Robert Gretzyngier

The little-known WWII story of the Polish Air Force fliers who played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain and beyond.

 

To the Polish volunteers who flew and fought so brilliantly and tenaciously throughout the Battle of Britain, the United Kingdom was known as "Last Hope Island." Many lost their lives, such as Antoni Ostowicz. Many achieved glory and became aces—such as Glowacki, Skalski, and Witorzenc. The RAF came to depend on these men, with over one hundred Polish pilots supporting almost thirty fighter squadrons, most especially 302, 303, and 307 (night fighter).

 

The result of years of research, Robert Gretzyngier's book includes detailed combat descriptions, personal accounts from combat reports, memoirs, and diaries from the Polish, British, and German perspective, with in-depth biographical data of all Polish pilots, including full RAF and PAF careers and much tabular material in appendix form.

 

Poles in Defence of Britain is a tremendous account of Polish contribution in those hectic days before the RAF began to take the offensive across the Channel, with many previously unpublished photographs from private collections.

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