(An appendix issue of Britain's war stamps. It reads: "The Polish Air Force fighting for Victory. Has in two years taken in active part in 350 operations and flown 1800 bomber planes")
1945 Jan 16 Sqr. 315 moved back to Andrews Field (11 Group), Essex. See Photos Feb 21 Rodeo - ranger 416 (Wing) over Salzwedel/Osnabrück (Germany). Read more Mar 25 F/Lt Bibrowicz shot down last V-1 for 315 Squadron. On March 29, last V-1 recorded over England. Read more Apr 6 S/Ldr Potocki took over the command of the unit. Apr 9 Avro Lancasters (56)
escorted to Hamburg. Sqr. 315 led by W/Cdr Rutkowski. Just before reaching their
target, Lancasters were attacked by 8 Me-262, which in first pass sent
down three of them. Squadrons 306 and 309 engaged Messerschmitts, while
"Deblinski" stayed up as a cover. Poles destroyed 4 Me-262s and 1 damaged.
Apr 14 Avro Lancasters (500) escorted to Stetin (now: Szczecin) to bomb battleship Gneisenau. 4 hrs 45 min. Apr 18 Bombers escort over Helgoland. Apr 24 Bombers escort over Luebeck. Apr 25 Ramrod 1554. Avro
Lancasters (255) escorted to Berchtesgaden. Take off at 8:50 a.m. and landing at
14:40 p.m. Led by W/Cdr Rutkowski were S/Ldr Potocki, F/Lt Malczewski, F/O
Furman, W/O Seredyn, F/Sgt Marszycki, F/Lt Wyrozemski, F/O Zaleski, W/O
Sztramko, P/O Pinkowski, F/O Drozdowski and F/O Michalski. 8 May 1945 Radio London announced: "The war in Europe is over!" That day 315 Squadron totaled: 6927 flights (for 13 532 hrs); shot down 86 e/a, probable 19 and damaged 26; destroyed 53 V-1 bombs. Its pilots flew circus, sweep, patrol, ramrod, rhubarb, rodeo, rescue and roadstead missions. See map Aug 9 Squadron is moved to Coltishall. Nov 19 315 goes to Fairwood Common. Dec 20 Moved back to Coltishall. Feb 15 1946 S/L Jan Siekierski appointed the O.C. of the squadron.Jan 14 1947 Squadron got officially disbanded. Read more After the war,
most of them chose not to come back to the communist Poland. They were not
welcome there. They were not longer welcome in Great Britain either. |