Brooch depicting emblems of Polish 307 Squadron

This small brooch was made by Edek Ziomek, known to his friends as Ted. The owl and the plane images represent the Polish 307 squadron which was based near Exeter for much of the Second World War.

Ted’s nephew donated the brooch to the museum and tells the story behind its creation: “Ted served in the Polish air force as an aircraft engineer, and escaped the German and Russian invasions of his country by moving to Romania, then on to Greece and Toulon. When France fell he fled to Algeria. Here he was picked up by the British and taken to Glasgow where the Polish wing of the RAF was based. Ted was posted to 307 Squadron at Exeter, where as a highly skilled metal worker he made the brooch which was given to my aunt, then Miss Lilian Georgette Chambers, whom he had met at a local dance. The gift occurred prior to their marriage on 26 April 1944.”

Object Summary

Accession Loan No.
11/2014
Category
Antiquities
Collection Class
Social and industrial history
Collection Area Region
Northern Europe
Material
silver
Common Name
brooch depicting emblems of Polish 307 Squadron
Simple Name
brooch
Period Classification
World War II (1939-1945)
Production Person Initials
Edek
Production Person Surname
Ziomek
Production Year Low
1940
Production Year High
1943

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brooch depicting emblem of Polish night-fighter 307 Squadron