Kazimierz Wnsche had to bail out with burns over Beachy Head, and Sgt. However, according to other sources No. On 14 June 1943, Sgt. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Earlier yet, at the end of 1939 and beginning of 1940, about 2,300 flying and ground personnel were transferred to the four established Polish bomber squadrons. The squadron flew convoy patrols and carried out operational training. 12 Group, ending its participation in the Battle of Britain. Nine kills were claimed: six Bf 109s, one Bf 110 and two Do 17s. The squadron, equipped with Hurricanes, was moved in March to RAF Speke, Liverpool, where it made frequent patrols over naval convoys as part of No. Craig Murray: "They did have problems. Polish WAAFs constituted over 13 percent of the ground personnel of PAF. Stanisaw Wandzilak, it was decided to prepare a complete list of the personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain. It was during one such patrol, on 26 April, that Nastorowicz was: at 30,000ft in formation with the rest of 302 Squadron off Dungeness, when his aircraft was seen to climb steeply, turn over and nosedive towards the sea. Covering the naval and ground forces, No. . Richardson, participated in air to ground training exercises but S/Ldr Koc records in the Squadron's Operations Record Book (ORB) that 'I would love to show the score, to write some more details, but there were not given any.' International journalists flocked to airfields to write about their exploits, waiters refused to take payments for their meals in restaurants, bar owners paid for their drinks and bus conductors allowed them free journeys. 303 flew over the Channel daily, in numerous "Circus" escort missions and fighter sweeps. The Polish Air Force continued to serve with the RAF until the end of the war. More information 315 St Andrews Comments More like this Mustang IVa 65. squadron decals? - Aircraft WWII - Britmodeller.com For the Indian Naval Air Arm squadron, see, List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, Brief history of No. e was born on 10 April 1919 in Lutynia Dolna, Zaolzie, which at that time was called Niemiecka. "315 Squadron" redirects here. What kind of planes did the Polish use in World War 2? - Quora West Hampnett offered only basic facilities, with personnel initially living in bell-tents until Nissen huts were erected at the end of the year. No. 315 (Polish) Squadron at RAF Ballyhalbert 1943 Exhausted servicemen, tired of being defeated by the Germans, looked upon Britain with great anticipation and named it 'The Island of the Last Hope'. Polish Squadrons in Northern Ireland Part 2: No. 303 The Command of the PAF was reorganized into the Inspectorate General PRC RAF. However, in the first VE Day parade, held in 1946, none of the Polish forces who had fought for Britain were invited to attend. polishsquadronsremembered.com 315 St Andrews 315 St Andrews M Mike Ju 1 follower More information 315 St Andrews Reconnaissance Aircraft Wwii Aircraft Military Aircraft Ww2 Pictures P 51 P51 Mustang Navy Marine Ww2 Planes Battle Of Britain More information . . TheBattle of Britainwas a major air campaign fought over southern England in the summer and autumn of 1940. Tadeusz Nastorowicz hailed from Lodz in Poland, being born there on 1 May 1914. Fighter Command claimed six kills (JG 26 lost two, with three more badly damaged).[22]. Michael J. Casey MiD, tain, France, Wesel-Bocholt, Germany, War Crime "Polish Squadrons Remembered", Wilhelm Ratuszynski, diarsipkan dari versi asli tanggal 27 November 2002 Gilbert J. Mros (24 November 2007), On V-E Day say 'dziekuje' to the Poles , Polish Legion of American Veterans, diarsipkan dari versi asli tanggal 14 Februari 2021 , diakses tanggal 20 Februari 2021 Parameter |url-status= yang tidak . Polish Squadrons in Northern Ireland Part 2: No. On their part the British, like the French before them, accepted as truth the German propaganda about Polish ineptitude in resisting the German-Soviet invasion and were doubtful about the flying skills of the Polish pilots. 11 Group at Uxbridge. Polish pilots were soon flying with various RAF units. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron The Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies. MBDA wins major Polish air defence contract - ADU The List is also available for download as a PDF file. Oklahoma's Maj. Gen. Stanley Newman, a war-time pilot, is remembered as In 1939 the Polish Air Force was mainly equipped with the following aircraft PZL P.7 Monoplane fighter, designed in 1930, introduced to service in 1933,a rmed with x 7.92mm MGs PZL P.11 monoplane fighter, introduced to service in 1934, armed with either 2 or 4 x 7.92mm MGs PZL.37 o twin engined medium bomber, first introduced in 1938 Talking to him is Flight Lieutenant Zajac and Squadron Leader Jerszy Poplawski. