86 years ago, in July 1940, the first Polish Air Force bomber units were formed in Great Britain, the 300th and 301st squadrons.
Both squadrons were formed when Great Britain was in danger of German invasion, and the use of bombers was not a priority. However, even though the Battle of Britain was won thanks to the sacrifice of the Fighter Command pilots (including Poles), the Polish 300th and 301st Squadrons took part in it. During their first mission in September 1940, the Poles attacked a harbour in Boulogne where German landing crafts were stationed.
With the RAF victory in the Battle of Britain, the German invasion was put on hold. Now it was time for the Bomber Command to take the initiative and bring the war to Germany and occupied countries. The Polish squadrons, together with the whole RAF Bomber Command, were going to learn it the hard way, through trial and error, as the early doctrine of the Allied bomber offensive was far from perfect.
The 300th Squadron and 301st Squadron were part of the No.1 Group Bomber Command (the 301st until April 1943) and participated in the most important operations and phases of the RAF bombing offensive against the enemy. From the early inaccurate night sorties to the mass area bombing using new technologies and 1,000 bombers, the Polish airmen were through it all: the mayhem of the German cities such as Hamburg or Dresden, the terror of air war conducted in harsh and exhausting conditions, and finally the moral aspect of brutal bombing in which civilians suffered most.
For the 300th Squadron, the cost of contributing to victory over Germany was significant. In the years 1940-1945, the unit participated in 562 missions, losing 79 airplanes, 395 airmen killed in action and 95 taken prisoner.
The airmen of the 301st Squadron, which was withdrawn from duty in 1943, later reinforced the RAF 138th Squadron. The "C" Flight of the unit became known as No.1586 (Polish Special Duties). The Polish aircrews participated in special transport missions. 27 of them were conducted over occupied Poland, where Polish "Silent Unseen" soldiers were dropped.
The Polish Flight even undertook dangerous supply missions from Brindisi with supplies for the insurgents of the Warsaw Uprising. Later, the flight once again expanded to the squadron size and got its original number and additional name, becoming the "Defenders of Warsaw" 301st.
source: Institute of National Remembrance
Both squadrons were formed when Great Britain was in danger of German invasion, and the use of bombers was not a priority. However, even though the Battle of Britain was won thanks to the sacrifice of the Fighter Command pilots (including Poles), the Polish 300th and 301st Squadrons took part in it. During their first mission in September 1940, the Poles attacked a harbour in Boulogne where German landing crafts were stationed.
With the RAF victory in the Battle of Britain, the German invasion was put on hold. Now it was time for the Bomber Command to take the initiative and bring the war to Germany and occupied countries. The Polish squadrons, together with the whole RAF Bomber Command, were going to learn it the hard way, through trial and error, as the early doctrine of the Allied bomber offensive was far from perfect.
The 300th Squadron and 301st Squadron were part of the No.1 Group Bomber Command (the 301st until April 1943) and participated in the most important operations and phases of the RAF bombing offensive against the enemy. From the early inaccurate night sorties to the mass area bombing using new technologies and 1,000 bombers, the Polish airmen were through it all: the mayhem of the German cities such as Hamburg or Dresden, the terror of air war conducted in harsh and exhausting conditions, and finally the moral aspect of brutal bombing in which civilians suffered most.
For the 300th Squadron, the cost of contributing to victory over Germany was significant. In the years 1940-1945, the unit participated in 562 missions, losing 79 airplanes, 395 airmen killed in action and 95 taken prisoner.
The airmen of the 301st Squadron, which was withdrawn from duty in 1943, later reinforced the RAF 138th Squadron. The "C" Flight of the unit became known as No.1586 (Polish Special Duties). The Polish aircrews participated in special transport missions. 27 of them were conducted over occupied Poland, where Polish "Silent Unseen" soldiers were dropped.
The Polish Flight even undertook dangerous supply missions from Brindisi with supplies for the insurgents of the Warsaw Uprising. Later, the flight once again expanded to the squadron size and got its original number and additional name, becoming the "Defenders of Warsaw" 301st.
source: Institute of National Remembrance
