Today, an unusual post about the short history of the SPL Dęblin Reserve Reconnaissance Squadron. I am writing about this unit because of cadet pilot Franciszek Bernatowicz, my wife's cousin, who served in this unit. He was born in Chicago in 1917, but his father Antoni comes from Jastrzębna in the Krasnybór parish and hence the branch's history is connected with the subject of interest of the Jamiński Indexing Team.
In 1921, the entire Bernatowicz family returned to Poland and settled in Augustów. In the following years, they moved to Grodno in search of work. Franciszek Bernatowicz has always been interested in aviation and dreamed of flying. In 1937, he enrolled at the Aviation Cadet School in Dęblin, which he was to graduate in 1940 as the 13th Promotion. These plans were interrupted by war. The promotion was accelerated and already on September 1, Franciszek was appointed a lieutenant pilot. Below is a short, covering a dozen or so days, historical outline of the unit in which Franciszek Bernatowicz fought in September 1939. His further fate is a long story, which I may someday tell.
Reconnaissance Reserve Squadron
On the night of September 6-7, 1939, Captain Observer Maksymilian Brzozowski evacuated from Dęblin (he was a lecturer at SPL Dęblin), receives at the airport Żyrzyn the order from the Head Of Aviation (via Col. Wieden) to organize a reserve squadron. It was to be formed by trained crews that would complement the the front units.
Flying crews would have been recruited from among cadets who graduated SPL Deblin after an expedited, 2-year course. The crews were supposed to consist of first 10 ranks from the Observer Training Squadron No.4 and Flying Training Squadron No.3.
Shooters (airborne) were to be chosen on an ad hoc basis from among cadets-observers or volunteers from technical staff with appropriate qualifications.
In this way Reconnaissance Reserve Squadron was formed.
Squadron Commander: Capt. Obs. M. Brzozowski
Observers: Cadets Antoni Banachowicz, Władysław Cehak, Edward Chorąży, Wiktor Dobrzański, Alojzy Dreja, Stefan Gawłl, Jan Jozepajt, Gerard Kunowski, Bronisław Kuźniar, Józef Mika - all of them from thirteenth promotion.
Pilots: Cadets Franciszek Bernatowicz, Czesław Daszuta, Kazimierz Dolicher, Bolesław Klecha, Włodzimierz Łomski, Jan Matuszkiewicz, Kazimierz Stankiewicz, Konrad Stembrowicz, Jerzy Zbierzchowski, Sergeants Instructors Jan Kowalski, Henryk Pietrzak, Leonard Pruski.
Full time squadron status: trouble here.
Kind of 7 PZL P-23A "Karaś", but according to some sources 9 or 10 (although so good that everyone agrees that there were only P-23A in this squadron).
Continue reading Rezerwowa Eskadra Rozpoznawcza SPL Dęblin