Bernard Karol Buchwald was born on May 15, 1917. He began his flight training at the age of 18, joining the Poznań Aeroclub in October 1936, where he flew aircraft such as the RWD-8, Bartlu BM-4, and Hanriot XXVIII. In 1937, he enrolled at the Gimnazjum św. Marii Magdaleny, and upon completion of his studies, he joined the army.
He initially served in the infantry, but by early 1938, he transferred to aviation. At the outbreak of the war, he was undergoing a pilotage course in Uleż. On September 5, 1939, he evacuated to Romania, reaching Sniatyn, but after the Soviet advance, he again departed for Romania. His escape route then led him to Malta and, by November 12, to Marseille.
Early Military Career and French Service
In France, Buchwald joined the École Militaire de l’Air, where he was among 16 Polish pilots who transported French gunners on the Potez XXVII. On May 13, the school was evacuated, and at Pietraszkiewicz’s initiative, the pilots formed a unit with Dewoitine D-501 fighters to cover the port of Bordeaux. Buchwald completed several sorties but without engaging the enemy. Following this, another evacuation took place, this time to England.
After completing the necessary courses, from April 1941, he flew with the 316th Fighter Squadron. Initially, his missions involved convoy escort, but he later re-profiled to cover raids over France. On March 27, 1942, while covering “Bostons” near Ostend, Buchwald claimed to have damaged an Fw-190, though this victory was not officially confirmed.
Tragically, on April 12, 1942, during his 83rd combat sortie, he was shot down and taken prisoner. He was liberated by American forces on May 2, 1945, and returned to England three days later. He was demobilized with the rank of Captain and awarded the Krzyżem Walecznych (Cross of Valor).
Post-War Life and Contributions
In September 1945, Buchwald enrolled in the English Philology course at the University of Birmingham. In 1947, he returned to Poland and settled in Poznań, where he was under surveillance by the security services for a period. With the opening of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań in 1965, he began teaching English.
He also authored two books: “316 Dywizjon Myśliwski Warszawski” (316th Warsaw Fighter Squadron) and memoirs titled “Od Wrony do Spitfire’a” (From a Raven to a Spitfire). According to the latest information, he resided in Poznań.