No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
No 315 Polish Fighter Squadron 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 1941. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force
during the World War II
. It was named after the city of Dęblin
, where the main Polish Air Force
Academy has been located since 1927.
, England
on 21 January 1941. 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 9 Group RAF. Before July, when it came under Polish command, No 315 was commanded by Squadron Leader
H.D. Cooke.
In July it was moved to RAF Northolt
, West London
, re-equipped with Spitfires, and began to conduct offensive fighter sweeps over occupied Europe
. During two operations over France, on 9 August, the squadron achieved its first aircraft claims– two destroyed BF 109
s, three probable, and three damaged. The squadron returned to Lancashire
in April 1942, located at RAF Woodvale
, Sefton. The squadron returned to Northolt in September and resumed operations over France. In June 1943, the squadron was withdrawn to Yorkshire, then to County Down
, Northern Ireland
in July.
Having returned to England in November, the squadron moved to the south west
in April 1944, where they joined No 133 Polish Wing of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. The squadron was re-equipped with the P-51 Mustang
Mk III, which they used for the remainder of the war. The squadron formed part of southern England's defence against the V-1 flying bomb
s and served in the Battle of Normandy
.
During a sweep over France
on 18 August, 12 Mustangs of No 315 engaged 60 German fighters of JG2 & JG26, who were in the process of taking off and landing near Beauvais
, France. In the ensuing battle, the Poles were officially credited with 16 victories, one probable, and three damaged for the loss of one pilot, Squadron Leader Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
. Conversely, German claims were that 12 aircraft had been lost and that they had themselves shot down six aircraft (one of which was claimed to be a P-38 Lightning
).
The squadron later carried out operations over Germany, Norway
, and the Netherlands, where they carried out sorties until the end of the war. The squadron's claims during the war amounted to 86.33 confirmed victories, 18 probable, and 26 damaged. After the war ended No 315 Squadron remained part of RAF Fighter Command
until disbanded on 14 January 1947.
! style="text-align: left;"|To
! style="text-align: left;"|Name
! style="text-align: left;"|Remark
|-
| Jan 1941
| Jun 1941
| S/Ldr.
H.D. Cooke
| British Officer
|-
| Jun 1941
| Sep 1941
| Maj. Stanisław Pietraszkiewicz
|
|-
| Sep 1941
| Nov 1941
| Kpt. Władysław Szczęśniewski
|
|-
| Nov 1941
| May 1942
| Maj. Stefan Janus, VM
, DFC
|
|-
| May 1942
| Oct 1942
| Maj. Mieczysław Wiórkiewicz
|
|-
| Oct 1942
| Apr 1943
| Kpt. Tadeusz Sawicz
|
|-
| Apr 1943
| Feb 1944
| Kpt. Jerzy Popławski, DFC
|
|-
| Feb 1944
| Aug 1944
| Kpt. Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
, DSO
|
|-
| Aug 1944
| Apr 1945
| Kpt. Tadeusz Andersz
|
|-
| Apr 1945
| Feb 1946
| Kpt. Władysław Potocki
|
|-
| Feb 1946
| Dec 1946
| Kpt. Janusz Siekierski
|
|-
|-
|-
|Tadeusz Tamowicz
! style="text-align: left;"|To
! style="text-align: left;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left;"|Version
|-
| February 1941
| July 1941
| Hawker Hurricane
| Mk.I
|-
| July 1941
| August 1941
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk.IIa
|-
| August 1941
| November 1942
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk.Vb
|-
| November 1942
| June 1943
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk.IX
|-
| February 1943
| March 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk. Vb, LF.Vc
|-
| March 1944
| December 1946
| North American Mustang
| Mk.III
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
formed in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1941. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was named after the city of Dęblin
Deblin
Dęblin is a town, population 19,500 , at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants....
, where the main Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
Academy has been located since 1927.
History
The squadron was formed at RAF AcklingtonRAF Acklington
The former Royal Air Force Station Acklington, commonly known as RAF Acklington, was a Royal Air Force airfield airbase situated near Acklington, in Northumberland, England....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 21 January 1941. The squadron, equipped with Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
, was moved in March to RAF Speke, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, where it made frequent patrols over naval convoys as part of No 9 Group RAF. Before July, when it came under Polish command, No 315 was commanded by Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
H.D. Cooke.
