Country United Kingdom | Branch Royal Air Force | |
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Active 20 March 1943 – 12 December 1946 Allegiance Polish Government in exile Role Tactical Reconnaissance Part of RAF Army Cooperation Command, March 1943-May 1943
RAF Second Tactical Air Force, June 1943-August 1943
Mediterranean Air Command, September 1943-December 1943
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, December 1943-July 1945
RAF Mediterranean and Middle East, August 1945-August 1946 | ||
No. 318 "City of Gdańsk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Polish: 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.
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Formation and training
The squadron was formed on 20 March 1943 at RAF Detling, Kent from personnel of No. 309 Squadron 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
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, while others mention 12 December 1946.