The Polish Battle of Britain

Documentary

SBS Australia / Madman

R4 DVD

One of history’s fascinating little wartime facets was the number of overseas pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain. Many are undocumented or at least little recognised. This documentary deals with 303 Squadron, composed of Polish airmen who managed to get out as their country was being rolled over by Germany.

Many of these airmen made their way to Britain where they tried to join the RAF. Most knew no English so joining a British squadron was out of the question. They were formed instead into Polish training squadrons where they were taught rudimentary English, formation flying (they trained on bicycles) and eventually how to fly the Hawker Hurricane. They also had to learn the British way of doing things in the RAF. The frustration of the pilots is well shown in the dramatisations that comprise much of the film. There is a light note in the comment that pilots were used to aircraft with fixed undercarriages in the Polish Air Force, and a number of pilots forgot to put their wheels down before landing.

Britain was in serious trouble at this time. Waves of German bombers were attacking Britain and despite improved deliveries of aircraft, Britain’s biggest shortage was pilots. The problem has been well explained in the film The Battle of Britain (1969). Air Chief Marshall Dowding tells a subordinate that “our young men must shoot down their young men at the rate of five to one” or Britain will collapse. Incidentally the documentary draws heavily on this older film for a lot of its aircraft and combat footage. The British pilots weren’t even getting two to one, so the situation was desperate. Finally a Polish training flight accidentally got mixed up in a dogfight and threw themselves at the German aircraft.

They achieved a kill rate that amazed their superiors. They would close to almost suicidal range on a German bomber then pour bullets into it until it crashed. Unknown to the British many of the Poles already had extensive battle experience from fighting in France as they made their way to Britain. One already had eleven kills to his name. Finally and most important, they hated the Germans.

Led by a British officer, Lt Kent (they christened him “Kentoffski”) the mass of new highly trained pilots made the difference. One pilot, Josef Franticek, was one of Britain’s leading aces. Other Poles were not far behind him. 303 Squadron destroyed more enemy aircraft than most other squadrons. A confirmed figure of 40 “kills” was recorded but a further 30 – 40 were unable to be verified.

After the War there was another tragedy. Churchill, unwilling to fight a war with the Russians, meekly let them have Poland. This betrayal destroyed the Poles. One said that Britain had won the war but Poland had lost. Most elected to stay in Britain where some married and raised families.

The documentary is based on a diary kept by a succession of pilots, so it is a more personal history than most. It goes some way to redressing the injustice done to these brave men.

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