Polish Pilots in Battle of Britain 308 Fighter Squadron

[Error1404]

Uu stary zajebista lekcja historii. Dobra robota!

[devxc]

Great vid great song !

[Rogvist]

Pyszne. Dzięki.

[cosmictimes]

I thought it was Fighter Squadron 303 not 308 ................. No matter who it was, 303 or 308, they helped the UK to land the first body blow against the nazis in the war for the freedom of Europe

[ursusplacidus]

@cosmictimes There were 18 polish divisions in RAF (including 10 fighter ones) by the end of war. 303 was the best, it was created as one of first, and scored more kills than any other in whole RAF in Battle of Britain. 308 was created practically at the end of it, so title of this video is a little misleading, but victory in Battle of Britain (1940) itself was hardly an end of fight over British and European sky

[ursusplacidus]

@cosmictimes Damn, I just noticed. By "divisions" I obviously meant squadrons. I've done this mistake subconsciously because Polish word for squadron is "dywizjon" (or "szwadron", but only in cavalry not air forces).

[kozaczyna85]

Brat dziadka walczyl w tym szwadronie (dziadek walczyl na monte casino, piechota), pozniej przeszedl do Bombowcow i lecial naloty na Nurnberge i inne miasta. W kazdym razie nauczyl sie leciec w Polsce pod Poznaniem i w Anglii zostal ochonorowany aby niesklamac srebnym krzyzem ktorego dopiero zasluzyl po wojnie za udzial w misiach na Pacifiku, gdzie masa angielskich Pilotow lecieli dla Amerykanow. Zostal w Anglii i byl pilotem pasazerskim, do dzisiaj zyje z zona w Londynie. Nazwisko Klecha.

[licicaviki]

@cosmictimes 145 Polish fighter pilots served in the RAF during the Battle of Britain, which was the largest non-British contribution. It was many other Polish fighter squadrons: 302, 303, 306, 308, 309, 315, 316, 317, 318 and also bomber squadrons... 300, 301, 304, 305... Summary 19,400 Poles were serving in the RAF durning WWII.

[EllipticDawid25]

good move :)

[RaunchyRocker]

God Bless say no more !

[licicaviki]

A lotnicy to są dranie

Bo z panienek robią panie

[BattleOfBritainTV]

1000000 dzięki dzielnych polskich pilotów!

[RaunchyRocker]

Beyond believe ! Think thats how you spell it !

[SkibaFelix]

The discussing reality is that throughout the World War Two, Poland had only one ally: the Great Britain, and no one else.

Poland has never surrendered and it was appreciated. The British did bluff for as long as possible, but it was just too—easy for Stalin and Truman to call their bluff. The British were about to starve to death.

President Truman made it painfully clear that Poles were not an ally of the USA, but only a co—belligerent.

I

[SkibaFelix]

I think it would be wise both for the Polish people and the British not to fight!

This is very foolish!

Sincerely,

Robert Kolakowski son of Stanislaw son of Jozef

Born in Bialystok, Poland

Elizabeth, NJ, 07202

[paddy6062]

Why is there so much crap on here!!! The Polish British,Canadian etc, fighters were not thinking politics when they put the lives on the line!!! they were brave men who got up the and done a job, Which to often did cost them their lives and should be thought of as such!!!

God bless them for their bravery..

Would all of us have been the same??

[shiloh1944]

I have no doubt those pilots were thinking politics all the time. They were shooting down Dorniers and Heinkels not for the sheer joy of shooting but to bring victory and liberation of Poland closer. And what they got instead? Another partition of Poland. Also, some communist criminals like Helena Wolinska Brus who signed sentence of death to general Emil Fieldorf found her happiness in England. English monarchy covered her butt up and refused her deportation to Poland.

[shiloh1944]

All those pilots regardless whether they were polish, czech, canadians or english saved Britain and with it the fortune of Rotschield family. They stopped european antisemitism and in return brought upon European continent the plague of immigration and multiculturalism.

[Hoerkelis]

hahaha poland didnt stop antisemitism they started it....

[shiloh1944]

Don't you think we were right fighting jews in Poland? Do you realize that after the war jews found employment mostly in communist security services were they imprisoned polish nationalists including Stanislaw Skalski - the top polish fighter ace and a veteran of BoB. Do you know that after the death of stalin some communist criminals run away to england like jewess Helena Wolinska Brus.

