Flight Lieutenant Ludwik Martel, Polish Spitfire Pilot, Cottesmore 2000. Copyright Gary Parsons, f4 Aviation 2000

Ludwik Martel, 81, arrived in England early in 1940 to join many other gallant Polish pilots who flew with the Royal Air Force during World War II. He was posted to 603 Squadron in September 1940 and flew the Spitfire for the remainder of the Battle of Britain. On 25 October, six days before it ended, he was shot down and slightly wounded. However, by 10 November he was fit enough to return to flying.

In 1943, he was sent to the Middle East with fellow countrymen to form the Polish Fighting Team, which became known as 'Skalski's Circus'. Operating in the Western Desert, within two months the 'Circus' had proved its fighting ability by destroying 30 enemy aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Martel shot down three of these.

Awarded the Krzyz Waleznych (Cross of Valour) with two bars, and the Virtuti Vilitari, he was released from the Polish Air Force in 1947 and settled in England. By 1953, he was in the air again as a pilot for the Colonial Office in East Africa, retiring as Chief Pilot in 1966.

Battle of Britain Score: 1 Destroyed, 1 Damaged