Lieutenant Charles Alexandre Bronislas Borzecki (1880-1959) was a World War I
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
credited with five aerial victories.
[The Aerodrome website http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/borzecki.php Retrieved 31 July 2020.]
Military service
Having previously served his mandatory military obligation in army artillery (from 1901 to 1903),
Borzecki was recalled from the reserves on 2 August 1914 to serve in World War I. He applied for transfer to aviation service. By 3 November 1914, he was considered trained and was assigned to ''Escadrille C43''. He remained with this squadron until well into 1916, and scored his first confirmed victory on 25 July of that year. After a transfer to ''Escadrille N62'', he scored four shared victories over enemy airplanes between 10 October 1916 and 25 February 1917.
[
He returned to service in 1942 as a pilot.][
]
Honors and awards
Médaille militaire
The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...
citation, 4 August 1916
Adjudant observer of Escadrille C43; remarkable photographer observer showing skill, courage and sang-froid. He distinguished himself during the period 1 to 10 July 1916, during the course of which he demonstrated exceptional qualities of spirit and courage. He executed in very bad weather all the missions assigned to him, often at very low altitudes, in spite of heavy fire from infantry and artillery. Attacked twice by enemy planes, on 1 and 3 July, he attacked them causing them to flee, then completed his mission. Wounded and cited in orders.[
]Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
citation, 8 March 1917
Sous Lieutenant observer of Escadrille N62; observer of the first order. On 10 February 1917, during the course of a long range mission, he was attacked by three enemy planes; he downed one of them and put the others to flight, not returning until his mission was completed. Has downed four enemy planes since July 1916. Already wounded in the course of the war and cited in orders four times.[
Borzecki was sworn into the ''Légion d'honneur'' as a Chevalier, but would rise during his lifetime to become a ''Grand Officier''.][
]
Sources of information
References
* Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (1993). ''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918.'' Grub Street Publishing. .
1880 births
1959 deaths
French World War I flying aces
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