111th Fighter Escadrille

[1] In 1936 the escadrille was stationed in Sarny and was providing air cover for a construction of border fortifications at the frontier with the Soviet Union.

[2] In 1939 it was attached to the Pursuit Brigade,[1] a large fighter unit held in reserve of the Commander in Chief.

The escadrille was scrambled to intercept a large formation of enemy bombers escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters.

On September 3 a flight from the escadrille, providing air cover for Col. Stefan Pawlikowski intercepted a formation of enemy Bf 110 fighters over Wyszków.

[4] Altogether during the campaign the unit downed 8 enemy planes (other sources mention 7½) while losing 9 of its own PZL P.11c fighters.

From there the majority of the pilots were able to get to France and the United Kingdom, where many joined the Polish Air Forces in exile.

The air crew consisted of kapitan (Captain) Gustaw Sidorowicz, his deputy porucznik (Lieutenant) Wojciech Januszewicz and 16 other pilots: