The nickname
Lwowskie Puchacze (
NOM) – "Lwów Eagle Owls" was chosen for the night fighter squadron, as the
eagle owl is a nighttime avian predator that is present in Poland. The squadron inherited the traditions of the Polish pre-war 6th Aviation Regiment, that was stationed in
Lwów (now Lviv), with a history dating back to the battle of Lwów and
Galicia against Ukrainian forces in the
Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918–1919. After its formation in
Blackpool on 24 August 1940, No. 307 Squadron was assembled at
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey on 5 September 1940 as a night fighter unit, flying the
Boulton Paul Defiant turret-fighter. It then took up residence at
RAF Jurby, on the
Isle of Man. The sole surviving example of the Boulton Paul Defiant, serial number N1671, served in the squadron and can be seen on display at the
Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. In August 1941 the squadron converted to
Beaufighters which it flew until being re-equipped with
Mosquitoes in December 1942. Between April 1941 and April 1943 the squadron was based at RAF Clyst Honiton, now Exeter Airport, defending
South West England from enemy night bombers. The first Beaufighter victory was on 1 November 1941, when a crew shot down one
Dornier Do 217 from II./
KG 2 and damaged another (claimed as shot down). That month, two more bombers were shot down and one damaged. On 3/4 May 1942 when 40
Junkers Ju 88 bombers attacked Exeter as part of the
Exeter Blitz of the
Baedeker raids there were only three Polish No. 307 Squadron Beaufighters available to defend the city. They managed to intercept and shoot down four of the German bombers that night (all confirmed kills). In total, Beaufighter crews shot down fifteen bombers with three probables and six damaged; the last victory was the shooting down of a Do 217 on 24/25 September 1942. From 1943 the squadron was based at
RAF Predannack, Cornwall, and was active as a night intruder unit over airfields in occupied France. This changed in January 1945, when its role was switched to bomber support, combating German night fighters. In 1945–46 it was based at
RAF Horsham St Faith near Norwich. The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of
World War II. ==Commanding officers==