Timeline

1942

Polish 307 Squadron RAF present flag to the city

307 Squadron

On Nov 15th 1942 the Squadron Leader of 307 Squadron presented the Polish Flag to the Mayor of Exeter in front of Exeter Cathedral in recognition of the close links that that had been formed between the squadron and the city in the war.

 

Pilots of the 307 squadron flew to protect Exeter from the severe bombing raids in May 1942  - read Sally Ayres' report on their brave comradeship. The squadron was based at what is now Exeter Airport and were living in Farringdon House outside Exeter.

 

Coincidentally, the squadron was named after the city of Lvov (now Lviv in Ukraine), whose motto is the same as that of Exeter: 'semper fidelis'

We are very gratefiul to Wilhelm Ratuszynski and his fascinating "Polish Squadrons Remembered" website for the photos on this page.

Clip from BBC news in 2010 about an exhibition in the cathedral. 




307 Squadron

Story from the Express & Echo from 2012

Information about Polish war graves at Higher Cemetery, from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission