The most dedicated and enthusiastic fighters of the war,they fought with their hearts and their hearts were broken in the end! I salute these most honourable men.
Yes. Churchill in particular, betrayed the Poles - and did not invite them to take part in the victory parades - and many Poles were told to sod off back to Poland, by civilian Brits, post war, even though Poland was now forced into communism. It was a nasty bit of history.
@@georgielancaster1356 Sorry Georgie, but thats complete lefty BS from start to finish.. To assist you in understanding what actually happened please avail yourself of the UK's "1946 Polish Resettlement Act", its the act of UK parliament that far from telling Poles to "sod off back to Poland" actually saved the lives of over 250,000 Polish ex-service personnel and their families by granting them FULL UK citizenship and residency rights, and prevented them from having to go back to Poland to end up dead in a ditch in a remote Polish forest with a bullet in the backs of their heads courtesy of your left wing idols, the Soviet NKVD. As for the 1946 Victory parade, Poland was the ONLY allied country to receive TWO invites from the UK government, but through a poisonous bitter mix of POLISH political hatred and hubris they CHOSE to childishly ignore BOTH invites. Nevertheless their courage and service is STILL commemorated in the UK till this day at each and every "Remembrance day" parade, though I'm guessing that you as a clueless lefty are still lying in bed each and every Remembrance sunday morning to actually bother your arse and go and pay your respects personally. No, much easier to do some gutless "virtue signalling" in YT comments section instead. No need to thank me for helping rid yourself of your ridiculous uninformed views on the subject.
24 men small part of it to be precise, two squadrons aswell as two from the czechs 12 planes in a squadron out of 50 to 60 planes sent up at a time....only one squadron went up at a time, else thered be falling asleep in their cockpits... Im not dismissing the fact they helped alot?, but saved britain on their jack jones is pure bullshit..
@@wor53lg50 Yet without those men - and the Czechs, there may not have been enough Allies on those last days of the Battle of Britain. They took down more than their share of Germans - and the numbers were very close, those last weeks. It isn't just the Pole numbers - but how many Germans and planes, would still have been shooting down extra Allied fighter planes, if they had not been shot down, by the Poles, earlier - who more than held up their share in stats
@@georgielancaster1356 i suggest you look again at them numbers, obviously your not looking at the correct ones, as theres a vast difference, and two of the top scorers in the polish squadron aint even polish their brits?..
Some research on father,he fought when Germany invaded flying inadequate planes,escaped to Romania,got to France and flew there,before again escaping to Uk,being sent to Blackpool where Polish were sent for training etc.After war he never returned to Poland and never did ,he remembered to that the Poles were treated badly after the war,not allowed to march in victory celebrations because of Russia and agreement they had with 🇬🇧!
I was at the first Polish RAF reunion at the new Darby building in the 1960s - quite a wonderful experience - was born in 1944 so it was history for me
Really good videos- keep them coming! Important work documenting these men & women so we don’t get their history wrong in future. we need hear it from those that experienced it!
My Grandad was in the RAF in WW2 and saw many years of the war. I am going to do some research on him. I remember him as a young child but he died in his early 60's the war destroyed his life and he lost his wife when she was 32. Strong man back then.
@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 No, completely substantiated. I did my research thoroughly, you should do yours, but your insults and verbal assaults would indicate that you have no interest in the real story anyway. The Poles were specifically excluded from the official RAF appreciation ceremonies, and were shortly kicked out of the country. And there is much more.
@@peterrollinson-lorimer Utter nonsense you're talkling out of your ludicrous double-barrelled bottom. "I did my research thoroughly" but strangely have NO idea about the 1947 Polish Resettlement Act, the UK Act of Parliament that SAVED the lives of over 250,000 Poles after WW2 by giving them full UK citizenship and residency rights. Your "thorough research" also failed to discover that Poland was the ONLY country to receive TWO invites to the 1946 Victory parade but only through a poisonous bitter mix of POLISH political hatred and hubris did they choose to IGNORE the invites. Maybe with your "thorough research" you'll be able to increase my moderate knowledge regarding the PKWN (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego - Polish Committee of National Liberation) and the TRJN (Tymczasowy Rząd Jedności Narodowej - Provisional Government of National Unity)?
