Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Polish Battle of Britain Pilot’s Virtuti Militari group of six awarded to Warrant Officer Jan Rogowski, Nos. 303, 74, and 306 Squadrons, Royal Air Force, credited with the destruction of two Bf 109’s and three V-1 Rockets, with another two V-1’s shared

1939-45 Star, with copy clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France & Germany; Defence & War Medals; Poland, Virtuti Militari, 5th class; Cross of Valour, with two bars, together with his Polish Pilot’s Badge, R.A.F. Statement of Service and Certificate of Discharge, various Identity Cards, Passes and travel documents, and a good quantity of original photographs, good very fine (7) £1000-1200

Jan Rogowski was born on 16 August 1917 and served in the Polish Air Force with 162 Eskadra at Lvov. Escaping via Rumania in September 1939, he reached England in 1940 and joined No. 303 Squadron on its formation in July. On 2 September ten Me-109’s dived out of the sun on to the squadron when patrolling near Dover. Sergeant Rogowski pursued and destroyed one Me-109 which crashed into the sea about 10 miles from the French coast. It was to be his only combat victory during the Battle of Britain as he was wounded when his Hurricane was shot down in flames on the 6th September and he managed to successfully bale out. He was awarded the Polish Cross of Valour on the 18th September when General Sikorsky personally handed out decorations to the squadron. Because of his wounds he did not return to action until 23 October, by which time Luftwaffe activity was much reduced.

In February 1941 he joined 74 Squadron, flying Spitfires, and claimed his second combat victory on the 7th April, another Me-109. In his combat report he states: ‘I was Blue 2, ordered to patrol Dover in company with Blue 1 (P/O Howard) at 0925 hours on 7.4.41. Whilst over Dover we were warned of “Bandits” and vectored to France and when 3 miles inside French occupied territory 2 Bandits were seen. One enemy aircraft opened fire on me. I r/t’d to Blue 1 - 2 Bandits in sight - and I immediately went into cloud as one e/a was on my tail. When I emerged from cloud e/a was in front of me. I followed him and opened fire at 150 yards with two 2 seconds bursts. Enemy aircraft immediately half rolled and dived vertically into the ground. I was by now 200 feet from ground and circled to miss A.A. fire and returned to Base, Manston, at 1025 hours.’

In August 1941 he moved to 308 Squadron where he remained until July 1942, when he joined 1489 Flight, a target towing unit and stayed there until June 1943. He then joined 302 Squadron as a Flight Sergeant, on 1 September receiving two Bars to his Cross of Valour. He was posted to 16 FTS, Newton, in January 1944 on an instructor’s course, and then in May to 2 AGS as a Staff Pilot. On 10 June he joined 306 Squadron, becoming a Warrant Officer on 1 July, and here he flew Mustangs against the V-1s. He destroyed his first V-1 in 16 August and shared another on the same day. On 28 August he destroyed two more, both near Canterbury, and is also credited with another shared. During September 1944 he flew several missions in support of the airborne landings at Arnhem. The award of the Virtuti Militari followed, and the Silver Cross of Merit with Swords, and Air Force Medal with two Bars. Rogowski remained with 306 Squadron for the duration of the war, then being sent on a further instructor’s course at 2 SFTS in August 1945. At the end of the war he went to the Polish Air Force Depot at Blackpool where he was released from the service in 1946.