Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Jo Kmiejic - was a friend of my late father and served with him in the RAF in late 1970s or early 1980s.

Does anyone have details of his RAF Career that started in WW2 and ended circa 1980.

Some sources suggest he was Czech but I always assumed he was Polish.

Any info gratefully received

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Hello,

In all probability, a Pole:

704441 Flt/Lt Jerzy Kazimierz Stanislaw KMIECIK AFM, QCSVA.
Retired 1/4/1981.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/6643

https://listakrzystka.pl/en/kmiecik-jerzy-kazimierz

Col.

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

I am Polish and the last name appears to Czech.

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Some background on the Polish pilot Joe Kmiecik. In the early 1950s he was the pilot of a Lincoln bomber. (83 squadron).

https://jamesdfell.wordpress.com/flying-with-joe/

Some references on the web say Joe "Kmiejic" flew a Lancaster for the movie "The Dam Busters" but this link (search for Kmiecik):

https://vintageclassicsfilm.co.uk/jo...(97%20Squadron).


gives the name as Joe Kmiecik.

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Of course he was Jerzy Kmiecik, Polish Air Force. He flew Spitfires and Mustangs on No 303 Sqn 1944/45. Kmiecik is a typical Polish surname.
Franek

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Thanks all - Yes Jo was Polish Pilot identified above.

By chance my late father served with Jo Kmiejic on serveral occasions but finally on on 207 Sqn equipped with DH Devons, at RAF Northolt, until Jo's retirement in 1981.

Jo Kmiejic had a very ‘interesting’ career that started in WW2, as a teenager in Poland, and said he was arrested by German soldiers and locked in a shed, from which he escaped and fled to the Russian sector, hoping to be liberated. However, the Russians at the time (of the German - Soviet Pact) were not keen on such refugees and he was locked up in a prisoner of war type camp even though he wasn’t a POW. They were so badly treated that in revenge he and others killed and ate the Commandant’s Alsatian dog, which they buried first to avoid detection, and dug up several days later, to cook and eat!

Eventually the Russians relented about imprisoning such people and he was released in I think Persia (Iran), having been made to walk most of the way. I have an idea that when he reached the Allies, he convinced them he was a trainee pilot (or should be one) and so was sent to the UK for further training, at which he excelled. He flew Spitfires (and possibly Mustangs) in action with 303 Sqn as a W/O in WW2.

It is known that Jo flew the RAFM Wellington MF628 used as a photo aircraft for the film the Dam Busters in 1954, taking turns with other pilots, so it is possible he flew some of the film Lancasters too.

When he retired from the RAF in 1981, the ‘Top Brass’ were quite amazed that a wartime pilot was still serving, so Jo was allowed to fly, briefly, one of the BBMF Spitfires, as a parting ‘gesture of good will’.

Sadly, he died in Spain in 1993, in an accident while connecting Electricity to his home.

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Larry

Do you have log books of your father which do contain entries of Kmiecik?
He indeed flew Mustangs for the last few missions of No 303 Sqn - they converted only in April 1945. I think he was on a Berchtesgaden raid. He flew Lancasters during the filming of Dambusters as well.

Joe was the last active RAF pilot operational in WWII. There is a series of photos next to a Spitfire taken on Joe's retirement, but as far as I know, he did not fly it. I would love to have it confirmed otherwise.
Franek

Re: Jo Kmiejic- RAF Career WW2 to circa 1980
 

Dear Franek, sadly I don't recall them flying together but I will check Dads log books in a few days when I get then out of storage.