While celebrating the bravery, skill and success of Polish "Kościuszko" 303 sqd, the top scoring RAF squadron of the battle of Britain, also remember the other nationalities who flew as part of the squadron during the battle and who contributed SO much to its success. Polish "Kościuszko" 303 Sqd total kill tally - 58.5 confirmed kills Squadron commander, Sqd Ldr Ronald Gustave Kellett (British) - 5 confirmed kills "A" Flight commander, Fl Lt John Alexander Kent (Canadian) - 6 confirmed kills "B" Flight commander, Fl Lt Athol Stanhope Forbes (British) - 7 confirmed kills. Sgt pilot Josef František (Czechoslovakian) - 17 confirmed Kills.
Don't forget the other non-Polish pilots which flew as part of 303 Sqd during the battle of Britain. Squadron commander, Sqd Ldr Ronald Gustave Kellett (British) - 5 confirmed kills "A" Flight commander, Fl Lt John Alexander Kent (Canadian) - 6 confirmed kills "B" Flight commander, Fl Lt Athol Stanhope Forbes (British) - 7 confirmed kills. Sgt pilot Josef František (Czechoslovakian) - 17 confirmed Kills.
303 Squadron was composed mostly of pilots from the Polish Air Force's Kościuszko Escadrille, which was founded as an American manned (21 US pilots) squadron in 1919.
And the Czechoslovak pilots , especially Frantizek who served in 303 squadron . The Poles and Czechoslovaks went into the enemy machines at close range , often at 100 metres , rather than young British pilots at 200 metres
@@wor53lg50 You go look at the historic records. Frantizek flew with the Poles, when he arrived in the UK - with 303 sqn - he flew with the Poles BEFORE reaching England, and had Polish honours. It is YOU who is ignorant. Because he was so undisciplined, he was offered to be sent to a Czech squadron, but had had a fight with a Czech Air Attache in France, and REFUSED. He became a Special Guest pilot, with 303, allotted a 'spare plane' and left to do his own thing, which is an extraordinary acknowledgement of such a gifted but difficult pilot's value. He flew with the Poles, but pretty well was left to go hunting, as his value was so high. Feel free to apologise to original poster.
@@georgielancaster1356 yes, that's true, all Polish pilots and soldiers of other formations in 1938 and early 1939 were accepted without any conditions, on the same terms as Polish soldiers. That's why he told his friends "from today I am Polish, call me Franek"
Polish pilots lost in poland yet its said that despite old timed aeroplanes and overwhelming air dominance they managed to shoot down 120 german aeroplanes... then during decivest battle of Britain days * according to writing of mayor Kent etc... poles used to go like 10 against 300 aeroplanes
Polish pilots, despite the numerical and technical advantage of the Germans, won the duels under the Polish sky in September 1939. Taking into account the downed and damaged planes, and adding their numerical advantage (we do not take into account the technical difference), the Polish pilots won the match 10:1. Unfortunately, the technical advantage in tanks , the artillery of the two bandit armies was too great, on average in soldiers 5.6 (cccp 3.3 + 2.3 germany) to 0.95 million, in artillery 19:1, in tanks 15:1,.... Mobilization was announced on August 30, 1939, and just over 600,000 of the 950,000 planned for mobilization took part in the fighting. Unfortunately, knowledge about the Polish campaign of 1939 is very poor, even among historians. Antony Beevor and Davies Norman are exceptions of truth and solid knowledge.
That's very horrible that Poland lost so much of their country. It must have felt the same way my family in Prussia felt when their country was taken away and divided up to other countries. Including Poland...
