Andruszko, Michal Stanislaw

Date of birth:: 1917 (Wolkowysk, Poland)
Date of death:: 1987 (Bungay/Suffolk, United Kingdom)
Service number:: P.1199
Nationality:: Polish

Biography

During the invasion of Poland Andrusko flew as fighter pilot with Eskadra 151. After the defeat of the Polish Army, he escaped to Romania and from there on to France, Lyon where he joined the Armée de l'Air. He was restationed to Toulouse and drafted as a Navigator. This was not for long as the German Army invaded France and he evacuated to Oran, Algeria by boat. From Oran the Polish Airmen went to Casablanca and from there in spite of torpedo and air attacks the convoy reached Britain. After retraining he was posted out to the Middle East, July 1942, ferrying aircraft from Takoradi on the Ivory Coast of West Africa to airfields near Cairo during which he flew Beaufighters, Hudsons, Falcons and Spitfires. In April 1944 he was posted to posted to No. 318 (Gdansk) Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron, spent some time at 225 Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron, Lago after which he was transferred back to 318 Sqn., flying Artillery Reconnaissance and Photo/Tactical Reconnaissance sorties.
At the end of 1945 he spent some time flying in India after which he returned to the UK.
Tragically in 1987, a year after the death of his wife, Michal Stanislaw Andruszko was found drowned in a river near his home in Bungay, Suffolk

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Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Flight Lieutenant
Unit:: No. 318 (Danzig) Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: February 20th, 1945

Recommendation (dated 26.11.1944):
"Flight Lieutenant Andruszko commenced his operational tour on 6.5.1944, and completed it in October, 1944, after doing 99 sorties in 151.25 operational hours. During this period, he proved to be a most efficient Tac/R pilot who always displayed great determination and set an excellent example to all who flew with him. On 19.7.1944, during a Tac/R mission IESI area, he observed some horse-drawn transport moving along a road. Diving low in the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire, he attacked and, although hit, he successfully continued his reconnaissance from low altitude. Eventually, he had to make a forced landing just inside our lines and received head and arm injuries which necessitated his removal to hospital. On 18.8.1944, soon after discharge, Flt. Lieut. Andruszko undertook a detailed and difficult Tac/R in the Fano area. In order to obtain accurate observation, he came down to 4,000 feet in the face of anti-aircraft fire which holed his petrol system. Even so, he completed his mission and returned to base with valuable information. Ten days later, on 28.8.1944, he undertook an artillery recce in the area south of Pesaro. Encountering constant anti-aircraft fire at all heights, his task became extremely difficult but, displaying keenness and determination he repeatedly climbed to 8,000 feet and dived down to within a few hundred feet of the ground to observe the strikes of our artillery. In this way, the three targets given him were soon occupied. Later, he discovered two more targets in the same area and, directing fire with skill and precision, all five targets were destroyed in spite of difficult conditions. During 30 sorties undertaken in the face of light and heavy anti-aircraft fire, Flt. Lieut. Andruszko displayed great courage and devotion to duty and obtained a great deal of information of real importance. For such consistently good work, I strongly recommend that he be granted the non-immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross."

Medal Approved 20.2.1945