P/O Andrew Charles Mynarski VC was a 27-year-old air gunner in the Royal Canadian Air Force who, in 1944, performed a heroic act of valour above occupied France that would be remembered for generations.
He was born on the 14th October 1916 in Winnipeg, Canada, the son of Polish immigrants. He had two brothers and three sisters. His father died when he was only 16 and until he volunteered in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in 1940, he worked as a Chamois Cutter. He only served a short time before enlisting in the RCAF and training as a Pilot.
A conspicuous act of heroism
On 12th June 1944, Lancaster X KB726 from 419 (Moose) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, embarked on a mission to attack the marshalling yards at Cambrai in occupied France.
A Junkers Ju 88 attacked the aircraft, hitting the plane on its fuselage and port engines.
A fire erupted between the mid-upper and rear turrets and rapidly intensified. With both port engines disabled, the captain ordered the crew to bail out.
Pilot Officer Mynarski made his way to the escape hatch. He saw through the flames that the rear gunner, Pilot Officer Pat Brophy, was trapped in his turret.
Without a moment’s thought, Mynarski courageously charged through the engulfing flames to aid the rear gunner and attempt to free him.
Despite Mynarski’s valiant efforts to free Brophy using an axe, the turret remained stuck.
Realising the futility of his attempts, Brophy gestured to Mynarski that he should save himself.
Reluctantly, Mynarski returned through the blaze to the escape hatch. With his clothes and parachute burning, he turned one more time to salute his trapped friend and then jumped into the night.
The burning parachute caused Mynarski to fall rapidly and land hard on the ground in France.
French civilians who had witnessed his fall took him to a German hospital, but sadly, due to severe burns, he passed away the following day.
Miraculously, Pilot Officer Brophy survived the Lancaster crash without serious injuries. It wasn’t until 1945, when Brophy reunited with the rest of his crew, that Mynarski’s heroism came to light.
The courageous airman could have escaped the burning aircraft alive but bravely chose instead to help his trapped comrade.
Legacy
In recognition of his bravery, Pilot Officer Mynarski was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 1946. Several statues were erected in his honour, including one outside the former officer’s mess at RAF Middleton St. George and another in Canada near his hometown.
To further commemorate his sacrifice, one of only two flyable Lancasters in the world, FM213 is named the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster. This aircraft is painted in the colours of the Lancaster on which Mynarski flew his final mission.
Mynarski’s legacy endures as a symbol of the highest valour and selflessness, reminding us of the extraordinary courage displayed during the darkest days of World War II.
You can see his entry in the Losses Database here
Find out more about the Canadian Lancaster here