But Prussia had a lot of the most aggressive old families that were really pushing to go to war. You might be really interested in an audio recording of a chat on WW2, about an extraordinary Canadian analyst, that I only recently found out about, called Winthrop Bell, who was in Germany as an enemy alien, locked up, during WW1, and stayed on and was sponsored by the Canadian government, to do reports on Germany for Britain, who were too poor to pay his salary and costs. Quite extraordinary reports. He reported back then, that a lot of old German family military had seen WW1 as a war against Slavs, back then - and they did not feel that battle was over - and that they felt they still had a duty to wipe Slav blood off the planet - and he actually reports that they felt that was going to be difficult as a goal, but they would START with Jews. It really is extraordinary, what he was saying in early 1919. BY LATE 1919, he said that the aggressive right wing of the German military had excised the left leaning officers, the easy going officers. He was warning if reparations were too hard, it would give the hard right control of Germany. He said, at the end of WW1, the German people had been glad to lose the ratbags who had lead them to war, but warned if forced into hardship, they would go hard right. He had been a professor, before he was doing this work. Most if his predictions came true. The talk is on WW2 podcast, I think it is called, on normal internet, not yt. Just call in there, and choose the episode WINTHROP BELL. I have no links with the site - just really enjoy the talks. Very easy listening, but some fantastic guests. Bell said that the the aggressive right wing had been capable of taking over much earlier, but that Germany was in such an appalling economic state, that whomever was running it, was going to be seen as a loser - fairly incompetent. The ultra right waited until the upturn could be seen approaching, so that they could ride that wave and take the credit, whilst the left/middle, who had struggled on for years, was seen as inept and had to go.
We remember their valour honour and sacrifice. My father with all family was enslaved by communist Russia as a free laubor in a gulag - hunger and cold He escaped with few others. They were 800 km away from railroad On their way they didn’t go to any human settlements out of fear not to be eaten alive He have made it to polish forces created under Russian supervision. Went trough whole front to Berlin After the war he was punished for declining to belong to communist party. My dad passed away in 1986 three years before Poland regain independence Under russian okupation after the war there was no honours and recognition for veterans like him and thousands others who choose poverty then honours from treasonous oppressors Here-l m. Your son- loyal to the same virtue of life dedicated to freedom I do remember!!! Those are our fathers that we will always remember no matter where they fought It’s our blood our roots Bog honor i ojczyzna
3:51 This is inaccurate, Frantisek was 3rd in the Squadron, Urbanowicz was second, and a different pilot was first. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajan%27s_list
I think you're confusing different lists. The video is about the Battle of Britain, in which Frantisek died, so his total score is his Battle of Britain score. Your link is for European Polish aces (including Frantisek who considered himself a Pole - remember "Poland" included many regions that are not part of Poland now or then) for the whole war, and highly verified kills. There's also lists of claimed kills/possibles. And the highest scoring "Pole" in Europe in WW2 (and highest scoring ace in the US Air Force after Korea) was Polish-American Gabby Gabreski with 28 Kills in Europe and a total of 34.5 overall.
@@georgielancaster1356 He was a "lone wolf" pilot who flew as a "guest" of 303 Squadron, but did not physically fly WITH them. His preferred tactic was to loiter at low altitude over the skies of Kent, and shoot down any German aircraft which had previously been damaged and were seeking to fly back to France at low level. A tactic that worked very well for him, until his untimely death in a crash that was reported to have been caused by him carrying out low level "aerobatics" to impress his then girlfriend.
Not to allow the Polish pilots not to take part in the victory parade for fear of offending the Russians was one of the most shameful decisions this country ever made.
While celebrating the bravery, skill and success of Polish "Kościuszko" 303 sqd, the top scoring RAF squadron of the battle of Britain, also remember the other nationalities who flew as part of the squadron during the battle and who contributed SO much to its success. Polish "Kościuszko" 303 Sqd total kill tally - 58.5 confirmed kills Squadron commander, Sqd Ldr Ronald Gustave Kellett (British) - 5 confirmed kills "A" Flight commander, Fl Lt John Alexander Kent (Canadian) - 6 confirmed kills "B" Flight commander, Fl Lt Athol Stanhope Forbes (British) - 7 confirmed kills. Sgt pilot Josef František (Czechoslovakian) - 17 confirmed Kills. We in the UK remember ALL the pilots (and NOT just the Polish ones).
