Details
Polish nationality, flying for R.A.F.
Found with B. Wojno (99) from the same plane and E. Wright (100).
The crew also included:
Karel Germanski, buried in the cemetery in Anjum. Reburied in the 1960s at the Polish cemetery in Breda.
Pjotr Betnaski, buried in St. Jacobiparochie.
3 crew members missing.
The crew of the Halifax DT-627.
Second from the left is Jan Polnik. In the back is Branislaw Wojno (99).
This photo was sent by John Potharst (January 2023).
The story mentioned here was recorded by John Potharst, who adopted the grave of Jan Polnik.
Constance Polnik
Michael Polnik
A few years ago I was offered the grave of Jan Polnik for adoption by Arend Roos and immediately you are quite curious about the how and what about the person. I had the grave for about 2 years when Arend Roos received a visit at the town hall from an elderly woman and a man in his sixties.
They asked who put those beautiful flowers on the grave every time (they were here a few days after May 4th) and Arend gave them my address. It was Polnik's still living wife, Constance, and their son Michael.
They had deliberately come on that day, because it was 60 years ago that Jan Polnik was shot down. The year after that they were there again and I met them, again with Remembrance Day. We also walked the silent march then. I was invited by them to have a bite to eat with them in hotel Schylge and then the stories came loose!
She said that Jan had fled from Poland to fly for the Allies, initially as an aviator in bombers that bombed Germany, but, she said, "he felt too good for that". Then he went to fly special missions, with the aim of dropping agents and/or weapons and other goods.
She also told that things had gone wrong once before, but then he still managed to reach England. He only came home in the afternoon. Constance was naturally rightfully worried. So she understandably asked "Where have you been?".
His plane was heavily riddled and he replied very calmly: "I landed my plane on the first bit of England I could find!". But he could not find transport from the chalk cliffs very quickly so he mostly had to walk home.
The second time things did go wrong. Their son Michael was 11 weeks old then. Constance, of English descent, never remarried.
During mission "leek 7" his Halifax was probably brought down between the Wadden Islands given the fact that two crew members are buried in St Jacobie-parochie. Jan Polnik is buried next to B. Wojno, also a Pole. They were in the same plane.
Constance is still alive. She must be almost 90 years old now but she is still a sprightly lady! We still have contact a few times a year, in any case at Christmas.
It gives you a very good feeling to know that these people are so grateful, unbelievably grateful.
Hello Johnny,
My Mother has now died and was a good age, although she remembered the war very well and how Holland suffered. She was an ambulance driver in Coventry in the War which was heavily bombed.
She was always extremely grateful to you and your family for all your care and it was a great comfort to her.
We will at some stage come again as it was her wish we should visit regularly and of course Jan Polnik was my father.
Hope all is well.
Michael
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Hello Johnny,
I am very glad all is well with you and your family.
It is easy to get confused as Barbara is my wife and Constance was my mother, who had fond memories of you and all you have done.
It was her wish that I place something on my father's grave as soon as as I am able to, after she has passed away. This means a visit to Terschelling at some point and it would be great to meet up if you have time .
Michael
