The famous 307 squadron spent two years based at RAF Exeter, which now serves as the Exeter airport, and hunted down four German bombers in the time of German bombings of the city in May 1942.
On 15 November, the Polish airmen from 307 Squadron were honoured in an annual ceremony taking place in the city of Exeter as a token of friendship and appreciation.
The hallmark moment of the whole event is the raising of the flag of Poland on the Guildhall roof to flutter over the city as it was done 78 years ago when Rowland Glave-Saunders, the then city mayor, said: “Pilots from this Polish squadron have been our guardian angels for over two years (…..). We shall proudly hang this flag in our Guildhall to remind future generations of what Poland did for us in the darkest hours which this country has passed”.
The 307 Squadron was known among Exeter as the “Guardian Angels” and in Polish forces in Britain as “Lwów Eagle Owls”.
“The Eagle Owls came out and saved our city and buildings like the Guildhall wouldn’t be here now without the efforts of those airmen,” said Exeter Lord Mayor Councillor Kevin Mitchell.
“We are eternally grateful for everything that they did,” Lord Mayor added.
The original flag, given to the city by Squadron Leader Jan Michałowski on 15th November 1942, was kept in the Guildhall but was lost some time ago, but a new one was purchased and dedicated. Thanks to Michael Parrot from 307 Squadron Project the tradition of the Polish flag-raising was born in 2012. Since then, the ceremony has taken place every year on 15th November to commemorate the 1942 Polish airmen’s victorious defence of the city and the day has been officially announced as the ‘307 Squadron Day’.
The Squadron was established on 24th August 1940 in Blackpool in answer to a steady increase in Luftwaffe night bomb raids on historically and culturally important British cities. It was the first non-British, radar-equipped RAF night squadron and its chosen logo depicting an eagle-owl, a night-time predator bird with characteristic big green eyes, proudly decorated the plane fuselage. Below the logo was painted the 307 number.
In the beginning, the squadron was under Polish-British command. During the war, over 1400 members served in it. In April 1941, the squadron was moved to Exeter, which incidentally, was sharing the motto ‘Semper Fidelis’ with the Polish city of Lwów.
As Andrzej Michalski, one of the founders of the 307 Squadron Project, told the British Poles website, “It was the only Polish night squadron. On the night of 3-4 May 1942, the Germans directed a grouping of 40 bombers to destroy the seemingly defenceless city. This did not happen, however, as the city was guarded by Polish airmen from No. 307 Squadron, who destroyed four enemy aircraft in a night battle.”
The squadron operated until early January 1947, making a total of 3879 combat flights. Unfortunately, the war effort took the lives of 28 pilots and 26 air gunners and navigators.
It is worth remembering, that for Polish airmen Great Britain was the island of last and only hope, the last battlefield of faith, honour and victory. They showed the best of courage in every battle alongside British RAF pilots, often proving exemplary training, perseverance and determination. They kept winning not only single fights but also fighting off the organised attacks of a hundred machines with swastika-decorated wings. Their skills and experience ultimately contributed to the British victory in WW2. Having said that, we must remember and honour those who, in the face of German aggression, dared to stand firm in defence of honour, homeland, and freedom.
Today 31 Polish airmen rest at the Exeter Higher Cemetery. In memory of the fallen the Polish flag has been presented at the Exeter Guildhall every year since 2012 on 15 November.
Many thanks to the 307 Squadron Project for the initiative and effort to organise a unique celebration dedicated to our Heroes.
Source: BBC
Tomasz Modrzejewski, Maria Byczynski
Zdjęcia: Paulina Majewska, British Poles