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Trump mistrial request denied in NY rape lawsuit, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, US rock band Aerosmith announce farewell tour, DeSantis-backed board votes to countersue Disney, Street piano confiscated as public 'break rules', Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool. 303 was formed in July 1940 in Blackpool, Britain [4] before deployment to RAF Northolt on the 2nd of August as part of an I have damaged a machine, for the first time in my eleven years of flying! 303 Squadron was successfully vectored towards the incoming bomber streams and claimed 12 Do 17s and two Bf 109s, with P/O Zumbach, P/O Feri, Sgt. 14.10 hrs I took off as No.2 with F/O Podobinski from RAF. List of the Polish volunteers who served in Womens Auxiliary Air Force (Pomocnicza Lotnicza Suba Kobiet) is an integral part of the Krzysteks List at present. It was decided, therefore, to expand the current version by adding to each name information about the place or country in which the airman settled after 1947, as well as the date of death and place of burial, if they were known. The Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt lists the names of more than 1,900 personnel who lost their lives. However, as well as negative preconceptions the Polish had other challenges to overcome to fly with fighter command. Communication between British and Polish officers had to be carried out in French. Nastorowicz joined 302 (City of Poznan) Squadron at RAF Westhampnett, on 6 January 1941, from No.56 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Sutton Bridge. No. 302 Squadron, of 16 total Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. 315 Squadron was formed there in a previous month. Sgt. 303 Squadron was about 5560. Linda Duffield Porucznik Narucki's grave in Nothwood Cemetery. Neither Nastorowicz or his Hurricane Mk.IIa (Z2814, coded WX*K) were seen again. The following day, S/Ldr Koc and F/Sgt Kepczynski flew to the Isle of Man to direct the search for the crashed aircraft. France's capitulation on 25 June 1940 forced the Polish Armed Forces, alongside other Allied troops, to withdraw their units to Britain. It was named after the city of Dblin, where the main Polish Air Force Academy has been located since 1927. During combat operations throughout 1941, No. Pilot Officer Jan Zumbach wrote in his memoirs: 'The British wasting so much of our time with their childish exercises, when all of us had already won their wings'. 303 Squadron was the most effective Polish RAF squadron during the Second World War. No 300 squadron was formed at Bramcote, in July 1940, with Polish personnel. Training was generally inadequate and conducted on obsolete equipment. The squadron claimed 15 victories: six Bf 109s, two Bf 110s of LG 1, four "He 111s" (probably Ju 88s) and three Ju 88s although F/O Paszkiewicz and Sgt Andruszkw were killed. Apr 26, 2023 Updated Apr 26, 2023. Such a feat could not be achieved without a price. Their ace pilot is a Josef Frantiek who ironically is not Pole he's a Czech but he prefers to fly with the Poles and he becomes the highest scoring pilot of the Battle of Britain with 17 confirmed kills.". 303 (Polish) Fighter Squadron were awaiting action with growing desperation. 303 Squadron participated in the RAF's offensive response to the 'Channel Dash' of the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. On 25 April 1945, 303 Squadron made its last wartime operational sortie, escorting Avro Lancasters in a raid on Berchtesgaden. On top of that they had the metric system they had to get used to reading in miles an hour rather than kilometers an hour, and also getting used to things such as you push forward to accelerate a British fighter where you pull back on the stick to with the Polish aircraft, so it's things that they had to get used to.". Pilot Officer Wladyslaw Rozycki of No. Polish airmen in these squadrons participated in practically all RAF operations in the European theatre of the war. One of their extraordinary feats was shooting down 14 enemy planes, plus four probables, in one sortie over London on 7 September - the first day ofthe Blitz- without a single loss on their side. 303 Squadron, play with the Squadron's puppy mascot at RAF Leconfield on 24 October 1940. On 7 October 