Budzik Kazimierz

Born on17.09.1919 at Lakowica in Lwow region now is Ucraina. He was the son of regular Polish army officer and joined the Polish Air Force as an officer cadet before the outbreak of the Second World War. Between 3.I.38 and 26.6.39he was at the Polish Air Force School for pilots at Deblin and between 3.7.39 and 1.9.39, the day germans invaded Poland, at the Fighter School at Ulez. As Poland's armed forces engaged the might of Hitler's army and force in hopeless struggle, Budzik was evacuated from Poland and via Rumunia and Syria arrived in France to continue the fight to free country. Between 2.3.40 and 24.6.40 he received further traning, this time with the French Air Force at Pau, and was awarded French pilot's "wings". Following the collapse of France and the evacuation of British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk

in June 1940, Budzik and his fellows escaped to the UK and were welcomed by RAF. With 300 hours previous flying experience on single engine fighter types he initially joined thew Air Transport Auxillary at maidenhead but soon commenced his training to be a fighter pilot in RAF at Eventon and 61 OTU at Rednal in Shropshire, where he flew a Spitfire for the first time. Nearly a year after arriving in UK P/O Budzik reported for flying duties with 303 (Polish)"Kosciusco" Sqn at Speke. On September 22,1941 he was posted again and arrivedat Northolt to serve with 308 (Polish)"City of
Krakow" Sqn who were a part of No,I Polish Wing commanded by Wg/Cdr Tadeusz Rolski. He remained with No.308 Sqn. for his first tour of duty after which he served briefly with the Air Fighting Develoment Unit (AFDU) Wittering.The following
month he resumed operational flying with 306 (Polish)"Torun" Sqn, again flying Spitfires. From September 1943 onwards the squadron took part in increasing number of Ramrods and fighter sweeps over enemy occupied France and

F/O Budzik flew on mostof these. In May 1944 he was posted to 317 (Polish) "Wilno" Sqn and flew on numerous Ramrod sorties in the build up period to D Day. When the great day came on June 1944 flew several patrols with his squqdron
over Normandy beaches. In October 1944 Flt/Lt Budzik was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and returned to 308 Sqn, this time as A flight commander. In December 1944 he was posted as a flight commander to 309 (Polish) "Ziemia

Czerwienska" Sqn flying MustangIIIs at Coltishall and bardwell Bay. In February 1946 he returned to 303 Sqn, operating Mustang IVs, this time as flight commander under Battle of Britain veteran and Oace1 Sqn/Ldr OGhandi1 Drobinski DFC, he remained with the OKosciusco1 squadron until he left the RAF in 1946. Flt/Lt Kazimierz Budzik was also awarded Virtuti Militari Vth class and Cross of Valour with three bars, Poland.s highest awards for bravery.