303 Squadron

The summer of 1940 and the Battle of Britainthe darkestdays of World War II. France, Poland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands,Luxembourg and Norway had all been crushed by the powerful Nazi German warmachine. Great Britain stood alone, fighting for its life. 303 Squadron is the thrilling storyof the celebrated squadron of Polish fighter pilots whose superb skill in theair helped save England during its most desperate hours. They were thehighest-scoring Allied fighter squadron in the Battle of Britain, downing threetimes the average RAF score while incurring only one-third the averagecasualties. Dashing and gallant 303 Squadron was lionized by the British press,congratulated by the King, and adored by the British public. With an immediacy that vividly brings to life those harrowing days, Fiedlerpaints the bravery, the poignancy, the breathtaking gambles with death riskeddaily by this exceptional group of young men far from home, who fought topreserve freedom for all. Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polishsquadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcomeof the battle would have been the same."British Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding Translated from the Polish; identifies the pilots by their real names for thefirst time in English. Nearly 200 black & white photos, maps andillustrations; contextualizing historical material; nine appendices. Selection of the History Book Club and theMilitary Book Club. Winner: GOLD Award for History, 2011 Benjamin Franklin Awards SILVER Award for Interior Design, 2011 Benjamin Franklin Awards Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

Thrilling action story of the famous squadron of Polish fighter pilots whose superb aerial combat skills helped save Britain during the most desperate days of WWII. Underdog heroes who rose to defend against the deadliest German Luftwaffe attacks, the pilots of 303 Squadron were lionized by the British press, congratulated by the King, and adored by the British public. Wonderful account. -- Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud, authors of A Question of Honor

Author ARKADY FIEDLER (1894-1985), was born in Poznan,Poland, educated at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, in Poznan and at theUniversity of Leipzig. A best-selling travel writer researching in Tahiti when WWIIbegan, Fiedler made his way back to Europe and joined the Polish Army in Franceafter Poland had fallen to the Germans. His 32 books have been translated into 23 languages sellingover 10 million copies. 303 Squadron is his most famous andpopular book. Translator JAREK GARLINSKI, born in London, England, grew upbilingual in English and Polish. Hisfather, noted historian and author Jozef Garlinski, and his mother EileenShort-Garlinska, one of only a few Britons who spent WWII in Warsaw, bothserved in the Polish Underground Army during the war. Educated at the University of Nottingham, the University ofGrenoble, and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at theUniversity of London, Garlinski is fluent in French, Russian, English andPolish, with a distinguished career in education. He has translated numerous books of Polishliterature and history, specializing in the WWII era.

The summer of 1940 and the Battle of Britain--the darkestdays of World War II. France, Poland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands,Luxembourg and Norway had all been crushed by the powerful Nazi German warmachine. Great Britain stood alone, fighting for its life.303 Squadron is the thrilling storyof the celebrated squadron of Polish fighter pilots whose superb skill in theair helped save England during its most desperate hours. They were thehighest-scoring Allied fighter squadron in the Battle of Britain, downing threetimes the average RAF score while incurring only one-third the averagecasualties. Dashing and gallant 303 Squadron was lionized by the British press,congratulated by the King, and adored by the British public.With an immediacy that vividly brings to life those harrowing days, Fiedlerpaints the bravery, the poignancy, the breathtaking gambles with death riskeddaily by this exceptional group of young men far from home, who fought topreserve freedom for all."Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polishsquadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcomeof the battle would have been the same."-- British Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh DowdingTranslated from the Polish; identifies the pilots by their real names for thefirst time in English. Nearly 200 black & white photos, maps andillustrations; contextualizing historical material; nine appendices.Selection of the History Book Club and theMilitary Book Club.Winner:GOLD Award for History, 2011 Benjamin Franklin AwardsSILVER Award for Interior Design, 2011 Benjamin Franklin Awards Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.