1941, the squadron returned to Northolt and re-equipped with the Spitfire Mk Vb. As he closed in on the tail of the German fighter, Karubin realised that his Hurricane had run out of ammunition. RAF Ingham, north of Lincoln, was a grass airfield during WW2. The books made available by the British were handwritten, with different handwriting, and often difficult to read. Experienced Logistics Manager known for my consistent ability to remain focused, calm and always show grace under pressure. Maj. Gen. Stanley F.H. 51 Orton Squadron Air Training Corps, 51 Squadron Building, Nene Park Tadeusz Andersz, at the suggestion of pk. This photo is usually captioned 'Northolt, October 1940,' but Nastorowicz didn't join the squadron until 6th January, so it is likely to have been taken after that date. He was 99. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. squadron 303 vodka, ultra premium english vodka. The squadron later carried out operations over Germany, Norway and the Netherlands, where the squadron carried out sorties until the end of the war. They painted the squadron's emblem (red cap, crossed scythes, stars and stripes) on the fuselage of their Hawker Hurricanes, just below the cockpit. This last one also shows the elusive anti-glare shield that was fitted to many RAF Mustangs at some point but quickly disappeared. Home Page - Krzystek's List - Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947 Two Anglo-Polish Agreements were signed, one on 11 June and one on 5 August 1940, which formed the independent Polish Air Force and envisaged the formation of fighter, bomber and army cooperation squadrons. Before July, when it came under Polish command. VB Spitfires previously flown by their countrymen No. On a 6 September "Ramrod" mission, the squadron claimed another six fighters destroyed. The next day the squadron was declared fully operational and posted to No. 303 (Polish) Squadron from November 1943 to April 1944. They had to learn to push the throttle forward to accelerate, not backwards as it was set in Polish aircraft. By June 1941, the airfield was operational and was allocated to Fighter Command. On 13 August Hermann Gring launched the Luftwaffes all-out air assault on Britain. Code: RF and OD post war. By the winter of 1943, RAF Ballyhalbert had played host to a number of RAF squadrons and on 12 November, the famed No. During two operations over France, on 9 August, the squadron achieved its first aircraft claimstwo Bf 109s destroyed, three probables and three damaged. List of the Polish volunteers who served in, Polskie Siy Powietrzne w II wojnie wiatowej. A group of pilots of No. It was formed as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1941. A total of 145 experienced and battle-hardened Polish airmen fought in the Battle of Britain - 79 airmen in various RAF squadrons, 32 in No. On 5 September, nine No. [11] The squadron claimed five Bf 109s (of JG 27 and JG 52), a Do 17 and a Heinkel He 111. After their defeat, tens of thousands of Polish servicemen made their way to France to continue the struggle against a common enemy. This number was reduced from the original 17,600 to 16,868. Since August 1940 to the end of the war, Polish fighter squadrons performed more than 73,500 sorties, destroying 762 enemy aircraft, and damaging between 175 and 237. It was home to several Polish bomber squadrons and now volunteers from the RAF Ingham Heritage Group are aiming to restore more of . 303 claimed a further three fighters downed. No. At 16:00 hours on 11 September 1940, the squadron attacked a bomber formation south of London. Under the communist regime Polish pilots who had fought in the west were barred from flying in the Polish Air Force and many were imprisoned on trumped-up charges of espionage. 601 Squadron RAF, also stationed at Northolt, complemented the two Polish units. The combat experience and fighting ability of the Polish pilots was largely ignored by the French. 0. "The Squadron gave two years of service . In 1943 and 1944 a further two observation squadrons were formed. Alternatively, search more than 1 million objects from 11 Group. FRIENDSHIP Dr. Eldon R. Downing, of Friendship, passed away on April 3, 2023, after a brief illness. Mar 30, 2010 #20 v2 Captain. On 18 July, the unit went back to Westhampnett and received new Spitfire Mk IXs. Conversely, German claims were that 12 aircraft had been lost and that they had themselves shot down 6 aircraft (one of which was claimed to be a Lockheed P-38 Lightning). 