Mieczyslaw Garsztka
Encyclopedia
Mieczysław Sylwester Garsztka (December 31, 1896 - June 10, 1919) was a Polish
pilot, a flying ace
of the German
air force during World War I
.
. Initially he served in the infantry
on the Western Front with Grenadier Regiment 110 and Infantry Regiment 87. After completing officer training in April 1917 he became a Leutnant.
He was slightly injured commanding a company in the 1st battalion of the 1st Nassau Infantry Regiment Nr. 87, and was awarded the Iron Cross
2nd class. Then he asked to be transferred to the air service, and in November 1917 he was sent to flying school.
After completing his flying training in Posen
, and then a fighter pilot course in Nivelles, he was assigned to Jagdstaffel 31 (Jasta 31) in St. Loup in Champagne
on 7 June 1918. Initially he flew the Albatros D.V
and later the Fokker D.VII
fighter.
His combat career was short but successful. He shot down his first claim, a SPAD fighter on 16 July 1918 and was given a fighter pilot badge. On 18 September he shot down an S.E.5a
and a DH.9 bomber, then another DH.9 on 25 September. The following day he shot down a Sopwith Camel
of No. 208 Squadron, and on 30 September he claimed his sixth (and last) kill, an S.E.5a. from No. 92 Squadron.
On 2 October he was wounded during combat with Camels of No. 46 Squadron RAF
, and managed to land and was hospitalised. His probable victors were Captain Donald MacLaren
, James Leith
and Cyril H. Sawyer. Garsztka was the only pilot of Jasta 31 to became a fighter ace
. On 25 September 1918 he was awarded with the Iron Cross 1st Class.
regained independence, Garsztka broke through the border to Poland and on 7 December 1918 joined the Polish Air Force
. At first he was made an instructor pilot in Warsaw as he was skilled in German aircraft pilotage, but he asked to be sent to the front. At that time, the Polish forces were fighting with Ukrainian forces
for control of Lwów (Lviv
) and the surrounding area. On 9 May 1919 Garsztka was sent to the 7th Air Escadrille
(later known as the Kościuszko Squadron) in Lwów. From 10 May to 7 June he undertook sixteen combat missions, mostly as a pilot of a bomber-reconnaissance LVG C.VI
. Among others on 14 May, he flew three times bombing Ukrainian positions.
On 10 June 1919, Mieczysław Garsztka killed in an aircrash, flying a newly reconstructed SPAD S.VII
fighter in Lwów. The cause of the crash was wing fabric failure. He was posthumously awarded with Virtuti Militari
5th Class. He was buried in Lychakivskiy Cemetery
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
pilot, a flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
air force during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
World War I German service
He was born to a Polish family in Bromberg (Bydgoszcz). Some sources state his forename as Sylvester, but Mieczysław was his first name and was the one used by him. He intended to study medicine but in November 1915 he was mobilized into the German armyGerman Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
. Initially he served in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
on the Western Front with Grenadier Regiment 110 and Infantry Regiment 87. After completing officer training in April 1917 he became a Leutnant.
He was slightly injured commanding a company in the 1st battalion of the 1st Nassau Infantry Regiment Nr. 87, and was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd class. Then he asked to be transferred to the air service, and in November 1917 he was sent to flying school.
After completing his flying training in Posen
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, and then a fighter pilot course in Nivelles, he was assigned to Jagdstaffel 31 (Jasta 31) in St. Loup in Champagne
Champagne (province)
The Champagne wine region is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name...
on 7 June 1918. Initially he flew the Albatros D.V
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
and later the Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
fighter.
His combat career was short but successful. He shot down his first claim, a SPAD fighter on 16 July 1918 and was given a fighter pilot badge. On 18 September he shot down an S.E.5a
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
and a DH.9 bomber, then another DH.9 on 25 September. The following day he shot down a Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
of No. 208 Squadron, and on 30 September he claimed his sixth (and last) kill, an S.E.5a. from No. 92 Squadron.
On 2 October he was wounded during combat with Camels of No. 46 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, formed in 1916, was disbanded and re-formed three times before its last disbandment in 1975. It served in both World War I and World War II.- World War I :...
, and managed to land and was hospitalised. His probable victors were Captain Donald MacLaren
Donald MacLaren
Donald Roderick MacLaren DSO, MC & Bar, DFC was a Canadian World War I flying ace. He was credited with 54 victories and, after the war, helped found the Royal Canadian Air Force....
, James Leith
James Leith
Major James Leith VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Life:...
and Cyril H. Sawyer. Garsztka was the only pilot of Jasta 31 to became a fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
. On 25 September 1918 he was awarded with the Iron Cross 1st Class.
Polish service
After the war when PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
regained independence, Garsztka broke through the border to Poland and on 7 December 1918 joined the Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
. At first he was made an instructor pilot in Warsaw as he was skilled in German aircraft pilotage, but he asked to be sent to the front. At that time, the Polish forces were fighting with Ukrainian forces
Polish-Ukrainian War
The Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.-Background:...
for control of Lwów (Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
) and the surrounding area. On 9 May 1919 Garsztka was sent to the 7th Air Escadrille
Polish 7th Air Escadrille
Polish 7th Air Escadrille , better known as the Kościuszko Squadron, was one of the units of the Polish Air Force during the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921. Formed in late 1918, it was re-formed in late 1919 from US volunteers...
(later known as the Kościuszko Squadron) in Lwów. From 10 May to 7 June he undertook sixteen combat missions, mostly as a pilot of a bomber-reconnaissance LVG C.VI
LVG C.VI
|-See also:-References:-Sources:*Heinonen, Timo: Thulinista Hornetiin - Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseon julkaisuja 3, Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo, 1992, ISBN 951-95688-2-4...
. Among others on 14 May, he flew three times bombing Ukrainian positions.
On 10 June 1919, Mieczysław Garsztka killed in an aircrash, flying a newly reconstructed SPAD S.VII
SPAD S.VII
The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rugged aircraft with good climbing and diving characteristics...
fighter in Lwów. The cause of the crash was wing fabric failure. He was posthumously awarded with Virtuti Militari
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...
5th Class. He was buried in Lychakivskiy Cemetery
Lychakivskiy Cemetery
-History:Since its creation in 1787 as Łyczakowski Cemetery, it has been the main necropolis of the city's inteligentsia, middle and upper classes. Initially the cemetery was located on several hills in the borough of Lychakiv, following the imperial Austro-Hungarian edict ordering that all...
.
Sources
- Kopański, Tomasz J., Mieczysław Garsztka - polski as Kajzera, in: Militaria vol.4 No.1/1999, ISSN 1231-692X, p. 47-53