{"product_id":"the-polish-few-polish-airmen-in-the-battle-of-britain","title":"The Polish 'Few': Polish Airmen in the Battle of Britain","description":"\u003cp\u003eThey came to fight for freedom and their country  they came to fight Germans. Men of the Polish Air Force  who had escaped first to France and then to Britain  to fly alongside the Royal Air Force just as Fighter Command faced its greatest challenge  the Battle of Britain.  Many of the Polish airmen joined existing RAF squadrons. The Poles also formed their own squadrons  but only four became operational during the Battle of Britain: Nos. 300 and 301  were bomber squadrons  with another two  Nos. 302 and 303  being fighter squadrons. Flying Hawker Hurricanes  both 302 and 303 squadrons were active by the middle of August 1940  just when they were most needed  at the height of the Battle of Britain  with Fighter Command stretched to its limit.  The Polish squadrons  battle-hardened from their encounters with the Luftwaffe during the invasion of Poland and Battle of France  soon made their mark. In particular  303 Squadron become the highest-scoring unit of Fighter Command.  In total  145 Polish pilots  the largest non-British contingent in Fighter Command at the time  fought in the Battle of Britain. While Winston Churchill praised the contribution of the Few  the pilots of many nationalities who had defended Britain  Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding was more specific: Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry  I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle would have been the same.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44987131265077,"sku":"ByrdShop_152671485X","price":51.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781526714855.jpg?v=1770926215","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-polish-few-polish-airmen-in-the-battle-of-britain","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}