51 (Orton) Sqn ATC - Beds & Cambs Wing - Sqn HQ, Nene Park Academy, Oundle Road, Peterborough. However on the 14th December tragedy struck the Squadron when Flight Officer Podobinksi failed to return from RAF Toome. Bristow, Mark and Sylvia Laidlow-Petersen. In June 1943, the squadron was withdrawn to Yorkshire, then to County Down, Northern Ireland in July. Meanwhile for Britain the situation was becoming desperate. 145 Squadron RAF on 16 July. Bomber Squadrons flew about 11,700 sorties, dropping nearly 15,000 tons of bombs and mines. He emigrated to Buenos Aires after the war. Some PAF personnel returned to the homeland, others joined the Polish Resettlement Corps RAF (Polski Lotniczy Korpus Przysposobienia i Rozmieszczenia). The Polish pilot | Historical Eye Spitfire: The Best Fighter Plane of World War II? - MSN 303 Squadron. 303 Squadron was one of the top fighter units in the battle and the best Hurricane-equipped one. Memorials, Graves & Airfields. served in the Polish Army Air Force and flew with the RAF 317th Squadron. Learn how your comment data is processed. However, these were refused by the recipients in protest that all Free Polish forces were not invited. RAF Ingham has a memorial garden with a striking silhouette of five men as a tribute to the aircrews that flew from there, A memorial to all the aircrew has been built on the site. read more PAF in Great Britain after the war T IWM collections. At the time of his posting, 302 Squadron were nominally based at RAF Northolt but had transferred to the satellite airfield at RAF West Hampnett (now more familiarly known as Goodwood aerodrome) on 23 November 1940. During 2 September 1940, the squadron was scrambled three times. Lawrenceville resident serving in U.S. Navy helicopter squadron , Polish Squadrons remembered; Allied raid on Dieppe (Operation Jubilee), Hurricane: 303 Squadron (aka Mission of Honor), List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, Non-British personnel in the RAF during the Battle of Britain, "The Polish Pilots Who Flew in the Battle of Britain", "Josef Frantisek: The Battle of Britain's Czech hero BBC News", Ratuszynski, Wilhelm, "303 Sqn Remembered", "Okiem Brytyjczyka Szokujca wizja." I. were ferried in, and these were the first signs of the new Polish Squadron. 303 pilot gave the RAF the first photographic evidence of the new fighter. Craig Murray: "The American media saw them as a sort of glamour boys the Battle of Britain. 8,601 9,185. No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron - Wikipedia 302 was the first Polish squadron to be declared operational and entered battle on 15 August. The Free Polish government in exile had been opposed to the Soviet Union since the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939 that agreed to partition Poland between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. With a personal score of 17 enemy planes, he was the top scorer of the Battle of Britain. [10] According to Polish historian Jacek Kutzner, the verified number of kills of 303 Squadron is around 58.8, which would still place it above all other squadrons for verified kills. In February, the unit participated in the first fighter offensive sweeps, usually escorting a small number of light bombers. [21] On 23 June 1941, No. The pilots claimed two Bf 110s, one Bf 109, three Do 17s and four He 111s. Adam Kowalczyk, 12 November 1943 Spitfire VB, Spitfire VC and Spitfire LF VB, Spitfire LF VC, 18 July 1944 Spitfire F IX, Spitfire LF IX and Spitfire HF IX. Sergeant Tadeusz Nastorowicz - Kenley Revival Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Under the Anglo-Polish air forces agreement, each senior position in a squadron was to be filled by both a Polish and British officer. 303 Squadron would receive their own orders in advance of this operation. 315 (City of Deblin) Polish Fighter Squadron You May Also Like 26 Oct 2022 Coastal Crusts and Stop Lines In Coastal Crusts and Stop Lines, Dr James O'Neill highlights the anti-invasion defences of Northern Ireland during the Second World War. The squadron was re-equipped with the Mustang Mk III, which the squadron used for the remainder of the war. Unfortunately he was also the first Polish pilot to die in the battle, shot down by Messerschmitt Bf 109s south of Swanage on 11 August. Linda Duffield Tadeusz Nastorowicz hailed from Lodz in Poland, being born there on 1 May 1914. This nickname was in honour of a famous Polish military squadron from the Polish-Soviet war of 1920. The National Archives, Kew. The 334th, 335th and 336th fighter squadrons, which were part of the VIII Fighter Command's 4th Group, were all formed in 1942 out of