Krzystyniak Stanisław

Stanisław Krzystyniak (1906–1962) – staff-qualified lieutenant colonel pilot of the Polish Army. He was born on 19 September 1906 in Wojtkowa and spent part of his childhood with his grandparents in Nowy Targ. In 1929 he graduated from the Aviation Officer Cadet School and was assigned to the 2nd Aviation Regiment. In March 1939 he completed a course at the Infantry Training Centre before his planned admission to the Higher Aviation School. After the defeat of Poland in 1939 he evacuated to Romania, and then through France reached Great Britain, where he joined the RAF (No. 76639). After training he was assigned to No. 301 Bomber Squadron. He took part in combat flights over Germany, including a raid on Berlin (14 April 1941), during which his Wellington was severely damaged, though he managed to bail out of the burning aircraft. From 1 April 1942 he served as squadron commander. On the night of 26/27 June 1942 he participated in the “Thousand Bomber Raid” on Bremen. His aircraft was damaged and he ditched in the North Sea; the crew was rescued by the Germans and sent to Stalag Luft III in Żagań, where he remained until the end of the war. After the war he remained in the RAF and did not return to Poland. He died on 18 July 1962 and was buried in England.