Bio / Text:
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Jerzy Hippolytus Palusinski was born on 13th August 1912 in Czestochowa, Poland. He was an amateur glider pilot before enlisting in the Polish Air Force.
At the time of the German attack he was flying the PZL P11c with 111 Squadron and on 1st September 1939 he destroyed a Do17 and possibly another over Warsaw before being shot down by a Me110. He crash-landed, injured, and was still in hospital two weeks later.
He discharged himself to return to his unit but was arrested by Russian forces attacking from the East. He escaped, was rearrested but escaped once more and crossed the border into Hungary on 18th November. From here he made his way to France but the details are currently unclear.
It seems that he intended to fly with the French but was still unfit and spent more time in hospital. The details of his passage to England are also unknown but he is recorded as being posted for assessment and training at 3 School of Technical Training at Blackpool in early August 1940.
On the 21st he joined 303 Squadron at Northolt. He was later attached to 5 OTU Aston Down for further training where he crashed Hurricane L1821 on 21st September.
Apart from two short attachments, to 308 Squadron at Woodvale from 19th February 1942 and to 306 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey from 25th May 1942, Palusinski stayed with 303 until 21st September 1943, when he was posted to 316 Squadron's Operations Room.
In early November 1943 Palusinski went on to Administration and Special Duties. He was posted to HQ 84 Group on 7th September 1945 and was released in January 1947.
He was awarded the VM (5th Class)(gazetted 31st October 1947).
Palusinski settled in England postwar and took up pig-farming.
He died on 10th May 1984 in Fordingbridge, Hampshire.
On 25 October 2011 in the Fourth High School in Czestochowa the ceremony of unveiling the plaque commemorating the graduate of pilot school of Jerzy Hipolit Palusiński took place
Ref
Battle of Britain Monument
