The Polish Pilots of the Battle of Britain

The pilots who defended Britain against the German Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain came from across the globe. The largest foreign contingent to fight in the Battle of Britain were the Polish, and their contribution and skills during the battle have become legendary.

In September 1939, tens of thousands of Polish servicemen escaped to France and then Britain to continue the fight. Many didn't speak the language and had to get used to entirely different planes to fly. Despite these challenges, and only entering the battle at the end of August, the pilots of one Polish squadron, 303 Squadron, claimed at least 126 enemy aircraft – they were the highest-scoring unit in the Battle of Britain. 146 Polish pilots served with the RAF across numerous units and the two Polish squadrons. They accounted for more than 200 kills. IWM Duxford Curator Craig Murray tells us more about these heroes.

0:00 Intro
1:02 The defeat of Poland
1:40 British reaction to the Poles
2:16 Challenges for the Poles
2:59 Polish squadrons
4:23 The impact of the Poles
5:57 Conclusion

Read on: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-po...

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