Marian Pisarek – 303 Squadron Fighter Ace

Marian Pisarek, 303 Squadron fighter ace, was born 3 January 1912 at Łosie near Radzymin, east of Warsaw.

One of the original fighter pilots assigned to 303 Squadron, Pisarek brought several years of training and experience to that famous squadron.

Pisarek had volunteered to join the Polish Air Force in 1935, transferring from the infantry. After training and various postings, in 1937 he transferred to 141 Eskadra Myśliwska, which was attached to the Polish Pomorze (Pomeranian) Army in northern Poland in the September 1939 campaign.

From 3 September 1939, Pisarek commanded 141 Eskadra. On 18 September, following the Soviet invasion of Poland and on orders from Polish Air Force HQ, he crossed the Romanian border with his unit, and found his way to France via Yugoslavia and Italy. In 1940, while in France, he was posted to the fighter section of Captain Tadeusz Rolski. Escaping to the U.K. after France surrendered in June 1940, Pisarek joined the group of Major Krasnodębski.

Pisarek arrived in Britain on 23 June 1940 and was posted to 303 Squadron on 21 August 1940.

On 7 September 1940 Pisarek was shot down and bailed out safely, but his airplane crashed  behind a house in Loughton, Essex, England, killing three civilians.

From 29 September until 11 November 1940 he was the Polish commander of ‘B’ Flight in 303 Squadron.

Pisarek transferred to 315 Squadron, then being formed at Acklington, Northumberland, on 21 January 1941. Two months later, on 30 March 1941, he was posted to 308 Squadron as ‘A’ Flight commander, and from 23 June until 10 December 1941, Pisarek commanded 308 Squadron.

On 24 July 1941 his Spitfire was seriously damaged over France when his wingman collided with him, but he managed to bring it back to base.

In December 1941 Pisarek was posted to HQ No. 11 Fighter Group as the Polish Liaison Officer.

On 17 April 1942 he assumed command of the 1st Polish Fighter Wing at Northolt, West London. Pisarek was shot down and killed on 29 April 1942 when leading his wing over France.

Pisarek was awarded the Golden Cross of the Virtuti Militari (posthumously), the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari, the Cross of Valour and three bars, and the British DFC.

A street in Warsaw was named after him in 1979, as was a primary school at Radzymin in 1991. His biography by Krzysztof Kubala was published in Polish in 2005 under the title Start w nieskończoność (Take-off Into Eternity).

Pisarek is credited with 11 destroyed, 2 shared destroyed, 1 probable destroyed, and 2 damaged.

 

Excerpted from Appendix 4 of “303 Squadron: The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron,” by Arkady Fiedler.