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No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron

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307 Squadron Logo
Active24 August 1940 – 2 January 1947
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
AllegiancePoland Polish government in exile
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleNight fighter
Sizesquadron
Part ofRAF Fighter Command
Nickname(s)Eagle-owls
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Stanisław Grodzicki
Insignia
Squadron CodesEW (Aug 1940 – Jan 1947)

No. 307 (City of Lwów) Polish Night Fighter Squadron (Template:Lang-pl) was a Polish night fighter squadron[1] formed in Great Britain on 24 August 1940 following an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom. It was the only Polish night fighter squadron fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during World War II. 307 Squadron is named after the Polish city of Lwów, and nicknamed "Eagle Owls".

History

The nickname Lwowskie Puchacze (NOM) – "Lwów Eagle Owls" was chosen for a night fighter squadron, as the eagle owl is a Polish predator that flies at night. The Squadron inherited traditions of Polish pre-war 6th Aviation Regiment, that stationed in Lwów (now Lviv), and took its traces from units that defended Lwów and Galicia from invading Ukrainian forces in the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918–1919.

After its formal formation in Blackpool on 24 August 1940[2] No. 307 squadron was assembled at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey on 5 September 1940 as a night fighter unit, flying the Boulton Paul Defiant turret-fighter and took up residence at RAF Jurby, Isle of Man. An example of the Boulton Paul Defiant, with serial number N1671, EW-D, the sole complete surviving Defiant is to be seen on display at the RAF Museum at RAF Hendon. In August 1941 the squadron converted to Beaufighters which it flew until being re-equipped with Mosquitoes in late 1942.

Between April 1941 and April 1943 the squadron was based at RAF Clyst Honiton, now Exeter Airport, defending the South West of England from enemy night bombers.[3]

In May 1942 when 40 Junkers-88 bombers attacked Exeter as part of the Exeter Blitz of the Baedeker raids there were only four Polish 307 Squadron Beaufighters available to defend the city.

Despite being heavily outnumbered the squadron managed to shoot down four of the German bombers before they dropped their bombs.

From 1943 the squadron was based at RAF Predannack, Cornwall, and was active as a night intruder unit over airfields in occupied France. This changed in January 1945, when its role was switched to bomber support, combating German night fighters. The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of World War II.

Commanding officers

C/O's of No. 307 Squadron[2][4]
From To Name Notes
Sep 1940 Mar 1941 S/Ldr. George Charlie Tomlinson British Officer
Sep 1940 Oct 1940 Kpt. Stanisław Pietraszkiewicz Polish co-commander
Oct 1940 Nov 1940 Maj. Kazimierz Benz Polish co-commander
Nov 1940 Jun 1941 Maj. Stanisław Grodzicki First as co-commander, later as Squadron Leader
Jun 1941 Oct 1941 Kpt. Jerzy Antonowicz
Oct 1941 Nov 1941 Por. Maksymilian Lewandowski temporary commander
Nov 1941 Aug 1942 Maj. Stanisław Brejniak Wing Commander
Aug 1942 Mar 1943 Kpt. Jan Michałowski, VM, KW, DFC Wing Commander
Mar 1943 Apr 1943 Kpt. Gerard Ranoszek temporary commander
Apr 1943 Jan 1944 Maj. Jerzy Orzechowski Wing Commander
Jan 1944 May 1944 Kpt. Maksymilian Lewandowski Wing Commander
May 1944 Mar 1945 Kpt. Gerard Ranoszek Wing Commander
Mar 1945 Mar 1946 Kpt. Stanisław Andrzejewski Wing Commander
Mar 1946 Jan 1947 Kpt. Jerzy Damsz Wing Commander

[2][4]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 307 Squadron[2][4][5][6]
From To Aircraft Version
17 September 1940[7] August 1941 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I
14 August 1941 May 1942 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIf
5 May 1942 February 1943 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIf
21 December 1942 January 1945 de Havilland Mosquito NF.II
19 June 1943 October 1943 de Havilland Mosquito NF.VI
22 January 1944 November 1944 de Havilland Mosquito NF.XII, NF.XIII
24 October 1944 January 1947 de Havilland Mosquito NF.30

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Gretzyngier 1998, p. 30.
  2. ^ a b c d pl:Dywizjon 307
  3. ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-34778711
  4. ^ a b c Rawlings 1978, p. 394.
  5. ^ Halley 1988, p. 360.
  6. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 87.
  7. ^ Simpson, Andrew (2013). "Boulton Paul Defiant I N1671/837OM Museum Accession No.74/A/16" (PDF). RAF Museum. Retrieved 16 October 2015.

Bibliography

  • Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Gretzyngier, Robert. Polish Aces of World War 2, Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G. RAF Squadrons: a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (Revised edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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