[Hoerkelis]

I just wanted to say, that Poland didn't fight for the jews and I also know that most criminal communists; in high positions; were jews. But I also think, that Poland was a "maily" caused the war.

[shiloh1944]

Of course we did not fight for the jews. However; victory over Germany and holocaust created favourable conditions for creation of israel and perpetual turmoil in the Near East. We can now blame this dummy hitler for creation of the zionist state. And the English keep to this day their base in Gibraltar to have an access to Mediterranean in order to bring food, drink and weapons to keep fake state of israel alive.

[VVojtekSoldierBear]

@shiloh1944 - state as "fake" as any post-colonial creation, that land was always a part of some other powerful state, whatever if Roman, Arab, Turkish or British. At least, in oppsite to "Palestinians", Jews are a real nation with its own language, customs and history. But they, for some unknown to me reason, gets lots of attention.... English kept Gibraltar and Malta obviously becouse of Suez channel.

[shiloh1944]

I really believe israel is fake state. They gained a lot of territory after WWII thanks to generous American and English support. In contrast Poland lost half of its area including Lwow.

And do not say you do not know why jews get so much attention. Their recent exploits include financial frauds by madoff and organ trafficking by rabbi levy rozenbaum. Good thing is they begun recently cheat on each other.

[VVojtekSoldierBear]

@shiloh1944 - As i`ve said that land almost always belonget to some other power, so whatever state grew up there, is "fake". Ottomans always tolerated Jews, they had no problems to settle wherever they wanted, it`s quite ridiculous to make this or the other post colonial state a case of the war that begun long time before it appeared. Brits actually put Jewish migrants to the camps and fought thier "terrorists". What the hell does it have to do with the subject ???

[shiloh1944]

You are entirely right by saying "they had no problems to settle wherever they wanted". This is a cosmopolitan race moving from one country to another where they can exploit hospitality of the host nations. They need their state only to give shelter to jewish criminals who can not remain in normal world where they would be persecuted. For example salomon morel who run concentration camp in Jaworzno - Poland where he was torturing and killing Polish Nationalists.

[VVojtekSoldierBear]

@shiloh1944 - i really don`t mind your judeo-paranoya, but it has nothing to do with the subject.

[shiloh1944]

There is plenty of more dangerous paranoids running around the globe with guns every day. I think this polish airmen from 307 Squadron City of Lwow must have been pretty mad when they heard that they will never return to their airstrip at Sknilow on the outskirts of Lwow. For this they could thank to so called prime minister churchill whom I hate wholeheartedly and with passion.  And always keep in mind that kuron and michnik both jews born in Lwow were always against an idea of polish Lwow.

[VVojtekSoldierBear]

@shiloh1944 - belive whatever you wants, they gained ANY territory as this state didn`t existed before, as well as many others was a British colony and British weren`t as supportive as you claim them to be. Don`t know what Poland has to do with it, its "Big Brother" wasn`t much enthusiastic about Israel.

Yeah, other people don`t cheat at all :)

Jews were always scape goats for whatever, i just don`t see nothing special about them.

[shiloh1944]

You seem to forget that Palestine became British colony only in 1918 after the destruction of Ottoman Empire. French took Syria and England Palestine. Only after WW I under British, jews found favorable conditions to settle in numbers in Palestine. English monarchy did not hesitate to sacrifice its best men in trenches of Flanders and elsewhere to defeat Turks and set up jewish colony there. I think jews in synagogues shall praise English monarchs forever but I doubt in their gratitude.

[VVojtekSoldierBear]

@Hoerkelis - an old excuse, to put the blame on anyone except of Germany, especially on its victims... and even accuse them of "antisemitism" pffff

Poland was not a racists state, in opposite to Germany, Jews were the same citizens as everyone, had the same rights and the same responsibilityies. That`s why about 100.000 Jews were regular Polish soldiers in september campaign and many than on exile. Poland fought for its own cause, not the Jewish, British or any other.

[RobertBF2]

what???I Pole and i NOT antisemit.I like Israel!!

[TheBeerNut1]

Hoerkelis: yeah right.....and I suppose the Germans were friends of the Jews !!!! LOL

[RaunchyRocker]

But hey The Brits held out and fuckin said fuck you !!!

[MrUndermensch]

Hey beernut, Britian,France and Poland signed a mutual agreement that they would come to each others aid in war. Germany invaded Poland, Britian declared war! simple as that. Why and how the rest happened i cant say. I do know that the cemetarys in Edinburgh have lots of graves of young poles who died and the studio i have on an old raf base is full of Polish grafitti from young lads that left thier mark before going off to fight. Reading history books is ok,speak to some vets tho.

