Bogusław Krawczyk
Bogusław Dionizy Krawczyk (15 May 1906 – 19 July 1941) was a submarine commander of the Polish Navy during World War II.
Bogusław Krawczyk | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 May 1906 Dubienka, Congress Poland (present day Poland) |
| Died | 19 July 1941 (aged 35) Dundee |
| Allegiance | Poland |
| Service/ |  Polish Navy Poland |
| Years of service | 1928–1941 |
| Rank |  Komandor podporucznik Commander |
| Commands held | ORP Wilk |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Virtuti Militari (Silver Cross) Cross of Valour Navy Medal (Medal Morski) Distinguished Service Order |
Biography
He was the son Władysław and Michalina Witkowska. He graduated in 1925 in Hrubieszów,[1] in the same year he entered the Polish Naval Academy where he graduated, valedictorian in 1928.[2] He was sent to complete his education in France at the École d'Application des Enseignes de Vaisseau during which he took an instructional cruise on the French armored cruiser Edgar Quinet. In 1929 he came back to Poland and was assigned to the Pinsk Flotilla.[1] In 1930 he served in the command of the Navy, in the years 1931–1932 he completed the submarine navigation course in Toulon[1] and in 1934 the underwater weapons training. He served on the submarines ORP Wilk and ORP Żbik. In 1938 he took command of Wilk.[1] He had a reputation as one of the best submarine officers in the Polish Navy with a high knowledge, culture and abilities to command.[3] He spoke four languages fluently, played piano, painted, wrote poems and sailed.[4]
During the Invasion of Poland, Wilk patrolled the Gdańsk Bay, and on 3 September deployed her mines as planned. The submarine was attacked several times, Krawczyk decided to join England[2] and arrived at Rosyth on 20 September.[5] After the reparations in Dundee, Wilk was assigned to the 2nd Submarine Flotilla patrolling on the North Sea. On 3 May 1940 he was promoted komandor podporucznik (commander) soon after he was sent on a secret mission to Sweden to negotiate the release from internment of three Polish submarines (ORP Ryś, ORP Żbik and ORP Sęp) interned in September 1939. However, due to the allied defeat in Norway, the collapse of the French front and increasing German pressure on Swedish government, the mission ended in failure. Krawczyk returned empty handed.[3]
On 19 July 1941 Bogusław Krawczyk committed suicide, the reasons for which are not fully known.[3]
Awards and decorations
Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross
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Cross of Valour
Navy Medal (Medal Morski)
Distinguished Service Order
Military promotions
 sub-lieutenant (podporucznik) | 1928[2] |
 lieutenant (porucznik) | 1930[2] |
 lieutenant commander (kapitan) | 1936[2] |
 commander (komandor podporucznik) | 1940 |
Notes
- Pertek, Jerzy. "Krawczyk Bogusław Dionizy". Polski Słownik Biograficzny. Vol. XV. pp. 251–252.
- Sawicki, Jan Kazimierz (1996). Kadry morskie Rzeczypospolitej. Vol. II: Polska Marynarka Wojenna. Cz. 1: Korpus Oficerów 1918–1947. Gdynia. p. 368. ISBN 83-86703-50-4.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Pertek, Jerzy (1989). Mała flota wielka duchem. Poznań. pp. 148–149, 239–247, 452–453. ISBN 83-210-0697-3.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Anna Kościelak. "Bogusław Krawczyk – dowódca okrętu podwodnego ORP WILK., Nasze Sygnały" 1992. Za: Facta Nautica". facta-nautica.graptolite.net. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- Twardowski, M.
References
- Marek Twardowski (in Polish): "Podwodne drapieżniki" – stawiacze min typu Wilk ("Undersea predators" – Wilk class minelayers), in: Morza, Statki i Okręty nr. 3/1998, p. 23–26