Zdzisław Henneberg
Encyclopedia
Zdzisław Henneberg VM
, DFC
, KZ***
, CdeG
(11 May 1911 - 12 April 1941) was a Polish airman who flew with the Royal Air Force
during the Battle of Britain
and a flying ace of the Second World War.
. He graduated from the VIIIth Polish Air Force and pre war was an instructor at the advanced flight training school. He was stationed as an instructor in Deblin when the German invasion of Poland commenced, and volunteered for combat flying. After the USSR's invasion of Poland he evacuated to Romania and from there to France, where he was trained on the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
.
Henneberg was put in command of a MB.152
fighter group. He was stationed at Chateauroux
, which was abandoned by its French personnel on 17 June 1940, upon which Henneberg evacuated to England, reaching it via Bourdeaux
with three other pilots - this was the only Polish evacuation from France to England by plane.
), Henneberg was attacked by a number of Bf 109s. He defended himself and destroyed one Do 17.
Henneberg temporarily took command of No. 303 Squadron RAF from Witold Urbanowicz
on 21 September 1940. On 27 September he was credited with a Bf 109 and on 5 October he shot down a Bf 110 from the ErprobungsGruppe 210.
In a ceremony on 15 December he was awarded a DFC for bravery and claiming 8 victories in the Battle of Britain by the Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command Air Chief Marshal
Sholto Douglas.
On 12 April 1941 Henneberg led six Supermarine Spitfire
s in an attack on airfields near Le Touquet and Crecy. During the attack Henneberg's plane was damaged by anti-aircraft fire. He managed to fly his plane out of occupied France, but had to ditch it in the English Channel 20 miles from Dungeness. Zbigniew Kustrzyński reported seeing Henneberg in the water and reported his position, but a two-day search could not find him and his body was never found.
He is remembered on the Battle of Britain Monument in London
, the Polish Memorial to Aircrew in Warsaw
and the Polish War Memorial
near RAF Northolt
.
Virtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, KZ***
Krzyz Zaslugi
The Cross of Merit is a Polish civil state award established on June 23, 1923, to recognize services to the state.The Order has three grades:At the time of its establishment in 1923, the Cross of Merit was the highest civilian award in Poland...
, CdeG
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(11 May 1911 - 12 April 1941) was a Polish airman who flew with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
and a flying ace of the Second World War.
Early Life & Career
Henneberg was born on 11 May 1914 in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. He graduated from the VIIIth Polish Air Force and pre war was an instructor at the advanced flight training school. He was stationed as an instructor in Deblin when the German invasion of Poland commenced, and volunteered for combat flying. After the USSR's invasion of Poland he evacuated to Romania and from there to France, where he was trained on the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
The M.S.406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II....
.
Battle of France
During the German invasion of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
Henneberg was put in command of a MB.152
Bloch MB.150
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Belcarz, Bartłomiej. Morane MS 406C1, Caudron Cyclone CR 714C1, Bloch MB 151/152 , Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus, 2004. ISBN 83-89450-21-6. About the use of the MB.151/152 by Polish Pilots of the Armée de l'Air.* Breffort, Dominique and André Jouineau...
fighter group. He was stationed at Chateauroux
Châteauroux
Châteauroux is the capital of the Indre department in central France and the second-largest town in the province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called Castelroussines or Castelroussins....
, which was abandoned by its French personnel on 17 June 1940, upon which Henneberg evacuated to England, reaching it via Bourdeaux
Bourdeaux
Bourdeaux is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
with three other pilots - this was the only Polish evacuation from France to England by plane.
Battle of Britain
On 2 August 1940 Henneberg joined No. 303 Squadron RAF, under the command of Squadron Leader Kellett. He was shot down on 31 August during his first operational mission . On 2 September 1940 Henneberg was credited with one damaged enemy aircraft. Five days later in a battle over Essex Henneberg claimed two victories, one certain and one 'probable' Bf 109. On 15 September 1940 (later known as Battle of Britain DayBattle of Britain Day
The Battle of Britain Day is the name given to the large-scale aerial battle that took place on 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain ....
), Henneberg was attacked by a number of Bf 109s. He defended himself and destroyed one Do 17.
Henneberg temporarily took command of No. 303 Squadron RAF from Witold Urbanowicz
Witold Urbanowicz
Witold Urbanowicz was a Polish fighter ace of the Second World War. According to the official record, Witold Urbanowicz was the second highest-scoring Polish fighter ace, with 17 confirmed wartime kills and 1 probable, not counting his pre-war victory...
on 21 September 1940. On 27 September he was credited with a Bf 109 and on 5 October he shot down a Bf 110 from the ErprobungsGruppe 210.
In a ceremony on 15 December he was awarded a DFC for bravery and claiming 8 victories in the Battle of Britain by the Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sholto Douglas.
Later War & Death
Henneberg temporarily relinquished command of No. 303 Squadron RAF on 7 November 1940 to Adamowi Kowalczykowi, before taking over permanently on 20 February 1941.On 12 April 1941 Henneberg led six Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s in an attack on airfields near Le Touquet and Crecy. During the attack Henneberg's plane was damaged by anti-aircraft fire. He managed to fly his plane out of occupied France, but had to ditch it in the English Channel 20 miles from Dungeness. Zbigniew Kustrzyński reported seeing Henneberg in the water and reported his position, but a two-day search could not find him and his body was never found.
He is remembered on the Battle of Britain Monument in London
Battle of Britain Monument in London
The Battle of Britain Monument in London is a sculpture on the Victoria Embankment overlooking the River Thames in central London, England which pays tribute to those who took part in the Battle of Britain during World War II...
, the Polish Memorial to Aircrew in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and the Polish War Memorial
Polish War Memorial
The Polish War Memorial is a memorial erected to remember the contribution of airmen from Poland who helped the Allied cause during World War II....
near RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
.