No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron

No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron

306 Squadron logo
Active 1940–1946
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Allegiance Poland Polish government in exile
Branch Royal Air Force
Role Fighter Squadron
Part of RAF Fighter Command
Nickname(s) 306 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Toruński"
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Douglas Scott
Tadeusz Rolski
Insignia
Squadron Codes UZ (Aug 1940 – Jan 1947)

No. 306 (City of Torun) Polish Fighter Squadron (Polish: 306 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Toruński") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during World War II.

History

Upon formal formation on 28 August 1940 at RAF Church Fenton the squadron inherited the traditions, along with the emblem and a large part of the initial crew, of the pre-war Polish Torunian Fighter Squadron. The bear climbing a tree (Coat of arms of Madrid) was an emblem of the No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron, the unit of the first (British) commander of the new squadron, F/Cdr. Douglas Scott.

Throughout its existence, the squadron claimed 68 confirmed kills, 16½ probable and additional 26 damaged. In addition, the crews of the 306 downed 59 enemy V1 rockets. It was disbanded in December 1946 shortly after the end of World War II.

Commanding officers

From To Name Remark
Aug 1940 Dec 1940 S/Ldr. Douglas R. Scott British Officer
4 Sep 1940 17 Oct 1940 Kpt. pil. Tadeusz Rolski ad interim Polish co-commander
18 Oct 1940 11 Nov 1940 Maj. pil. Jerzy Orzechowski Polish co-commander
Dec 1940 Mar 1941 S/Ldr. D.E. Gilliam, DFC, AFC British Officer
12 Nov 1940 30 Jun 1941 Kpt. pil. Tadeusz Rolski First as co-commander, from March 1941 as Squadron Leader
1 Jul 1941 14 Aug 1941 Kpt. pil. Jerzy Zaremba
15 Aug 1941 29 Aug 1941 Por. pil. Jerzy Słoński-Ostoja, VM
30 Aug 1941 14 Apr 1941 Maj. pil. Antoni Wczelik
15 Apr 1941 22 Aug 1942 Kpt. pil. Tadeusz Czerwiński, KW
23 Aug 1942 13 Mar 1943 Kpt. pil. Kazimierz Rutkowski, DFC
14 Mar 1943 1 Jan 1944 Kpt. pil Włodzimierz Karwowski
2 Jan 1944 7 Jun 1944 Kpt. pil. Stanisław Łapka
8 Jun 1944 23 Jun 1944 Kpt. pil. Janusz Marciniak
27 Jun 1944 25 Sep 1944 Kpt. pil. Paweł Niemiec
26 Sep 1944 24 May 1945 Kpt. pil. Józef Żulikowski
25 May 1945 May 1946 Kpt. pil. Józef Jeka, DFM
May 1946 Jan 1947 Kpt. pil. Tadeusz Andersz

[1][2]

Aircraft

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Rawlings 1978, p. 393.
  2. ↑ pl:Dywizjon 306

Bibliography

  • Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 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.
  • Grodyński, Andrzej S.T. (306 Squadron Pilot) The Grodyński Brigade. Charleston, USA: CreateSpace 2013. ISBN 978-1-4812-8367-0.
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