@@georgielancaster1356 Yes there were indeed. These are the 2 pilots you're referring to Georgie: The Jamaican was Pilot Officer Herbert Capstick born near Jackson Town, who flew as an observer/navigator in a Bristol Blenheim with 236 Sqd during the battle & Pilot Officer Aubrey Richard de Lisle Inniss from Bridgetown, Barbados, who was also pilot in 236 Sqd with Herbert. Just to prevent any wandering lefty idiot from complaining about the "Lack of credit given to black RAF pilots during the battle of Britiain", BOTH of these pilots and all of the Rhodesian and South African pilots who took part in the battle were of white descent. There were NO black pilots in Fighter Command during the battle of Britain.
So why not tell us which was, and why?! But it doesn't say 303 was the most successful squadron in WW2. It says it was the most successful in the Battle of Britain, despite joining the battle late, and having hand me down Hurricanes, rather than Spitfires, or the newest Hurricanes. The "WW2" in "the title" only refers to the fact the video is part of the "WW2: I Was There" series of videos. Note the line between the two parts of the title, and the logo below it.
The most dedicated and enthusiastic fighters of the war,they fought with their hearts and their hearts were broken in the end! I salute these most honourable men.
Yes. Churchill in particular, betrayed the Poles - and did not invite them to take part in the victory parades - and many Poles were told to sod off back to Poland, by civilian Brits, post war, even though Poland was now forced into communism.
It was a nasty bit of history.
@@georgielancaster1356 Sorry Georgie, but thats complete lefty BS from start to finish..
To assist you in understanding what actually happened please avail yourself of the UK's "1946 Polish Resettlement Act", its the act of UK parliament that far from telling Poles to "sod off back to Poland" actually saved the lives of over 250,000 Polish ex-service personnel and their families by granting them FULL UK citizenship and residency rights, and prevented them from having to go back to Poland to end up dead in a ditch in a remote Polish forest with a bullet in the backs of their heads courtesy of your left wing idols, the Soviet NKVD.
As for the 1946 Victory parade, Poland was the ONLY allied country to receive TWO invites from the UK government, but through a poisonous bitter mix of POLISH political hatred and hubris they CHOSE to childishly ignore BOTH invites.
Nevertheless their courage and service is STILL commemorated in the UK till this day at each and every "Remembrance day" parade, though I'm guessing that you as a clueless lefty are still lying in bed each and every Remembrance sunday morning to actually bother your arse and go and pay your respects personally.
No, much easier to do some gutless "virtue signalling" in YT comments section instead.
No need to thank me for helping rid yourself of your ridiculous uninformed views on the subject.
Love and respect to the Polish people.
Heroes and legends.
Salute to those Polish pilots ..
Who played a most important part
In winning the war in the sky
Battle of Britain..
👍
They were only a very small part of it.
@@jimwalsh8520 Never the less, an important part.
24 men small part of it to be precise, two squadrons aswell as two from the czechs 12 planes in a squadron out of 50 to 60 planes sent up at a time....only one squadron went up at a time, else thered be falling asleep in their cockpits... Im not dismissing the fact they helped alot?, but saved britain on their jack jones is pure bullshit..
@@wor53lg50 Yet without those men - and the Czechs, there may not have been enough Allies on those last days of the Battle of Britain.
They took down more than their share of Germans - and the numbers were very close, those last weeks.
It isn't just the Pole numbers - but how many Germans and planes, would still have been shooting down extra Allied fighter planes, if they had not been shot down, by the Poles, earlier - who more than held up their share in stats
@@georgielancaster1356 i suggest you look again at them numbers, obviously your not looking at the correct ones, as theres a vast difference, and two of the top scorers in the polish squadron aint even polish their brits?..
Great vid,father was Polish who flew in ww2 hurricane and spitfires.
The woman who is normally on NSTAAF, Anna, had a Polish grandfather who was a navigator.
Some research on father,he fought when Germany invaded flying inadequate planes,escaped to Romania,got to France and flew there,before again escaping to Uk,being sent to Blackpool where Polish were sent for training etc.After war he never returned to Poland and never did ,he remembered to that the Poles were treated badly after the war,not allowed to march in victory celebrations because of Russia and agreement they had with 🇬🇧!
