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Jozef Grzegorz Piotr Witkowski 12 March 1923 - 16 August 2010
Page last updated on Monday, May 23, 2011
No.705508 Flight Sergeant Jozef Witkowski (a.k.a. Josef Joe) of 308 Squadron of the Polish Air Force was awarded the Siberia Cross and the Polish Cross for Valour.
In 1940 he was a student living in Wilno (then Gorky) when annexed by the Soviets.
He was arrested by the NKVD in the early hours of 18th March 1941 for his part in the Polish underground movement, and imprisoned in Lukiszki Prison, a labour camp.
He escaped and made his way to Britain arriving in Liverpool in April 1943 after an arduous and circuitous route.
Unbeknown to Jozef, his father had died 3 months after the arrest. His mother died in 1962. He last saw them in March 1941.
Staffordshire became his home after the war. He married and had two daughters; Wanda and Ana.
Jozef talked little of his wartime experiences except for his time flying Spitfires. He was passionate about the Spitfire as it represented so very many things for him.
Josef was also involved in all and any events commemorating R J Mitchell and the Spitfire which sits in the Potteries Museum, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent today.
Jozef Grzegorz Piotr Witkowski was known as a perfect gentleman and as a modest and self effacing hero.
Jozef was a lifelong member of the Spitfire Society and is greatly missed by all who knew him.
Following the anniversary of his death, this notice serves as a reminder that he is not forgotten.
Chairman
