The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in the Second World War

As with all his previous books, Adam Zamoyski's "The Forgotten Few..." is not only a gem of writer's art but also, despite author's own claims to the contrary, a book well researched, full of factual information, and offering insights largely omitted in both the official histories of the Polish Air Force operations in Britain during WW2 and in the "patriotically" slanted eulogies. Zamoyski pays full tribute to the matchless professionalism of Polish pilots and ground crews, their heroism, and the consequent contribution to victory. Yet, he writes with equal directness about problems of discipline and various degrees of demoralization among Polish Air Force units, the resultant and quite frequent frictions with RAF personnel that could have been readily avoided, and even the occasional conflicts with law.The approach to the British attitudes toward Polish airmen is equally objective and unsparing. The reader learns of the initial reluctance of RAF command to accept combat-experienced and often extraordinarily talented Polish pilots as worthy contributors to the war effort, the subsequent "Polish euphoria" of Britons jubilant at success of Polish fighter squadrons during the Battle of Britain, soon to be followed by "Polophobia" growing among politicians, media, and the rest of the British society, and culminating in the singular insult of eliminating representatives of the Polish Armed Forces from participating in the victory parade in London. The ultimately dishonorable treatment the Poles received from their comrades at arms, where the British attitude converted from the "most heroic few" to the "most unwanted burden" is presented in the context of large-scale political realities of dealing with Stalin, his intense dislike of Poles, and the need to maintain the unity of anti-Nazi coalition. Those unfamiliar with the period receive a lucid explanation, others marvel again at the one of the most dishonorable moments in the Allied past.While the book centers on the exploits of Polish fighter squadrons, the significant role played by the bomber units is adequately represented as well. The reader unfamiliar with the subject learns about the massive contribution by the Polish bomber squadrons to the overall effort, and also about the fact that the casualty rate of these squadrons was the highest among all RAF bomber units. Largely unsuccessful but extremely costly operations aimed at relieving Warsaw Raising in 1944 are described in sufficient detail to show the indisputable heroism of all USAF, RAF and Polish crews participating in these near-suicidal flights across the entire continent.The often sobering facts notwithstanding, the book is filled with amusing anecdotes and wry comments on purely personal interactions between Polish aviators, their RAF counterparts, Britons in general, and British women in particular. The judicious mix of personal and official history makes the book delightful to read, yet informative and full of thoughtful comments. For those interested in pursuing the topic further, a wide range of sources is provided in the bibliographic section of the volume.In summary, this is an important contribution to the subject of Polish Armed Forces role in WW2 operations, and a very important addition to the subject of Polish Air Force in Great Britain. Significantly, the author provides a balanced view of the entire period during which Poles flew alongside RAF (and also the period following disbandment of their squadrons and the subsequent dilemmas of the British Government about the dealing with the suddenly "illegal military"). Thus, while the heady days of the summer of 1940 occupy their well deserved place, the origins of the Polish Air Force that were the source of its subsequent success are analyzed, and the post- Battle of Britain operations , by no means less dangerous or physically and mentally taxing, are studied with equal aplomb.A highly recommended book for all, not only those interested in Polish affairs or in one of the truly fascinating periods of the history of military aviation, but for all those who like reading a good history book written by an expert author. Worth noting is the fact that the new edition of the book is about to be published by Pen & Sword and will soon be available through Amazon. FORGOTTEN FEW, THE: The Polish Air Force in World War II

Perfect book. Very happy with this purchase. Thank you!

I bought this book because I am writing a novel about a Polish pilot in the second world war. This book had a lot of personal accounts and bits of everyday life that I am looking for. It also tells about the political situation in an easy-to-follow way, and goes into some detail about the bombers and the ground crew, which are sometimes left out to make room for "fighters."

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN THE POLISH AIR FORCE THIS ONE IS PERFECT. AND BOOK CONDITION AND DELIVERY ALSO PERFECT

Well written, expanded on the Soviet angle a lot

This is an excellent book about an ignored group of heroes from the Battle of Briton. It is well written and documented. It gives a gripping and true account of the gallant Polish airmen who helped save England from Nazism. It also sadly shows how they were mistreated after the war. I would highly recommend this book for anybody studying World War II history and / or Polish history. It is rich with details but not boring. I could not put this book down and began reading large segments to my wife. She previously had minimal interest in history and found the book very facinating!

An amazing book. A wonderful, insightful look at a little studied area of the Second World War.

This is a very thorough presentation of the role of Polish pilots actions during WW2. I highly recommend it to all.

Looks good, not read so far

excellent

Excellent purchase. Received quickly

An allround 10/10