I was at the first Polish RAF reunion at the new Darby building in the 1960s - quite a wonderful experience - was born in 1944 so it was history for me
So jealous. :- )
What a hero.
Really good videos- keep them coming! Important work documenting these men & women so we don’t get their history wrong in future. we need hear it from those that experienced it!
My Grandad was in the RAF in WW2 and saw many years of the war. I am going to do some research on him. I remember him as a young child but he died in his early 60's the war destroyed his life and he lost his wife when she was 32. Strong man back then.
What did you find? Sad you didn't do it 30 years ago, when you could have found men who flew with him, still alive.
303 Rulez !!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ "Never was so much owed by so many to so few"
The Polish pilots, after their massive contribution to Britain, were treated disgracefully by them after the war. Huge respect to this man.
Please tell us more of this "disgraceful" treatment?
OH so you're just talking unsubstantiated bullshit then? What a surprise !!!
@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 No, completely substantiated. I did my research thoroughly, you should do yours, but your insults and verbal assaults would indicate that you have no interest in the real story anyway. The Poles were specifically excluded from the official RAF appreciation ceremonies, and were shortly kicked out of the country. And there is much more.
@@peterrollinson-lorimer Utter nonsense you're talkling out of your ludicrous double-barrelled bottom. "I did my research thoroughly" but strangely have NO idea about the 1947 Polish Resettlement Act, the UK Act of Parliament that SAVED the lives of over 250,000 Poles after WW2 by giving them full UK citizenship and residency rights.
Your "thorough research" also failed to discover that Poland was the ONLY country to receive TWO invites to the 1946 Victory parade but only through a poisonous bitter mix of POLISH political hatred and hubris did they choose to IGNORE the invites.
Maybe with your "thorough research" you'll be able to increase my moderate knowledge regarding the PKWN (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego - Polish Committee of National Liberation) and the TRJN (Tymczasowy Rząd Jedności Narodowej - Provisional Government of National Unity)?
@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684tough guy hey ?
Thank you for your service.
2:12 while also having the least losses, and having participated in the battle only after two months as a squadron
While celebrating the bravery, skill and success of Polish "Kościuszko" 303 sqd, the top scoring RAF squadron of the battle of Britain, also remember the other nationalities who flew as part of the squadron during the battle and who contributed SO much to its success.
Polish "Kościuszko" 303 Sqd total kill tally - 58.5 confirmed kills
Squadron commander, Sqd Ldr Ronald Gustave Kellett (British) - 5 confirmed kills
"A" Flight commander, Fl Lt John Alexander Kent (Canadian) - 6 confirmed kills
"B" Flight commander, Fl Lt Athol Stanhope Forbes (British) - 7 confirmed kills.
Sgt pilot Josef František (Czechoslovakian) - 17 confirmed Kills.
I love the fact that a Canadian John Kent (Kentski) was involved with this illustrious group!
Don't forget the other non-Polish pilots which flew as part of 303 Sqd during the battle of Britain.
Squadron commander, Sqd Ldr Ronald Gustave Kellett (British) - 5 confirmed kills
"A" Flight commander, Fl Lt John Alexander Kent (Canadian) - 6 confirmed kills
"B" Flight commander, Fl Lt Athol Stanhope Forbes (British) - 7 confirmed kills.
Sgt pilot Josef František (Czechoslovakian) - 17 confirmed Kills.
Great and sad story
It's terrible how the Allies turned their back after the war and let the Soviets bring another hell to the Polish people.
That was a deal done at Yalta between Stain and FDR, Churchill was sidelined
Are you implying he was unhappy about it? He didn't give a stuff.
He didn't even invite the Poles to march in the victory parades
303 Squadron was composed mostly of pilots from the Polish Air Force's Kościuszko Escadrille, which was founded as an American manned (21 US pilots) squadron in 1919.
it's true, 1918-1920 !
I salute for us
And the Czechoslovak pilots , especially Frantizek who served in 303 squadron . The Poles and Czechoslovaks went into the enemy machines at close range , often at 100 metres , rather than young British pilots at 200 metres
303 was polish, czechs had two of their own, prooves how much you know dos'nt it, when you dont know dont comment..
