No. 318 "City of Gdańsk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Polish: 318 Dywizjon Myśliwsko-Rozpoznawczy Gdański") was a Polish tactical reconnaissance aircraft squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of several Polish squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II.
No. 318 "City of Gdańsk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron
Badge of 318 "City of Gdansk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron during World War II
The squadron was then involved in ground attack and tactical reconnaissance operations over Italy in support of the Eighth Army following the allied advance; and saw action at the Battle of Monte Cassino. After hostilities ceased the squadron remained in Italy for another year, but on 15 August 1946 it handed over its aircraft and left Italy for the UK, where it arrived on the 19th. Soon after, the squadron disbanded at RAF Coltishall, according to some sources on 31 August 1946,[3][6][7] while others mention 12 December 1946.[8][9][10]
Aircraft operatededit
Aircraft operated by No. 318 Squadron RAF[3][6][10]
^"No. 318 Squadron RAF (Polish)". valka.cz. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
Bibliographyedit
Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN1-85310-451-5.
Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN1-84037-281-8.
Halley, James J. (1988), The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988, Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., ISBN0-85130-164-9
Jefford, C.G. (2001), RAF Squadrons: A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd, ISBN1-84037-141-2
Król, Waclaw. Zarys dzialan polskiego lotnictwa w Wielkiej Brytanii 1940-1945 (in Polish). Warszawa, Poland: Biblioteczka Skrzydlatej Polski, tom 11, Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i lacznosci, 1981. ISBN83-206-0152-5.
Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF: The ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN1-84037-086-6.
Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN0-7106-0187-5.
Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN0-85130-365-X.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 318 (Polish) Squadron RAF.
No.318 Squadron history as in "Destiny can wait"
Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947
January 01, 1970
polish, fighter, reconnaissance, squadron, city, gdańsk, polish, fighter, reconnaissance, squadron, polish, dywizjon, myśliwsko, rozpoznawczy, gdański, polish, tactical, reconnaissance, aircraft, squadron, formed, great, britain, part, agreement, between, poli. No 318 City of Gdansk Polish Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron Polish 318 Dywizjon Mysliwsko Rozpoznawczy Gdanski was a Polish tactical reconnaissance aircraft squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940 It was one of several Polish squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force RAF during World War II No 318 City of Gdansk Polish Fighter Reconnaissance SquadronBadge of 318 City of Gdansk Polish Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron during World War IIActive20 March 1943 12 December 1946CountryUnited KingdomAllegiancePolish Government in exileBranchRoyal Air ForceRoleTactical ReconnaissancePart ofRAF Army Cooperation Command March 1943 May 1943 1 RAF Second Tactical Air Force June 1943 August 1943 Mediterranean Air Command September 1943 December 1943 Mediterranean Allied Air Forces December 1943 July 1945 2 RAF Mediterranean and Middle East August 1945 August 1946Nickname s Danzig Gdanski of Gdansk EngagementsWorld War IIInsigniaSquadron Badge heraldryUnofficial 3 design based on the coat of arms city of GdanskSquadron CodesLW Nov 1944 Aug 1946 3 4 Aircraft flownFighterHawker Hurricane Supermarine Spitfire Squadron emblem painted on the aircraft Contents 1 History 1 1 Formation and training 1 2 Operations in Italy 2 Aircraft operated 3 Squadron bases 4 Commanding officers 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksHistory editFormation and training edit The squadron was formed on 20 March 1943 at RAF Detling Kent from personnel of No 309 Squadron 5 and after training with Hawker Hurricane Mk Is it moved to the Middle East operating from RAF Muqeibila and RAF Gaza and continuing its training specifically with II Corps of the Polish Army by now using Hurricane Mk IIBs Training went on until 1944 when the squadron converted to Supermarine Spitfires Operations in Italy edit The squadron was then involved in ground attack and tactical reconnaissance operations over Italy in support of the Eighth Army following the allied advance and saw action at the Battle of Monte Cassino After hostilities ceased the squadron remained in Italy for another year but on 15 August 1946 it handed over its aircraft and left Italy for the UK where it arrived on the 19th Soon after the squadron disbanded at RAF Coltishall according to some