No. 304 (Land of Silesia) Polish Bomber Squadron () was a Polish bomber 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 15 squadrons of the Polish Air Force in exile that served alongside the Royal Air Force in World War II.Lewis 1968, pp. 95–97; 125 It operated under RAF operational command, and flew from airbases in the United Kingdom. It served from April 1941 as a bomber unit in RAF Bomber Command; from May 1942 as an anti-submarine unit in RAF Coastal Command; and from June 1945 as a transport unit in RAF Transport Command.

History Bomber Command 304 Squadron was created on 23 August 1940 at RAF Bramcote, and from 1 December 1940 it operated from RAF Syerston, as a part of No. 1 Bomber Group (along with No. 305 Squadron created at the same time). It was declared ready for operations with Vickers Wellington Mk I medium bombers on 24 April 1941. The personnel included 24 entirely Polish air crews (initially three-men, later six-men) and approximately 180 ground crew. On the night of 24–25 April 1941 two crews flew the squadron's first combat mission against fuel tanks in Rotterdam. In the following months the squadron joined the night bombing campaign over Germany and France. First losses occurred on 6 May and 8 May 1941 (in the second instance, a crew of the British advisor W/Cdr W. Graham). On 20 July 1941 the squadron moved to RAF Lindholme base. In 1941 the squadron completed 214 missions lasting 1,202 hours, losing 47 killed airmen.Krol 1982, pp. 190–208

In first four months of 1942 the intensity of operations increased. Due to large losses suffered in early 1942, including six crews lost in April, and difficulties in recruiting replacements, it was decided to transfer the squadron to RAF Coastal Command. While in Bomber Command the squadron completed 488 missions in 2,481 hours, dropping some 800 tons of bombs, losing 102 airmen killed or missing in action, and 35 as prisoners of war.

Coastal Command On 10 May 1942 the squadron was transferred to RAF Coastal Command along with the Wellington aircraft. From 14 May 1942 it based at RAF Tiree, from 13 June 1942 at RAF Dale. Apart from patrolling duties over the Bay of Biscay, seven crews took part in a thousand-aircraft raid at Bremen on 25/26 June 1942 (losing one crew). Several times Polish crews attacked U-boats and fought with German long-range aircraft. On 13 August 1942 the Squadron was credited with sinking a U-boat, though this was not confirmed post-war. On 2 September 1942 one Wellington inflicted damage to Italian Reginaldo Giuliani submarine.Sobski 2013, p. 48 A noteworthy event was a skirmish of one Wellington with six German Junkers Ju 88s on 16 September 1942 over the Bay of Biscay; The Polish aircraft was badly shot, but managed to hide in clouds, and claimed one Ju 88 shot down. On 9 February 1943 one Wellington evaded attacks by four Ju 88 for nearly an hour until they ran out of ammunition, and escaped with two Polish crewmen injured; similar combat with four Ju 88 took place on 5 September 1943, without losses, in spite of 116 bullet holes found.

From 30 March 1943 the squadron based at RAF Docking, from 10 June 1943 at RAF Davidstow Moor (equipped with radar-fitted Wellington Mk XIII), from 20 December 1943 at RAF Predannack, from 19 March 1944 at RAF Chivenor. On 4 January 1944 a Wellington strafed and damaged . On 18 June 1944 the squadron was credited with sinking a U-boat, but its identity is unknown.Kasperski 2010, pp. 51–53 It was quoted to be , but it has been negated afterwards, and possible victims remain or . From 19 September 1944 it was based at RAF Benbecula, from 5 March 1945 at RAF St Eval. On 2 April 1945 one Wellington sank with depth charges.Szlagor 2017. pp. 79, 84

In Coastal Command the squadron undertook 2,451 missions in 21,331 hours, losing 19 aircraft and 69 men killed in action; six missing in action; and 31 killed in non-combat flights. It claimed 31 submarine attacked and was credited with two U-boats sunk and five damaged, it also claimed three aircraft shot down, three probable and four damaged.

Its last mission was on 30 May 1945, looking out for possible German submarines that may not have surrendered.Moyes 1976, p. 226

Transport Command After the end of the war in Europe, on 14 June 1945 the squadron was transferred to Transport Command, and operated scheduled services with Warwick C.3s to Greece and Italy. From April 1946 onwards the Polish squadrons were restricted to flights within the UK.Rawlings 1982, p. 198. In May the squadron converted to Halifax Mk C.8 unarmed transports and was disbanded a few months later on 18 December 1946.

Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by 304 SquadronFromToAircraftVersion 23 August 1940 Fairey Battle Mk I 1 December 1940 Vickers Wellington Mk IA, Mk IC 10 April 1943 Vickers Wellington Mk X 10 June 1943 Vickers Wellington Mk XIII 14 September 1943 Vickers Wellington Mk XIV 5 August 1945 Vickers Warwick C Mk I, Mk III 1 January 1946 Handley Page Halifax C Mk VIII

Squadron bases The squadron operated from the following airfields: From To Base 23 August 1940 RAF Bramcote, Warwickshire 1 December 1940 RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire 20 July 1941 RAF Lindholme, South Yorkshire 14 May 1942 RAF Tiree, Inner Hebrides13 June 1942 RAF Dale, Wales30 March 1943 RAF Docking, Norfolk 10 June 1943 RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall 20 December 1943 RAF Predannack, Cornwall 19 March 1944 RAF Chivenor, Devon 19 September 1944 RAF Benbecula, Outer Hebrides 5 March 1945 RAF St Eval, CornwallJune 1945 RAF North Weald, EssexSeptember 1945 RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk

Commanding officers Officers commanding No. 304 Squadron were as follows: From To Name 23 August 1940 22 December 1940 Ppłk. pilot Jan Biały (RAF advisor s/ldr w. Graham until 8 May 1941, killed in action) 23 December 1940 13 November 1941 Ppłk. pilot Piotr Dudziński 14 November 1941 15 August 1942 Mjr nawigator Stanisław Poziomek 16 August 1942 28 January 1943 Mjr pilot Kazimierz Czetowicz 29 January 1943 18 November 1943 Kpt. pilot Mieczysław Pronaszko 19 November 1943 10 April 1944 Kpt. nawigator Czesław Korbut 11 April 1944 2 January 1945 Mjr. pilot Jerzy Kranc 3 January 1945 Kpt. pilot (w/cdr) Stanisław Żurek OBE

Ppłk. – podpułkownik – equivalent to wing commander Mjr. – major – equivalent to squadron leader Kpt. – kapitan – equivalent to flight lieutenant

See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain Military history of Poland during World War II

References Notes

Bibliography

Halley, James J, 1988. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. Jaworzyn, Josef F, 1984. No place to Land: A Pilot in Coastal Command. London, William Kimber. . Jefford, C.G., 1998 (second edition 2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing.

Konarski, Mariusz, 2005. 304 Squadron. Sandomierz; Redbourn: Mushroom Model publications.

Moyes, Philip J.R., 1964 (new edition 1974). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. Rawlings, John D.R., 1982 Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. Szlagor, Tomasz, 2017. Pogromcy U-Bootów. 3. Lotnictwo w walce z okrętami podwodnymi Kriegsmarine. „Wojsko i Technika – Historia” special issue 6/2017 (13), p. 79, 84 (in Polish)

Sturtivant, Ray, and Hamlin, John, 1997. RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.

External links

– historic photographs