(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.
This happened to be the last fight for Polish fighters in WWII.

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.
This sprtie is concidered the longest* (5 hrs 50 min) and the last mission in WWII for units of the Polish Air Force. Read more
(* In W/O Cempel's log book, an entry made on Dec 23, 1944 states that his escort mission to Norway lasted 6 hrs 5 min! Takeoff from Peterhead and landing in Danforth. This was signed by FC, F/Lt Wunsche and CO, S/Ldr Andersz.)


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.
They were welcome nowhere.