the remnants of the American all-volunteer RAF formations, the . No. Four Polish bomber squadrons were attached to the RAF during the war. Abbreviations: maj: major, cpt. However, on 24 October, No. In April 1944, the squadron moved to the advanced landing ground at Horne, 30 miles south of London and joined No 142 Fighter Wing. No. The squadron returned to Northolt in September and resumed operations over France. I do not know if the instigator is still around but when I have more time I will try to answer some of the other questions about 309s later history. From left: Czerwinski, Bernas, Neyder, unknown, Gnys, unknown, Nastorowicz (marked with red arrow, Kaminski, Wedzik, Narucki, Lapka, Lysek, Markiewicz. Gen. Stanisaw Karpiski submitted a plan of organizing an air force technical school for teenagers, which would be the nucleus of such schools after returning to a free Poland. He was the highest scoring pilot of 303rd Squadron and the second highest scoring ace in the Battle of Britain, with 17 claims. [35], (4.7% of all enemy aircraft shot down during the battle. In the Battle of Britain, Polish pilots serving in all RAF squadrons achieved a remarkable score of 203.5 destroyed, 35 probables and 36 damaged. "[7] .mw-parser-output .toclimit-2 .toclevel-1 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-3 .toclevel-2 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-4 .toclevel-3 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-5 .toclevel-4 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-6 .toclevel-5 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-7 .toclevel-6 ul{display:none}. Its opponents now included the formidable Focke-Wulf Fw 190, and on 13 October camera gun film from a No. The Squadron intercepted its first enemy aircraft on 20 August. After a quiet start to the year, on 12 February 1942, No. Equipped with the hurricanes and spitfires of the RAF, the Polish had the chance to fight the Germans on equal terms, and despite the challenges they faced their skill in the air was unquestionable. Babenz, 3./JG 26. In February the Squadron hosted pupils from No. 303 Squadron. (in Polish), "Polish Spitfire shoots down BNP: Anti-immigration poster pic blunder. On 21 May the squadron strafed targets near Lille losing two pilots: F/O Brzeski and Sgt Kempka were shot down and taken prisoner. *. RAF pilot, 95, recalls WW2 'betrayal' as new movie honours Polish Polish Squadrons in Northern Ireland Part 1: No. 303 . Later, further air force units from this unit were renamed the 7th, 121st and 111th Escadrilles of the Polish Air Force. 303 then returned to Kirton in Lindsey, where it remained until March 1943. This day, calledAdlertag('Eagle Day') was the first day of the Germans'Adlerangriff('Attack of the Eagles') operation. Its initial cadre was 13Officer and 8NCO pilots and 135Polish ground staff. (Other Polish forces were raised within Soviet territories; the Polish Armed Forces in the East ). ", "Fighting with the Allies: Remembering Polish Fighters. These pilots are remembered at the Polish War Memorial near RAF Northolt. The polish squadrons remembered is a historical article about Polish airmen who fought during the Battle of Britain. My information will not be shared with any third party (see our Privacy Statement - opens in a new window). 302 and 303 (Polish) - were quickly formed and equipped with Hurricanes. No. 303 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia [15], At the time it was withdrawn from battle for a rest on 11 October 1940, the squadron had claimed 126kills in six weeks. Polish Squadrons Remembered Site optimized for 800 x 600 resolution. Airmen were transferred to eight PRC stations and began applying for a return to Poland or to join the Resettlement Corps. Yeah, they were very well received here, them and the Czechs, their contribution was well marked and their aggressiveness and taking the fight to the Luftwaffe was was recognised by all I think.". Bec, while Sgt. The largest foreign contingent to fight in the Battle of Britain were the Polish. By the end of the month, No. The Polish Air Force fought in the Battle of France (133 pilots, who achieved 55 victories at a loss of 15 men).. Later, Polish pilots fought in the Battle of Britain, where the Polish 303 Fighter Squadron achieved the highest number of kills of any Allied squadron. Types of aircraft used by the PAF during the invasion of Poland, including a PZL.37 'Los' medium bomber of the 1st Air Regiment with row of PZL P.11 fighter planes of the 111th and 112th Fighter Escadrilles in the background, photographed