In July it was moved to RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
, West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, re-equipped with Spitfires, and began to conduct offensive fighter sweeps over occupied Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. During two operations over France, on 9 August, the squadron achieved its first aircraft claims– two destroyed BF 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s, three probable, and three damaged. The squadron returned to Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
in April 1942, located at RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located south of Southport, Merseyside in a small town called Formby. Although constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool, it did not open until 7 December 1941...
, Sefton. The squadron returned to Northolt in September and resumed operations over France. In June 1943, the squadron was withdrawn to Yorkshire, then to County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in July.
Having returned to England in November, the squadron moved to the south west
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
in April 1944, where they joined No 133 Polish Wing of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. The squadron was re-equipped with the P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
Mk III, which they used for the remainder of the war. The squadron formed part of southern England's defence against the V-1 flying bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
s and served in the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
.
During a sweep over France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 18 August, 12 Mustangs of No 315 engaged 60 German fighters of JG2 & JG26, who were in the process of taking off and landing near Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, France. In the ensuing battle, the Poles were officially credited with 16 victories, one probable, and three damaged for the loss of one pilot, Squadron Leader Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
Eugeniusz Horbaczewski was a Polish fighter pilot, a flying ace of the World War II, also known as "Dziubek" . According to official lists, Horbaczewski was the third highest scoring Polish fighter ace, with 16.5 confirmed kills and one probable kill...
. Conversely, German claims were that 12 aircraft had been lost and that they had themselves shot down six aircraft (one of which was claimed to be a P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
).
The squadron later carried out operations over Germany, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and the Netherlands, where they carried out sorties until the end of the war. The squadron's claims during the war amounted to 86.33 confirmed victories, 18 probable, and 26 damaged. After the war ended No 315 Squadron remained part of RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
until disbanded on 14 January 1947.
Commanding officers
! style="text-align: left;"|From! style="text-align: left;"|To
! style="text-align: left;"|Name
! style="text-align: left;"|Remark
|-
| Jan 1941
| Jun 1941
| S/Ldr.
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
H.D. Cooke
| British Officer
|-
| Jun 1941
| Sep 1941
| Maj. Stanisław Pietraszkiewicz
|
|-
| Sep 1941
| Nov 1941
| Kpt. Władysław Szczęśniewski
|
|-
| Nov 1941
| May 1942
| Maj. Stefan Janus, VM
Virtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
|
|-
| May 1942
| Oct 1942
| Maj. Mieczysław Wiórkiewicz
|
|-
| Oct 1942
| Apr 1943
| Kpt. Tadeusz Sawicz
Tadeusz Sawicz
Tadeusz Władysław Sawicz was a Polish World War II fighter pilot. As well as receiving Poland's highest military decoration, the Virtuti Militari, he was awarded a British Distinguished Flying Cross, an American Distinguished Flying Cross and the Dutch equivalent, the Airman's Cross or Vliegerkruis...
|
|-
| Apr 1943
| Feb 1944
| Kpt. Jerzy Popławski, DFC
|
|-
| Feb 1944
| Aug 1944
| Kpt. Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
Eugeniusz Horbaczewski was a Polish fighter pilot, a flying ace of the World War II, also known as "Dziubek" . According to official lists, Horbaczewski was the third highest scoring Polish fighter ace, with 16.5 confirmed kills and one probable kill...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
|
|-
| Aug 1944
| Apr 1945
| Kpt. Tadeusz Andersz
|
|-
| Apr 1945
| Feb 1946
| Kpt. Władysław Potocki
|
|-
| Feb 1946
| Dec 1946
| Kpt. Janusz Siekierski
|
|-
|-
|-
|Tadeusz Tamowicz
Aircraft operated
! style="text-align: left;"|From! style="text-align: left;"|To
! style="text-align: left;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left;"|Version
|-
| February 1941
| July 1941
| Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
| Mk.I
|-
| July 1941
| August 1941
| Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
| Mk.IIa
|-
| August 1941
| November 1942
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk.Vb
|-
| November 1942
| June 1943
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk.IX
|-
| February 1943
| March 1944
| Supermarine Spitfire
| Mk. Vb, LF.Vc
|-
| March 1944
| December 1946
| North American Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
| Mk.III
See also
- Air Force of the Polish ArmyAir Force of the Polish ArmyThe Air Force of the Polish Army , unofficially known as the People's Polish Air Force was the name of the Soviet-controlled Polish Air Force in the USSR between 1943 and 1947 created alongside the Polish People's Army , a subordinate to the Red Army...
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- Polish Air Forces
- Polish Air Forces in Great Britain
- Polish contribution to World War IIPolish contribution to World War IIThe European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....