Bomber Command 304 Squadron was created on 23 August 1940 at
RAF Bramcote, and from 1 December 1940 it operated from
RAF Syerston, as a part of No. 1 Bomber Group (along with
No. 305 Squadron created at the same time). It was declared ready for operations with
Vickers Wellington Mk I medium bombers on 24 April 1941. The personnel included 24 entirely Polish air crews (initially three-men, later six-men) and approximately 180 ground crew. On the night of 24–25 April 1941 two crews flew the squadron's first combat mission against fuel tanks in
Rotterdam. In the following months the squadron joined the night bombing campaign over Germany and France. First losses occurred on 6 May and 8 May 1941 (in the second instance, a crew of the British advisor W/Cdr W. Graham). On 20 July 1941 the squadron moved to
RAF Lindholme base. In 1941 the squadron completed 214 missions lasting 1,202 hours, losing 47 killed airmen. In first four months of 1942 the intensity of operations increased. Due to large losses suffered in early 1942, including six crews lost in April, and difficulties in recruiting replacements, it was decided to transfer the squadron to
RAF Coastal Command. While in Bomber Command the squadron completed 488 missions in 2,481 hours, dropping some 800 tons of bombs, losing 102 airmen killed or missing in action, and 35 as prisoners of war. A noteworthy event was a skirmish of one Wellington with six German
Junkers Ju 88s on 16 September 1942 over the Bay of Biscay; The Polish aircraft was badly shot, but managed to hide in clouds, and claimed one Ju 88 shot down. On 18 June 1944 the squadron was credited with sinking a U-boat, but its identity is unknown. It was quoted to be , but it has been negated afterwards, and possible victims remain or . In Coastal Command the squadron undertook 2,451 missions in 21,331 hours, losing 19 aircraft and 69 men killed in action; six missing in action; and 31 killed in non-combat flights. It claimed 31 submarine attacked and was credited with two U-boats sunk and five damaged, it also claimed three aircraft shot down, three probable and four damaged.
Transport Command After the end of the war in Europe, on 14 June 1945 the squadron was transferred to
Transport Command, and operated scheduled services with
Warwick C.3s to
Greece and
Italy. In May the squadron converted to
Halifax Mk C.8 unarmed transports and was disbanded a few months later on 18 December 1946. ==Aircraft operated==