Zygmunt Witymir Bieńkowski

Zygmunt Witymir Bieńkowski (2 May 1913 Warszawa – 15 August 1979) was a Polish pilot and a writer of many articles and poems. His 303 squadron diary is deposited in the Polish Museum and Sikorski Institute in London. He is buried at Gunnersbury Cemetery in West London.

Zygmunt Witymir Bieńkowski was the son of Leopold Bieńkowski (1883–1942) and Zofia Braun (1891–1943). His father was a Polish Member of Parliament from 1922 to 1928. Both his parents died in the Soviet Gulag camps.

Trained as a pilot at Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin, he did not take action in Poland in 1939, but was evacuated westwards, escaped to Rumania, then moved to France and 27 June 1940 came to England. During the Battle of Britain, he served with 55 OTU in Aston Down. In May 1941 he joined No. 245 Squadron. In July 1941 he was transferred to No. 303 Squadron based at Northolt. on 6 November 1941 Bieńkowski claimed a Bf 109 shot down. On 12 April 1942 heis aircraft was shot up by a Focke-Wulf FW 190, force landing with collapsed landing gear near the English coast.

He served from 1 December 1942 until 4 July 1943 as Squadron Leader of No. 303 Squadron. During July 1943 No.303 Squadron were resting at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, where the newly arrived US Army Air Corps 94th Fighter Squadron had just been assigned. He befriended some of the American pilots who gave him the affectionate nickname "Bing Crosby", a play on his family name.

From January 1945 to 24 February 1945 he commanded 302. On 24 February his Spitfire Mk. XVI (TB341, "WX-B") was shot down by flak over Germany near Wesel and he was taken prisoner.

Released by American forces, by the end of the war he was a Wing Commander. During the war he made 74 sorties, claiming one Bf 109 destroyed and a FW 190 damaged. He died on 15 August 1979 in London aged 66. He was buried in Gunnersbury Cemetery.

His brother Jan Bieńkowski, was also a pilot and shot down over Cherbourg in 1944.

Military awards
Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross Krzyż Walecznych (Cross of Valour), 3 times Vliegerkruis (Airman's Cross) (Netherlands)