S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski

[Bootie]

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S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, nickname "Dzi?bek", DSO, DFC

He was born in 28 September 1917 in Kij?w (Kiev). During his High School in Brześć he finished glider pilot course. After graduating in 1937 he started Cadet Flying School in Dęblin which he graduated in 1939.
During the war in Poland he was made a 2nd Lieutenant but he has no combat assigment. He escaped from Poland to France still waiting for his assigment. After the defeat of France he escaped to Great Britain (June 1940).
After training he was assigned to 303rd Polish Fighter Squadron (21st August 1941). He probably shot down his first aircraft, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, on November 6, over France. His first confirmed kill was a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 on April 4, 1942.
In February 1943, he volunteered for the Polish Fighting Team, also known as the "Skalski's Circus", attached to the Desert Air Force. Fighting from March 1943 in the Tunisia Campaign, the flight were attached to 145th Squadron RAF. On March 28, he shot down a Junkers Ju 88, then four Bf 109's (on April 2, April 6 and two on April 22). On April 6 his Spitfire Mk.IX was hit and started burning, but as he prepared to jump, the wind extinguished the fire and he managed to land on an airfield.
After the Flight was disbanded, he was transferred to 601st Squadron RAF. The he was offered a flight command in 43rd Squadron RAF. He commanded the flight from May 1943. In August he became a Squadron Leader (being one of three Poles commanding British squadrons). He fought with No. 43 squadron over Malta, Sicily and Italy. In October he handed over command and returned to England.
On February 16, 1944, Horbaczewski took command of the Polish 315th Squadron.

On August 18, 1944, Horbaczewski led his squadron of 12 aircraft over France on a fighter sweep mission, despite being ill with flu. Using an element of surprise, they attacked a group of 60 Fw 190 of Jagdgeschwaders 2 and 26, over an airfield near Beauvais. Horbaczewski quickly shot down three Focke-Wulfs, but went missing during the dogfight. In 1947 the wreck of his Mustang with his body was found crashed near Valennes.

Exact circumstances are unclear; he was probably shot down in combat by an aircraft of II/JG26. The Poles were credited with shooting down 16 aircraft in this encounter, with the only loss their Squadron leader.

During his career, Horbaczewski was claimed to shoot down 16 1/2 enemy planes, one propably and one damaged. He also shoot down 4 V1 Flying Bombs.

He was awarded several decarations. The British one were: Distinguished Service Order (posthumously) and Distinguished Flying Cross (twice).