Tadeusz Arentowicz Explained

Tadeusz Arentowicz
Birth Date:1909 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Sierpc, Russian Empire
Death Place:English Channel, off Dunkirk, France
Nickname:"Szpak" ('Starling' in English)
Allegiance:
Serviceyears:1933–1941
Rank:Flight lieutenant
Servicenumber:P-0251
Branch:
    Unit:
    Commands:303 Squadron (1941)
    Battles:
    Awards:

    Tadeusz Arentowicz (19 September 1909 – 8 July 1941) was a Polish fighter pilot and ace during the Second World War. He served as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force in the No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron (Polish: 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki"). He was B-group Flight Commander of the squadron.[1] A week after his final promotion, in 1941, he was on a mission escorting bombers when his plane was shot down by a German fighter near Dunkirk over the English Channel; he was never found.

    Military career

    Tadeusz Arentowicz was a graduate of the Polish Air Force University in Dęblin (VII Promotion[2]). On 15 August 1933 he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant in the Polish Air Force and was assigned to the 1st Air Regiment, stationed in Warsaw. He finished his training in Grudziądz and became an instructor at Ułęż airport near Dęblin on March 1939. See No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron.

    He participated in the September Campaign as a member of the Dęblin Group. He was evacuated to Romania from Wielick airport with other pilots. He waited to be picked up by the English at the Port of Constanța. The English transports never arrived to pick him and the others up. He managed to make his way to France and proceeded on to England.

    He received his service number of P-0251 in 1941. After he was trained to use British equipment, he was assigned to the 303rd Polish Fighter Squadron.[3] He fulfilled the duties of squadron leader after the death of Zdzisław Henneberg and came to be the commander of the whole squadron on 3 July 1941.

    He joined 303 Squadron after the Battle of Britain. Little is known; but he was known by the nickname "Szpak" ('Starling' in English). Although he started as a flight lieutenant, death (Zdzisław Henneberg) and injury (Wacław Łapkowski) of his predecessors created a vacancy, and he was elevated to flight commander.

    On 3 March 1941, after the squadron had been upgraded to Spitfire Mk IIA planes, Arentowich led the attack on the German airfield at Le Touquet and another at Waben, and strafed an army transport depot at Breck-sur-Mer.

    On 16 April 1941, Arentowich had become the acting commanding officer. He presented a nomination of Waclaw Lapkowski (a second time) for the Cross of Valor.

    On 11 March 1941, ground control vectored him and two other pilots to attack an aircraft at 10,000 feet. This incident came to be called "A Little Mistake" in the squadron's log. Arentowicz was part of an attack by three Polish Spitfires on a friendly Armstrong Whitworth Whitley that was involved in paratroop training. Fortunately, and despite 100 hits, the plane survived and there were no injuries.

    He was given a prominent role during at least one ceremonial occasion.[4]

    He was at the helm of Spitfire II PF 8385 IMPREGNABLE and damaged a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 25 June 1941.

    Death

    On 8 July 1941, he flew the Supermarine Spitfire (designation P 8502) on a mission to escort bombers targetting the railway line and station in Lille. He was shot down by a German fighter, and the other pilots saw him crash in the sea somewhere near Dunkirk.[5] Polish forces searched for him but he was never found.[6] [5]

    He is remembered on the Polish Memorial to Aircrew in Warsaw and the Polish War Memorial near RAF Northolt.

    Awards

    See also

    References

    Bibliography

    Notes

    Further reading

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. 8 .
    2. Web site: VII promocja Szkoły Podchorążych Lotnictwa - 1933 r.. www.polishairforce.pl.
    3. Web site: The 303 Polish Fighter Pilots List . 1 December 2019 . Wilhelm . Ratuszynski.
    4. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205094174 The Polish Air Force in Britain, 1940-1947
    5. Web site: 08.07.1941 No. 303 Squadron Spitfire 11b P8502 RF-C Sq/Ldr. Tadeusz A. Arentowicz . Archive Report:Allied forces . Aircrew remembered . 10 December 2019.
    6. Web site: Sowa . Aneta . ARENTOWICZ Tadeusz Aleksander . . . Polish . 10 December 2019.
    7. Web site: No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. 11 .

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