‘From near and far they arrived, joined the Force
Ready to serve the Allied command
Sent into training though they’d already earned their wings
They were ready fly, they were fit for the fight

Once in the air, the battle begins
They have proven their worth, now they fly for revenge!

Fighter pilots in exile fly over foreign land
Let their story be heard, tell of 303rd
Fighter pilots from Poland in the Battle of Britain
Guarding the skies of the Isle!’

~ Sabaton, ‘Aces in Exile’

Today marks the 78th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Britain. This epic war of the sky broke the back of German air power and laid waste to Hitler’s plans for an invasion of Britain – but only just, thanks to an incredibly courageous, skilful and determined group of Polish airmen. Initially treated with skepticism, their aerobatic prowess, unparalleled bravery and terrifyingly confrontational (for the Luftwaffe) fighting style won them the deep respect of their RAF comrades and commanders - as well as the hearts of many a British woman taken by their dashing looks and old-fashioned chivalry.

As history blogger Mariusz Gasior summarises,

‘In the Battle of Britain, Polish pilots serving in all RAF squadrons achieved a remarkable score of 203.5 [enemy aircraft] destroyed, 35 probables and 36 damaged...

‘Such a feat could not be achieved without a price. 29 Polish pilots, including Ludwik Paszkiewicz and Josef Frantisek, lost their lives in combat against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.

‘Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, who once was so reluctant to allow Polish pilots into battle, summarised their contribution in probably the most telling way: “Had it not been for the magnificent work of the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of battle would have been the same”.’

‘We were running out of pilots. Just in time came the battle-hardened Poles, who had escaped the Germans and were here, eager, skilled, to fight for their country and ours. They turned the battle. The Luftwaffe backed off. Hitler’s invasion of Britain was cancelled.’

~ Lord Norman Tebbit

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