Tadeusz Arentowicz

Tadeusz Arentowicz (1909-1941) was born in Spierc Poland. He was Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force in the No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron (303 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki"}. He was B-group Flight Commander of the squadron.  A week after his final promotion, in 1941, he was on a mission escorting bombers when his plane was shot down by a German fighter near Dunkirk over the English Channel; he was never found.

Military career
Tadeusz Arentowicz was a graduate of the Polish Air Force University in Deblin (VII Promotion ). On the fifteenth of August 1933 he was given the rank of second lieutenant in the Polish Air Force and was assigned to the 1st Air Regiment stationed in Warsaw. He would finish his training in Grudziądz. He would become an instructor at the Ułęż airport near Deblin on March 1939. See No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron.

He participated in the September Campaign as a member of the Deblin Group. He had evacuated to Romania from the Wielick airport with other pilots. He would then wait to be picked up by the English at Port of Constanța. The English transports had never arrived to pick him and the others up. He would then manage to make his way to France and proceed on to England.

He would receive his service number of P-0251 in 1941. After he was trained to use British equipment he would be assigned to the 303rd Polish Fighter Squadron. He would fulfill the duties of squadron leader after the death of Zdzisław Henneberg and would come to be the command of the whole squadron on July 3, 1941.

He joined 303 after the Battle of Britain. His career is enigmatic, as little is known; but he was known by the nickname, "Szpak" ('Starling' in English). Although he started as a flight lieutenant, death (Zdzisław Henneberg) and injury (Wacław Łapkowski) of his predecessors created a vacancy, and he was elevated to Flight Commander.

On March 3, 1941, after the Squadron had been upgraded to Spitfire Mk IIA planes, Arentowich led attacked the German airfield at Le Touquet, another at Waben, and strafed an army transport depot at Breck-sur-Mer.

On April 16, 1941, Arentowich had become the acting Commanding Office. He presented a nomination of Waclaw Lapkowski (a second time) for the Cross of Valor.

On 11 March 1941, he and two other pilots were vectored in by ground control to attack an aircraft at 10,000 feet. This incident came to be called "A Little Mistake" in the squadron's log. Arentowicz was part of an attack by three Polish Spitfires on a friendly Armstrong Whitworth Whitley that was involved in paratroop training. Fortunately, and despite 100 hits, the plane survived and no injuries were experienced.

He was given a prominent role during at least one ceremonial occasion.

He was at the helm of Spitfire II PF 8385 IMPREGNABLE and damaged a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 25 June 1941.

Death
On July 8, 1941, he flew the Supermarine Spitfire (designation P 8502) on mission to escort bombers to destroy the railway line and station in Lille. He was shot down by a German fighter and fell into the sea (the other pilots saw him fall into the sea somewhere near Dunkirk). Polish forces searched for him but he was never found.

He was replaced as Squadron Commander by Lieutenant Jankiewicz.

He is remembered on the Polish Memorial to Aircrew in Warsaw and the Polish War Memorial near RAF Northolt.

Awards

 * PilotPolowy.jpg Aviator badge
 * POL_Krzyż_Walecznych_(1940)_BAR.PNGh Cross of Valour
 * Field Pilot's Badge