Page 76 - All About History - Issue 27-15

FORGOTTEN HEROES OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

an Żak

NATIONALITY: POLISH RANK: FLYING OFFICER, 303 SQUADRON
The pilot who was fighting to free his
homeland from the only place left
that he could still take on the Nazis
The men who flew with the
legendary 303 Squadron were
08 largely exiled Poles, men who’d
seen first hand what the Nazis did
to countries they conquered.
Many also had families in
occupied territory and this may partly explain their
fearsome reputation and never-say-die attitude.
Walerian Żak, who’d go on to lead the squadron,
summed up these qualities during fighting over
Sussex on the morning of 27 September.
Żak’s was one of 11 Hurricane pilots who attacked
Żak settled a bomber formation protected by a mass fighter
in Britain escort. Despite being heavily outnumbered, they
after the
war. His shot down 15 aircraft including seven bombers.
medals, But the kills didn’t come without cost. Two pilots
including were killed and Żak’s own plane was so badly shot
the DFC
he’s being up that it caught fire. As did he. Bailing out was his
awarded only option, but fearing his parachute would catch
here can be
fire too, Żak elected to free fall thousands of feet
n the hope it’d extinguish the flames. His gamble
worked and, though badly burned, the 29-year-old
hen opened his parachute and landed safely.

Albert Gerald Lewis

NATIONALITY: SOUTH AFRICAN RANK: FLYING OFFICER, 504 AND 249 SQUADRON
The courageous son of empire who gave nearly
everything to defend what he would have called
themothercountry

As well as Britain German fighters. His plane was hit at
and Europe, Fighter 30,000 feet. Shrapnel tore through
09 Command pilots his legs and his Hurricane caught
fire. Flying at 350mph, the blaze soon
came from all over
the British Empire. whipped up into an inferno. “When
One of the finest was I pulled back the canopy,” he later
South African Albert Lewis, and as the recalled, “the flames roared up around
campaign began drawing to a close at my face. I pulled the release of my
the end of September, he experienced harness and got out. The suddenness
the best and worst that life as an RAF with which I parted company with the
fighter ace offered. On 27 September, plane caused me to be shaken around
he shot down an astonishing six like an old rag.” Despite his injuries,
aircraft in one day, taking his tally for Lewis landed safely but had Lewis returned to
the war to 18. The very next day, suffered severe burns to his legs, active service within
three months of being
however, he was shot down himself. hands, throat and face. His eyes were shot down. He later
While returning from a patrol, the also so badly scorched that he was served in the Far East
and survived the war
22-year-old was jumped by a pack of blind for two weeks.
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