Władysław Gnyś (to the left) with another pilot at the hunting school in Grudziądz, 1934. This biplane is probably a training PWS-14. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
In the early morning of September 1, 1939, after the Luftwaffe bombed the Krakow airport, the Stukas pilot Frank Neubert attacked Polish pilots Gnyś and Medwecki taking off to intercept German bombers. Capt. Medwecki was killed. Gnyś instinctively made a left and down maneuver. Illustration by John D. Bindon
A few moments earlier, Capt. Medwecki was killed by the Stukas pilot Frank Neubert. Władek managed to escape the Ju-87 chasing it just above the treetops. Illustration by John D. Bindon.
No. 4 V-formation. Second Lieutenant Gnyś (second from the left) and Lieutenant Bursztyn (third from the right) in front of their MS.406 “I” ser. No. 1031 at the GC III / 1 airport, May 1940. archive of the Gnyś family
Polish No. 4 V-formation was assigned to Group de Chasse III/1 in Toul-Croix de Metz in northern France, on the first line of defense. From the left: Lieutenant Kazimierz Bursztyn (commander of the formation), Second Lieutenants Władysław Gnyś and Władysław Chciuk. They were eager to show the French pilots what they could do in the air, and they made it in a mock air combat in the early days of their service at Toul-Croix de Metz. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
30-year-old Władysław Gnyś met his future wife, the beautiful 19-year-old Englishwoman Barbara Simmons, in October 1940 at the Orchard pub in Ruislip. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
No. 316 Squadron had an “owl” emblem over the letter “Z”. Photo from 1943. F / Lt Gnyś then flew mainly Spitfires Mk V and Mk IX and airplanes “J” and “O”. During the war, the Spitfire became a legend of fighter aviation. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
X-ray image of the German bullet in Gnyś's liver. He was shot down over Normandy on August 27, 1944, and was wounded by a tanker who opened fire at Władek escaping from a crashed Spitfire. The bullet had remained there for 56 years. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
March 1948: Władysław Gnyś in an RAF winter coat, Stefan (author of the book) in a blue coat made of Harris Tweed and Sasha aboard RMS Aquitania en route to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
Englishwoman Simmons-Gnyś with children. Photo archive of the Gnyś family
The first victories. The story of the life and struggle of a heroic aviator