[vlaad4444]

I am a lucky one becaause I know by myself one of the 308 squadron pilots - Mr Bochniak, who lives near me in my city, whom I visit from time to time, he in 90 years old and stays in good health.

[kate151269]

I doubt if there were were more motivated pilots in the battle of britain than the poles after what the nazis had done to there country! as for one who is British Id like to say a big thankyou to there memory.

GOD Bless Rich.........

[MrUndermensch]

Hey calm down people, the poles were a great ally,they fought like lions.Britian went to war to defend Poland but couldn't do anything about Stalin taking Poland at the end.We were a spent nation and it is to our shame that we could do no more than offer the vets a home in britian at the end. Have spoke to many old vets and the same thing kept coming up; "let the poles at them,they know how to fight the germans"

65 years have passed now,lets remember ALL of the fallen! war is shit!

[TheBeerNut1]

MRUnder: Britain didn't go to war for Poland.....stop spreading stupidities !!! Britain only declared war on Germany to save face.....it was an honourable thing to do considering how they treated Czechoslovakia. Britain had to make a choice at that point. Do or say nothing or declare war. Britain declared war but did nothing for Poland.

[shiloh1944]

You people are missing one point. What if Poland would reject French and English infantile proposals and would join axis instead. Just imagine our PZL 37B Los bombing London alongside Germans and Italians. This would bring much glory to polish wings in a diffrent way.

And they could be escorted by great IAR 80 fighters manned by our Romanian allies.

[st44001]

Jestem już starym zgredem .Nasi piloci bronili zadki angoli no co otrzymaliśmy w zamian? Zdradzili nas w 39 zdradzili w 1945 i udają do dnia dzisiejszego ze nic się nie stało

[ferdovit]

1:53 As part of an campaign against big numbers of foreign workers (including Polish migrants) in the United Kingdom, the British National Party used Spitfire to illustrate their idea of a Battle for Britain. Ironically, the Spitfire shown in their advertising was RF-D from 303 (Polish) Squadron -It was Spitfire with painted Donald Duck of Polish ace - Jan Zumbach who during the Battle of Britain scored eight confirmed kills against Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters.

[milfil2000]

Polak to brzmi dumnie! A word to the British, you don't have to be grateful. It's just a question of honor... I recommend a book: "A question of honor"...

[Phantom1992PL]

na discovery jak opowiadali o bitwie o Anglie nawet słowem nie wspomnieli o naszych... co więcej opowiadali jacy to byli waleczni i pokazywali samolot z Polską szachownicą z przodu samolotu..

[walter0bz]

"repeat please!" hehe

[mihcim5]

Proud to be british hahaha : )

If u wouldnt be surrounded by the sea u will be beaten by Germany : )

[zentrallondon]

daj spokoj...

[YrHen]

Now there's gratitude for providing sanctury to all the defeated European nations.

"I wouldn't help England never"

It's insults the unsung heros in Britain who provided the aircraft, the air defence systems, the WAAF plotters, the radar operators, the fighter controllers, the fitters, the armourers, without whom pilots would have been flying blind, and that includes the Poles!!

Proud to be BRITISH!!

[mihcim5]

My grandfather died in Battle for England...

i wouldn't help England never!

Racist country more than Germany

[czarymary5]

@mihcim5 Racja, mieszkam tam jak na razie, aż żal ich głupoty i ignorancji, po ukończeniu szkoły wracam do Polski!

[kaczebka]

In a battle which changed the history of the world we the children of polish nation and a children and grandchildren of polish soldiers who fell in the battle so you could be free after nearly 70 years - "For your freedom and ours !!! " Proud to be polish.

[DrakenPL]

You people know game hearst of iron? Try to win as Poland in 1939, seriously we hold almost as long as France with no support, when they had brits bigger army and better tech explain?

[thelittlemind]

its kind of funny most of the world doesnt give a damn about poland america only cares about poland bacuese shes near usa nemisis franc psh they cant do anything. brits take to long to help others

[PolishAmericanDC]

Dług Honorowy",A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron: The Forgotten Heroes of World War Two, by Lynne Olson

tak kupilem 200 tych ksiazek i przekazalem za darmo dla Amerykanow i Polskich polytykow aby uczyli sie historii o Polce i naszych bochaterach.

