Polish-Jewish Relations: 1,300 Keyword-Phrase-Indexed Book Reviews (by Jan Peczkis)

The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in World War II, by Adam Zamoyski. 2013. Pen & Sword Aviation, Yorkshire

Polish Air Combat in the Battle of Britain and the Ensuing British Ingratitude

This encyclopedic work presents much detail on the performance of the Polish Air Force in the 1939 defensive war. From there, it moves on to the Battle of Britain, followed by the actions of the Polish air force in the later stages of the war. Finally, it details the onerous way that Poles in Britain were treated after WWII.

A SUMMARY OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF POLISH PILOTS IN GREAT BRITAIN

Zamoyski writes, “Some 17,000 men and women passed through the ranks of the Polish Air Force while it was stationed on British soil. They not only played a crucial part in the Battle of Britain, they also contributed significantly to the Allied war effort in the air. They shot down 745 enemy aircraft, with another 175 unconfirmed, destroyed a further 25 on the ground and damaged 259. They shot down 190 flying bombs aimed at London. They dropped 13,206 tons of bombs, and laid 1,502 mines. They sank three ships, eight miniature submarines and two U-boats, damaged another thirty. They destroyed 1,171 tanks, armored cars and other vehicles, 84 rail engines and 606 railway coaches. They flew a total of 102,486 sorties, notching up 290,895 operational flying hours, and took part in virtually every type of RAF operation. They achieved this at a cost of 1,973 killed and 1,388 wounded. They won 342 British gallantry awards, including 9 DSOs and 191 DFCs, as well as 15 American ones.” (p. x).

FACTS AND FIGURES ON THE FIGHT FOR AIR SUPREMACY OVER THE BRITISH ISLES

Zamoyski comments, “The Battle of Britain is officially deemed to have ended on 31 October [1940]. Of the 2,927 pilots who manned a fighter at any point between June and November, 146 (just under 5 per cent) were Poles. Of the 2,692 German planes deemed by the RAF ‘destroyed for certain’ (including those brought down by anti-aircraft fire and balloons), 203 (over 7.5 per cent) had been credited to Poles. 303 Squadron had downed three times the average RAF score, and incurred one-third of the average casualties…The 89 Polish pilots serving in various RAF squadrons accounted for 77 definitives, 16 probables and 29 damaged, and 17 of them lost their lives.” (pp. 91-92).

What of the reliability of figures for German planes downed by Poles? Author Zamoyski suggests that Polish claims were modest rather than exaggerated. (p. 221). The Polish “kill” rate is even more impressive if one consults German archives, which acknowledge 1,733, not 2,692, German planes lost during the Battle of Britain.

The Polish contribution is not measured solely by the “kills”. Polish pilots had the habit of charging German aircraft formations, forcing them to break formation and abandon the attacks on England. (pp. 89-90).

The author’s narrative does not capture the pivotal, if not decisive, role of Poles in the Battle of Britain. See:

https://www.jewsandpolesdatabase.org/2019/11/04/polonophobia-cure-polish-achievements-olson/

https://www.jewsandpolesdatabase.org/2019/11/04/betrayers-poles-chose-collaboration-over-privations-koskodan/

THE BRITISH PEOPLE DELIGHT IN THE HEROISM OF THE POLES, THEN TURN AGAINST THEM

The Polish airmen were very popular, and there was obvious camaraderie between the British and Polish pilots. The English civilian population was also favorably disposed towards the Poles. Leading Britons set up social and cultural centers for the Poles. One of these was the Polish Air Force Club in Nottingham. (p. 159).

However, this friendship with the Poles turned out to be selfish. It did not translate into support for Poland herself. Already in June 1941, a survey of RAF rank-and-file showed that only 15-20% of them considered the independence and integrity of Poland a worthwhile war aim. (p. 168). This was to bear bitter fruit.

SHORT BRITISH MEMORIES: THE TEHERAN-YALTA CHURCHILL-ROOSEVELT BETRAYAL OF POLAND

Some Britons realized that their government had done Poland a grave wrong, while other Englishmen were in denial. Zamoyski comments, “The Yalta decisions had ‘driven a deep wedge’ between the Poles and their RAF colleagues, in the words of an intelligence report. The British officers were visibly embarrassed and subconsciously avoided the Poles, while the other ranks could not understand what their Polish comrades were making a fuss about.” (p. 199).

Zamoyski also describes, through the eyes of Polish pilot Konrad Stembrowicz, the day (February 13, 1945), when Yalta was first announced, “At one o’clock the wireless was turned on for the news…I felt as though I had been hit by a thunderbolt…Roosevelt and Churchill had conceded all Stalin’s territorial demands at the expense of Poland and effectively left him in control of the country. ‘The British officers were thunderstruck. They lowered their heads and avoided looking at the Poles. Incredulity, horror and shame were painted on their faces. I looked round the room–only one pair of British eyes met mine. It was Tony; there were tears running down his cheeks…’ (p. 4).

By June 1946, less than six years after the pivotal Polish contribution to the Battle of Britain, only 30% of the British population favored even allowing the Poles to remain in England, while 56% favored the deportation of the Poles. (p. 204). Fine friends.