sources on 31 August 1946 3 6 7 while others mention 12 December 1946 8 9 10 Aircraft operated editAircraft operated by No 318 Squadron RAF 3 6 10 From To Aircraft Version April 1943 August 1943 Hawker Hurricane Mk I September 1943 March 1944 Hawker Hurricane Mk IIb March 1944 March 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb March 1944 March 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc September 1944 August 1946 Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXSquadron bases editBases and airfields used by No 318 Squadron RAF 3 6 10 From To Base Remark 20 March 1943 15 August 1943 RAF Detling Kent dets at RAF Weston Zoyland Somerset and RAF Snailwell Cambridgeshire from April 1943 15 August 1943 31 August 1943 En route to Egypt 31 August 1943 10 September 1943 Alamaza Egypt 10 September 1943 13 October 1943 RAF Muqueibila Palestine 13 October 1943 22 October 1943 RAF Gaza Palestine 22 October 1943 21 November 1943 RAF Lydda Palestine now Ben Gurion International Airport 21 November 1943 23 April 1944 LG 207 Qassassin Egypt Ground echelon to Italy from 9 April 23 April 1944 24 April 1944 RAF Helwan Egypt 24 April 1944 25 April 1944 RAF Marble Arch Libya 25 April 1944 28 April 1944 RAF Castel Benito Libya 28 April 1944 1 May 1944 Madna Italy 1 May 1944 17 June 1944 Trigno Italy 17 June 1944 26 June 1944 San Vito Italy 26 June 1944 2 July 1944 Tortoretto Italy 2 July 1944 30 July 1944 Fermio Italy det at Castiglione Italy 30 July 1944 24 August 1944 Falconara Italy 24 August 1944 31 August 1944 Chiaravalle Italy det at Malignano Italy 31 August 1944 16 September 1944 Piagiolino Italy 16 September 1944 27 September 1944 Cassandro Italy 27 September 1944 6 November 1944 Rimini Italy Det at Iesi Italy 6 November 1944 4 December 1944 Bellaria Italy 4 December 1944 3 May 1945 Forli Italy 3 May 1945 6 May 1945 La Russia Italy 6 May 1945 14 May 1945 Treviso Italy 14 May 21 August 1945 Tissano Italy 21 August 1945 24 January 1946 Lavariano Italy 24 January 9 March 1946 Tissano Italy 9 March 1946 15 August 1946 Treviso Italy 15 August 1946 19 August 1946 En route to the UK 19 August 1946 12 December 1946 RAF Coltishall NorfolkCommanding officers editOfficers commanding No 318 Squadron RAF 3 11 From To Name 20 March 1943 5 August 1943 W Cdr A Wojtyga 5 August 1943 5 January 1945 W Cdr L Wielochowski 5 January 1945 20 May 1946 W Cdr S Mosczynski DFC 20 May 1946 12 December 1946 S Ldr W BerezeckiSee also editPolish Air Forces in Great Britain Polish contribution to World War IIReferences editNotes edit Delve 1994 p 65 Delve 1994 p 75 a b c d e f Rawlings 1982 p 2006 Flintham and Thomas 2003 p 88 Onyszk Piotr 8 July 2007 1943 03 No 318 Squadron F540 Polish AIr Force 1940 1947 Operations Record Books Retrieved 21 May 2012 a b c Halley 1988 p 366 Onyszk Piotr 8 July 2007 1946 08 No 318 Squadron F540 Polish AIr Force 1940 1947 Operations Record Books Retrieved 21 May 2012 Delve 1994 p 149 Lake 1999 p 256 a b c Jefford 2001 p 88 No 318 Squadron RAF Polish valka cz Retrieved 21 May 2012 Bibliography edit Delve Ken The Source Book of the RAF Shrewsbury Shropshire UK Airlife Publishing 1994 ISBN 1 85310 451 5 Flintham Vic and Andrew Thomas Combat Codes A full explanation and listing of British Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938 Shrewsbury Shropshire UK Airlife Publishing Ltd 2003 ISBN 1 84037 281 8 Halley James J 1988 The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force amp Commonwealth 1918 1988 Tonbridge Kent UK Air Britain Historians Ltd ISBN 0 85130 164 9 Jefford C G 2001 RAF Squadrons A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 Shrewsbury Shropshire UK Airlife Publishing Ltd ISBN 1 84037 141 2 Krol Waclaw Zarys dzialan polskiego lotnictwa w Wielkiej Brytanii 1940 1945 in Polish Warszawa Poland Biblioteczka Skrzydlatej Polski tom 11 Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i lacznosci 1981 ISBN 83 206 0152 5 Lake Alan Flying Units of the RAF The ancestry formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912 Shrewsbury Shropshire UK Airlife Publishing 1999 ISBN 1 84037 086 6 Rawlings John D R Coastal Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft London Jane s Publishing Company Ltd 1982 ISBN 0 7106 0187 5 Sturtivant Ray ISO and John Hamlin RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912 Tonbridge Kent UK Air Britain Historians Ltd 2007 ISBN 0 85130 365 X External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to No 318 Polish Squadron RAF No 318 Squadron history on the official RAF website No 318 Danzig Squadron on Air of Authority A History of RAF Organisation No 318 Squadron history as in Destiny can wait Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940 1947 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title No 318 Polish Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron amp oldid 1111221754, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