Koniec Wykorzystywania Polskich Bochaterow. Powiedz nie do nowych 65 miliardowych roszczen Zydow z Nowego Yorku. Dzwoncie do Tuska i Sikorskiego dla kogo oni pracuja? Czy dla Polski? Polska mowa, ziemia, pamiec laczy nas

[LuDZioZJaD]

Stary ale boHater powinien być pisany przez H a nie CH :). Zasadniczo piękna inicjatywa. Mnie się marzy zrobienie filmu o polskich lotnikach Skalskim i jego Latającym cyrku i o Dywizjonie 303 na miarę Pearl Harbour. Gdzie taką książkę można dostać ??:) W Polsce jedyną książką do jakiej bez żadnych problemów można dotrzeć jest "Dywizjon 303" A.Fieldera

[olek94]

Daj człowieku spokój z ortografią. Człowiek siedzi być moze od iluś pokoleń w USA, to co się dziwisz? Ważne, ze ma serce gorące. Jeżeli chodzi o książkę, to można u nas kupić Tytuł: Sprawa Honoru. Ciekawe, że w filmie Pearl Harbour Gość lata na spitfirach z oznaczeniem kodowym RF. RF to dywizjon 303. Amerykańcom nawet to nie przyszło do głowy . Inna sprawa, że po bitwie o anglię 303 szkolił ochotników amerykańskich, zanim USA przystąpiło do wojny.

[pollocko123]

i hate when people say the poles gave up in the beginning of the war without knowing what they did my dziadzi recently died and he liberated italy with the 2nd corps

[trophy242]

Only stupid people who don't know history and geography are saying such things. How can you fight, if you have Germans from the West and South, Russians from the East and the Baltic Sea from the North. You can't make any move or regroup. We had no chance, but we were fighting as long as we can.

[Shogun1822]

@trophy242 also, to add to your point, Poland held out longer than France did a year later even though France had a greater army and only one enemy to fight, and they had British help. Another fact, Poland never stopped fighting, nonstop from 1939 to 1945

[licicaviki]

@Shogun1822 Longer...The last soldier of Polish Home Army (after 1945 known as "Cursed soldiers") was killed by communists in 1963. It was Józef Franczak killed with pistol in his hand 21 October 1963 - almost two decades after the Second World War ended. Communists killed after war 20 000 of Polish soldiers members of Polish antinazi resistance durning war.

[Shogun1822]

@licicaviki yea I knew that, I meant that Poland never capitulated to the Nazis, the government and the soldiers escaped to various countries.Poles were the only soldiers to fight on every single front. And even though the Home Army may have been destroyed, but Poland always fought against communism until communism was destroyed by Solidarnosc.

[licicaviki]

@Shogun1822 It`s good that We can say this to free world now... I don`t wan`t to be pathetic but every familly in Poland has empty space in home after lost of someone who died fought against one or another totalitarian system... West don`t realize how really freedom taste and what cost... I always realize it`s value when I switch candle on my grandfather grave. His generation was always the real superheroes for my.

[Shogun1822]

@licicaviki I agree with you. A bad thing is that the generation which basically built up Poland from ruin is disappearing and that We are now going to have to fill their place which will no doubt be impossible. Also, you are absolutely right when you say that the West does not know what freedom really is. If they really cared anything for it, then they would have helped countries like Poland from falling into soviet control. They let half of Europe suffer and now they dont want to tell anyone.

[TheCabal]

@Shogun1822

Not too forget which role Poland had in fighting against the ottoman empire, holding off Islam in europe.

But somehow, I don't know anybody here in germany who knows any historic facts, besides things like... polish people are stealing, weak and poor and lost the 2. World War with hay forks. Damn to those honourless saying this

[EllipticDawid25]

:) true :)

[SiggyStern]

"i hate when people say the poles gave up in the beginning of the war without knowing what they did"

Pollocko123,

Most westeuropeans don´t know your history because it is not written in our historybooks!! I know what you have done during WW2 and I give you all the respect that you deserve for it. You fought well but were betrayed by your allies. Only now there are good english books about polish history aailablet, so I am sure your history will be better known and your deeds heart about.

[PLAlfa]

fuck.....people who say poles gave up are retarded , our grandparents fought until there was anyone able to fight ...what for ? for being betreyd,,6mil polish died 18% of whole population, its the hightest % of victims in all countries ... and do remember!!! for manny poles war hast ended up in 1945 .... there were manny kiled by russian regime ..believe or not and it was next betrayal by alliance i

[Szmajdziul]

Pozwole sobie powiedzieć za piosenką :)

Above all the others we'll fly :)

[Dragonsrose17]

My grandfather was in the polish 308 fighter squadron, I recognised him in some of the photos, I have his log book and a piece from his spitfire amongst other things. I salute them all.

