Sergeant Henryk Andrzej Flegier served in Polish R.A.F. 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron during their time in Northern Ireland where he died on 5th October 1943.
Sergeant
P/780038
Sergeant Henryk Andrzej Flegier served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was born on 21st December 1912 in what is now Okuniew, Minsk County, Poland. He began his military career in 1933 serving as a mechanic with Polish Air Force 217 Bomber Squadron.
Following the invasion of Poland from both German and Soviet forces in September 1939, Flegier made his way to the United Kingdom. He trained at No. 16 Polish Elementary Pilot School before joining R.A.F. No. 58 Operational Training Unit. From the O.T.U. he went on to join R.A.F. 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron.
During 1943, R.A.F. 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron were based for a short while at Ballyhalbert Airfield, Co. Down. Although a very experienced pilot, Flegier was involved in two incidents while based in Northern Ireland.
On 9th September 1943, Supermarine Spitfire V W3937 PK-N crashed landed at R.A.F. Ballyhalbert, Co. Down. The plane overshot the runway on a high-speed landing attempt. Authorities wrote off the Spitfire and Flegier recovered.
Sergeant Flegier died on 5th October 1943 aged 30 years old while serving in R.A.F. 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron. He was the pilot of Supermarine Spitfire V BL922 PK-I on a daytime training exercise. The plane came down around half a mile north-west of Ballyhalbert Airfield, Co. Down after losing power on a low-altitude flight performing practice interceptions.
Sergeant Flegier’s grave is in the Roman Catholic Plot, Section 18, Grave 24 of Movilla Cemetery, Newtownards, Co. Down. The death of Sergeant Flegier was the final fatality R.A.F. 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron experienced during their time in Northern Ireland.