The Pomonicza Lotnicza S-UBA Kobiet (PLSK; the Auxiliary Women’s Air Force Service), founded by order of the minister of defense of the Polish government-in-exile on the model of British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force to replace Polish servicemen in support roles on Polish air bases in the United Kingdom.

Initially, 36 women candidates were sent in May 1943 for basic training to Falkirk, Scotland. The group qualified as instructors, of whom 12 became officers and were awarded both Polish and British ranks in October 1943. General recruitment to PLSK began in November 1943, including Polish women from Canada, the United States, France, Argentina, Switzerland, China, and Japan. Many volunteers came from Polish units evacuated from the Soviet Union to the Middle East.

Serving in 26 units of the Polish air force, personnel were trained in 45 specialties. One Polish source estimates the total strength of PLSK at 1,436, constituting 10 percent of Polish air force strength in the West and including 52 officers and 110 NCOs (an earlier source cites a total of 1,653, including 52 officers and 163 NCOs).

In addition, three Polish women served with the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA): Anna Leska-Daab, Jadwiga Pilsudzka, and Barbara Vojtulanis. RAF Flight Lieutenant Leska-Daab was the sole woman flying with ATA (1941– 1945) to receive the Royal Medal. She became flight leader in the spring of 1943 and was placed in charge of eight women ferry pilots—five British and one each from the United States, Chile, and Argentina. Stationed at Hatfield and Hamble, she ferried 93 types of aircraft and amphibia and logged 1,241 hours in the air.

References Leska-Daab,Anna.“Leska-Daab’s War Reminiscences” (in Polish). Skrzydlata Polska, no. 20 (18 May 1980): Malinowski, Tadeusz.“From Aircraft to Aircraft” (in Polish). Skrzydlata Polska, no. 10 (8 March 1981)