[trophy242]

Your grandfather was a hero!

[vlaad4444]

@Dragonsrose17 interesting what you have written, I knew one of its pilots by myself, he lived near me and I took care of him. Unfortunately, he died in june, he was 91 years old:(

[Dragonsrose17]

@vlaad4444

Hi, that would be brilliant if you could scan me some photos of the squadron.So sad that soon they will all no longer be with us but we must never forget. Send me a private message so I can give you an email to send photos. Thanks.

[vlaad4444]

@Dragonsrose17 if you want to have some photos of the squadron, I have a lot scanned from Mr Bochniak, so I can send you attached to mail.

[RomanRudel]

@Dragonsrose17 A mój w 307 i 301. Również wszystkich pozdrawiam.

[PolskaUrban]

polska saved british asses

[maureenOWW]

Here are the actual figures for pilots fighting in the Battle of Britain:

Almost 3000 pilots fought for the RAF during the battle.

These were:

2353 British (United Kingdom)

309 British Empire (mainly New Zealand and Canada)

145 Polish

129 other European

7 USA

As you can see, Poland made up less than 5% of the total. 1 in 20. So, 5% 'saved' england? I think not. The british saved themselves, with the help of the empire. Why didn't you LOOK UP the numbers instead of talking nonsense? Hmm?

[PolskaUrban]

@maureenOWW propaganda figures....

without the contribution of poland, the british raf had lot of more problems to fight with the german pilots....

[STRIB0G]

@maureenOWW Where did you get the numbers from? Also, Polish pilots shot down 16% of all the German planes that were taken down during the battle of Britain and Polish division 303 shot down more German planes then any other division during the battle of Britain. If Poles consisted of only 5% and they shot down 16% of German planes that is still pretty impressive. During later years of the war Polish pilots consisted of 20% of RAF-source "The Question of Honor".

[qaz4306]

I don't see. Why? 1. In the middle of the Battle of England Britain lost a greater part of its skilled pilots - planes you can be build fast skilled pilots not, 2. New pilots after fast training were like kids - they have no chance,

From the begining of battle most politics and officers in english army were against of using foreign pilots. Only after when they relaised that they WILL NOT WIN

[qaz4306]

And numbers are useless without analysis hah

[Red81Devil]

Polish pilots destroyed 12% of luftwaffe machines, it's official stat, if so, Poland's strike effect were much much better. Polish people fought for your fuckin' country, so show the respect, you idiot

[FactualTruthProvider]

@Red81Devil they didn't fight for britain, they fought for POLAND and KILLING GERMANS. What else were they going to do? They were doing what they loved, flying aircraft, and got to kill germans in the process. They were lucky men. And I'm not british, I'm irish.

[Red81Devil]

Yeah, you're right. Polish soldiers fought for freedom and yes, fought for Poland, and yes, fought for killing german ennemies, cause they had to destroy the invader AND fought in hope Britain and US will help them save their independence after war and you know, even now, after fuckin' 60 years, Poland stayed alone, dependent on fuckin' communism in unwanted part of Iron Curtain. I like Irish and English ppl, but you must remember, it was sacrifice with no help and no hope!

[tomato6999]

well said friend the polish were great pilots and as an englishman i thenk them from my heart becouse the polish and others like them saved ou arse god bless them all

[sczaus]

Creed - My Sacrifice

[one1939]

zy filmu Battle of Britain i zy Pearl Harbor

[Polishsoldier1]

z yakiego filmu te kawalki byle zrobione?

[Polishsoldier1]

Nastepny extra filmek! keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!

POLAND

[SnookerI]

...5

[kurwiszoneq]

dzieki dobrze wiedziec ;)

[kurwiszoneq]

no filmik jazdeczka ;) napisz jeszcze jaka byla pelna nazwa tej eskadry (303 kosciuszkowski a 308 ?)5/5

[migacz99]

heh racja to nie iraq ale i tak filmik z klimatem nawet lepszym dobra robota waser

[Nowik1991]

elegancko.

Fajny programk masz do robienia filmow.

moze napisz na pw jaki to?

[Zolnierz007]

Cóż to nie Iraq ale film very good.