@@wor53lg50 You go look at the historic records.
Frantizek flew with the Poles, when he arrived in the UK - with 303 sqn - he flew with the Poles BEFORE reaching England, and had Polish honours.
It is YOU who is ignorant.
Because he was so undisciplined, he was offered to be sent to a Czech squadron, but had had a fight with a Czech Air Attache in France, and REFUSED.
He became a Special Guest pilot, with 303, allotted a 'spare plane' and left to do his own thing, which is an extraordinary acknowledgement of such a gifted but difficult pilot's value.
He flew with the Poles, but pretty well was left to go hunting, as his value was so high.
Feel free to apologise to original poster.
@@georgielancaster1356 yes, that's true, all Polish pilots and soldiers of other formations in 1938 and early 1939 were accepted without any conditions, on the same terms as Polish soldiers. That's why he told his friends "from today I am Polish, call me Franek"
Polish pilots lost in poland yet its said that despite old timed aeroplanes and overwhelming air dominance they managed to shoot down 120 german aeroplanes... then during decivest battle of Britain days * according to writing of mayor Kent etc... poles used to go like 10 against 300 aeroplanes
Polish pilots, despite the numerical and technical advantage of the Germans, won the duels under the Polish sky in September 1939. Taking into account the downed and damaged planes, and adding their numerical advantage (we do not take into account the technical difference), the Polish pilots won the match 10:1. Unfortunately, the technical advantage in tanks , the artillery of the two bandit armies was too great, on average
in soldiers 5.6 (cccp 3.3 + 2.3 germany) to 0.95 million, in artillery 19:1, in tanks 15:1,....
Mobilization was announced on August 30, 1939, and just over 600,000 of the 950,000 planned for mobilization took part in the fighting.
Unfortunately, knowledge about the Polish campaign of 1939 is very poor, even among historians. Antony Beevor and Davies Norman are exceptions of truth and solid knowledge.
Poles are great, normal people.
We Poles have one important rule . Respect
That's very horrible that Poland lost so much of their country. It must have felt the same way my family in Prussia felt when their country was taken away and divided up to other countries. Including Poland...
But Prussia had a lot of the most aggressive old families that were really pushing to go to war.
You might be really interested in an audio recording of a chat on WW2, about an extraordinary Canadian analyst, that I only recently found out about, called Winthrop Bell, who was in Germany as an enemy alien, locked up, during WW1, and stayed on and was sponsored by the Canadian government, to do reports on Germany for Britain, who were too poor to pay his salary and costs.
Quite extraordinary reports. He reported back then, that a lot of old German family military had seen WW1 as a war against Slavs, back then - and they did not feel that battle was over - and that they felt they still had a duty to wipe Slav blood off the planet - and he actually reports that they felt that was going to be difficult as a goal, but they would START with Jews. It really is extraordinary, what he was saying in early 1919. BY LATE 1919, he said that the aggressive right wing of the German military had excised the left leaning officers, the easy going officers. He was warning if reparations were too hard, it would give the hard right control of Germany.
He said, at the end of WW1, the German people had been glad to lose the ratbags who had lead them to war, but warned if forced into hardship, they would go hard right.
He had been a professor, before he was doing this work.
Most if his predictions came true.
The talk is on WW2 podcast, I think it is called, on normal internet, not yt.
Just call in there, and choose the episode WINTHROP BELL. I have no links with the site - just really enjoy the talks. Very easy listening, but some fantastic guests.
Bell said that the the aggressive right wing had been capable of taking over much earlier, but that Germany was in such an appalling economic state, that whomever was running it, was going to be seen as a loser - fairly incompetent.
The ultra right waited until the upturn could be seen approaching, so that they could ride that wave and take the credit, whilst the left/middle, who had struggled on for years, was seen as inept and had to go.
