Mysteries are often solved slowly, one small step at a time. But when we finally succeed, the sense of satisfaction is immense. Such is the case with the photograph of A Squadron of the Polish Air Technical School for Juveniles in Halton, England. We first published it in September 2025, asking our readers to help identify at least a few of the people in this group photograph.

It is worth noting that these “juveniles” were, for the most part, the so-called “Sybir children”—young people who, together with General Anders’ Army, were evacuated from the Soviet Union to the Middle East following the signing of the Sikorski–Mayski Agreement, and later to Great Britain, where they trained as aircraft technicians.

Nearly a year passed before we heard from Ms. Barbara Drake in distant Chicago. She identified not only her father, Czesław Bogdanowicz, in the photograph, but also his friend, Lolek (most likely Karol) Marcinowski. Ms. Drake wrote:

I am the daughter of Czesław Bogdanowicz. He is the cadet standing in the upper right-hand corner of the photograph. I have many photographs from the time he spent in Halton. In the upper middle section of the picture, I can see his friend, Lolek Marcinowski. If you would like any further information, please feel free to contact me at any time. I also have his school notebooks and his school certificate.

In subsequent correspondence, Ms. Drake explained that her father had been deported by the Soviets from Volhynia to Kazakhstan together with his family.

Ms. Drake’s mother, Lonia (Leontyna, née Ścibek), was also deported by the Soviets to Sybir. While in Kazakhstan, she lost her 13-year-old brother, Mieczysław. She herself was later evacuated to Valivade in India and subsequently to Kampala, Uganda.

After the war, Czesław Bogdanowicz played an active role in the community of Polish war veterans in Great Britain.

In another email, Ms. Drake clarified:

In the top row, the eighth person from the right is Lolek Marcinowski, a friend of Czesław Bogdanowicz, who is standing at the far right of the top row.

Ms. Barbara, we are deeply grateful!

Let us also remind you that we received this photograph from the family of Andrzej Mielnik, who was deported from Białystok on 20 June 1941. Following the amnesty granted to Polish deportees by the Soviet authorities after the signing of the so-called Sikorski–Mayski Agreement (30 July 1941), the Mielnik family was evacuated to the Middle East. They were then sent to a civilian refugee camp in Karachi, India, and later to Mombasa in East Africa. At the end of 1943, Andrzej Mielnik entered the school at Halton, where he studied in the engine mechanics section. After graduating, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1947 and became a British citizen.