andrzejku98]

Hello Mgn040,

Just to help everyone, I hope you do not mind me rotating one of your photographs :



Also from the Rocznik Oficerski (Officers Yearbooks) 1923, 1924, 1928, 1932, the following information :

1923 Promoted to Porucznik (Lieutenant) 1st October 1922, serving with the 2nd Balloon Baon attached to Balloon School, by 1928 he was working in Warsaw in the Air Force Department of the Army Ministry, his date of birth is listed both on the 1928 & 1932 Yearbooks as being 29th October 1898. Also by 1932 he was serving with 1st Air Regiment Stationed in Warsaw.

I will see if I can dig anything further for you.

Best wishes

Andrzej

[Mgn040]

No problem at all and many thanks for all the information that's great. Do you know what medals the medal ribbons stand for and also what the bars are for, is it time served? Also why would he have pilot wings of the RAF but not his Polish ones as he was a pilot early on in his carrier.

Many Thanks

[andrzejku98]

Hello Mgn040,

Many thanks for your post, the Medal ribbons are as follows :

Top Row :

Cross of Merit, Air Medal (with 3 Bars denoting 4 Awards), 1918-1921 Commemorative War Medal, 10th Anniversary of Independence Medal.

Bottom Row :

Long Service Medal (Gold for 30 Years, Never Awarded, Silver for 20 Years, Bronze for 10 Years), British Defence Medal, British War Medal 1939-1945, French Volunteer Combatants Cross.

With regards to the award of the Bars for the Air Force Medal, the criteria for the conferment of the Air Force Medal are :

1) For a deed carried out above the call of duty, bringing advantage to the Air Force.

2) For conscientious service in time of war in this instance a second award could be made after six months service in the front line or twelve months service elsewhere. For the third and fourth award the periods of time were doubled.

I do not know why he does not have his "Gapa" his Polish Wings, if this tunic was post war and he stayed in the RAF, Regulations would have had the British Awards at the front. I have checked the London Gazette to see if he re-joined the RAF after the end of the war, but there was nothing listed.

I hope that the above information os of some use and help to you Mgn040.

Best wishes

Andrzej