😢
We remember their valour honour and sacrifice. My father with all family was enslaved by communist Russia as a free laubor in a gulag - hunger and cold
He escaped with few others. They were 800 km away from railroad On their way they didn’t go to any human settlements out of fear not to be eaten alive He have made it to polish forces created under Russian supervision. Went trough whole front to Berlin
After the war he was punished for declining to belong to communist party. My dad passed away in 1986 three years before Poland regain independence Under russian okupation after the war there was no honours and recognition for veterans like him and thousands others who choose poverty then honours from treasonous oppressors Here-l m. Your son- loyal to the same virtue of life dedicated to freedom
I do remember!!!
Those are our fathers that we will always remember no matter where they fought
It’s our blood our roots Bog honor i ojczyzna
3:51 This is inaccurate, Frantisek was 3rd in the Squadron, Urbanowicz was second, and a different pilot was first.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajan%27s_list
I think you're confusing different lists.
The video is about the Battle of Britain, in which Frantisek died, so his total score is his Battle of Britain score.
Your link is for European Polish aces (including Frantisek who considered himself a Pole - remember "Poland" included many regions that are not part of Poland now or then) for the whole war, and highly verified kills.
There's also lists of claimed kills/possibles.
And the highest scoring "Pole" in Europe in WW2 (and highest scoring ace in the US Air Force after Korea) was Polish-American Gabby Gabreski with 28 Kills in Europe and a total of 34.5 overall.
BUT, he also did not get long to run up his numbers, with death.
@@georgielancaster1356 He was a "lone wolf" pilot who flew as a "guest" of 303 Squadron, but did not physically fly WITH them.
His preferred tactic was to loiter at low altitude over the skies of Kent, and shoot down any German aircraft which had previously been damaged and were seeking to fly back to France at low level. A tactic that worked very well for him, until his untimely death in a crash that was reported to have been caused by him carrying out low level "aerobatics" to impress his then girlfriend.
👍🏻🏴🇬🇧
Not to allow the Polish pilots not to take part in the victory parade for fear of offending the Russians was one of the most shameful decisions this country ever made.
While celebrating the bravery, skill and success of Polish "Kościuszko" 303 sqd, the top scoring RAF squadron of the battle of Britain, also remember the other nationalities who flew as part of the squadron during the battle and who contributed SO much to its success.
Polish "Kościuszko" 303 Sqd total kill tally - 58.5 confirmed kills
Squadron commander, Sqd Ldr Ronald Gustave Kellett (British) - 5 confirmed kills
"A" Flight commander, Fl Lt John Alexander Kent (Canadian) - 6 confirmed kills
"B" Flight commander, Fl Lt Athol Stanhope Forbes (British) - 7 confirmed kills.
Sgt pilot Josef František (Czechoslovakian) - 17 confirmed Kills.
We in the UK remember ALL the pilots (and NOT just the Polish ones).
I believe there was one Jamaican and one Bahaman pilot in BoB.
@@georgielancaster1356 Yes there were indeed. These are the 2 pilots you're referring to Georgie:
The Jamaican was Pilot Officer Herbert Capstick born near Jackson Town, who flew as an observer/navigator in a Bristol Blenheim with 236 Sqd during the battle & Pilot Officer Aubrey Richard de Lisle Inniss from Bridgetown, Barbados, who was also pilot in 236 Sqd with Herbert.
Just to prevent any wandering lefty idiot from complaining about the "Lack of credit given to black RAF pilots during the battle of Britiain", BOTH of these pilots and all of the Rhodesian and South African pilots who took part in the battle were of white descent. There were NO black pilots in Fighter Command during the battle of Britain.
As soon as I saw this old pilots face, I knew it was going to be Polish, and 303 sqn.
🇵🇱⚔️🇨🇿
Afraid 303 was not the mosr successful Squadron in WW2, another myth
So why not tell us which was, and why?!
But it doesn't say 303 was the most successful squadron in WW2.
It says it was the most successful in the Battle of Britain, despite joining the battle late, and having hand me down Hurricanes, rather than Spitfires, or the newest Hurricanes.
The "WW2" in "the title" only refers to the fact the video is part of the "WW2: I Was There" series of videos.
Note the line between the two parts of the title, and the logo below it.
@@jeremybonington-jagworth9991 well said