On 5th October 1943, Supermarine Spitfire BL922 PK-I crashed near R.A.F. Ballyhalbert, Co. Down. The Mark V fighter was on a training flight in the hands of a Polish Pilot of R.A.F. 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron.
The pilot was Sergeant Henryk Andrzej Flegier of the Polish Air Force. While on a low-altitude training flight performing practise interceptions, Supermarine Spitfire BL922 lost power. The plane came down just over a mile north-west of the airfield.
Authorities wrote off the destroyed plane and declared Sergeant Flegier killed on active service. Less than a month earlier, Flegier had crashed another Spitfire at Ballyhalbert Airfield Ballyhalbert, Co. Down and was lucky to escape.
On 9th September 1943, Supermarine Spitfire W3937 PK-N crashed landed at R.A.F. Ballyhalbert, Co. Down. The plane overshot the runway on a high-speed landing attempt. Authorities wrote off the Spitfire and Flegier recovered.
The 30-year-old pilot was born on 21st December 1912 in Okuniew, Minsk County, Poland. Sergeant Henryk Andrzej Flegier’s grave is in Movilla Cemetery, Newtownards, Co. Down.