at Okecie airfield near Warsaw in early 1939. Squadron Leader Tadeusz Koc took over the command of No. You Are Here: ross dress for less throw blankets apprentissage des lettres de l'alphabet polish squadrons remembered. On 6 July, the squadron, led by F/L Majewski and with No. 303 pilots claimed four Bf 109s without loss; two to P/O Drobiski, as RAF Fighter Command claimed 10 destroyed (The Jagdwaffe suffered no losses). The Poles, combat experienced and eager to fight, did not take that kind of approach very lightly. After the war, 315 Squadron remained part of RAF Fighter Command until it was disbanded on 14 January 1947. Last edited: Mar 29, 2010. Another pleasant surprise for Kent was the arrival of the RAF's No. General Wladyslaw Sikorski, Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, inspects Polish airmen during their training in France, 15 April 1940. The pilot was Sub Lieutenant John Esmond Marshall who was buried in Belfast City Cemetery. ", A Question of Honoir Listen to Lynn Olsen and Stanley Cloud, authors of "A Question of Honour," about the "Kociuszko" Squadron, Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947, "Bloody Foreigners" documentary on 303 Squadron, Hurricane & Dywizjon 303: Fact vs. Fiction, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._303_Squadron_RAF&oldid=1150014723, 7 November 1940 Sqn Ldr (cpt.) It was home to several Polish bomber squadrons and now volunteers from the RAF Ingham Heritage Group are aiming to restore more of its structures. Prince 16.10.1939 57 Squadron Blenheim I L1141, Fg Off. ", Ms Osko, whose Polish father flew as a navigator in WW2 bombers, said: "It is a very unassuming place these days.". On 11 April 1941, F/L Kustrzyski shot down a Bf109 during a rhubarb over France. Qualities honed during my 22 years' career as a Logistics Manager in the RAF. In the following weeks the squadron achieved a truly astonishing score of 126 enemy planes, as well as 13 probables and 9 damaged, claiming the title of the best scoring unit of the Battle of Britain. Not all Poles decided to stay in Britain. However, J. Alcorn was not able to attribute 30aircraft shot down to any particular unit, and according to Jerzy Cynk and other Polish historians, the actual number of victories for No. Next day Sgt Bartkowiak was also lost though he evaded capture and returned to the unit four months later. Now they are formed relatively late into the battle, into August, but from the very start they're incredibly successful, and in the case of 303 Squadron they are the most successful allied squadron during the Battle of Britain. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron and four other squadrons. Moz DA: 14 Moz Rank: 2.2 Semrush Rank: 4,142,003 Facebook : 490 Website Worth: $ 600 Polish Squadrons Remembered It engaged German fighters on numerous occasions, although JG 2 and JG 26, the main fighter units against Fighter Command, took an increasing toll utilising the superior Fw 190A. More large transports followed in two-week intervals, and by early June 1940 a total of 2,164 air personnel had arrived in Britain and been assigned to various squadrons. I have two squadrons in the metropolis 4 BB + 3 CA + 3 CL + 15-20 DD and two squadrons overseas, in Cuba 6 CA + 3 CL + 20 TB and in the Philippines. Janina Lewandowska: the history of the Polish female aviator killed by One such convoy on the 27 November was described as being 50 miles north from Ballyhalbert that consisted of over 70 ships including 5 destroyers and 'one large ship going from side to side.'. Claimants were S/Ldr Kellet, F/O Henneberg, P/O Feri and Sgt. Pilots of No. RAF 303 (Polish) Squadron was one of 16 Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force during World War Two. Meanwhile, the pilots of No. en-route to India in December 1944, when Dakota FL588 from 24 Squadron RAF Transport Command, based at RAF Hendon, crashed on a snowy ridge in . Geoff Burton, the group's chairman, said that two Polish WW2 veterans, both in their 90s, had visited the base during the events along with more than 300 other people. 310 and 312 (Czechoslovak) and Nos. [12] Two other aircraft were damaged. John Alexander Kent and the RAF's Polish fighter pilots Polish Army Museum. The List contain also information about decorations awarded to airmen during their service in Polish Air Force in Great Britain as: Order of Virtuti Militari (VM), Cross of Valour (KW), Cross of Merit (KZ), Air Force Medal (ML), Wounds and Injuries Badge (ODRK) and British, i.a. to the Army shortly after admission to PAF), 6,320 (36%) photos.