2,944 pilots took part in the historic Battle of Britain, of whom 497 lost their lives. Amongst them there were 145 Polish pilots, of whom 32 were killed. The RAF and allied pilots shot down 1,733 German aircraft and the Luftwaffe shot down 915 British fighters. 203 German aircraft were shot by the Polish pilots. In September, during the highest intensity of German attacks, 13% of Polish pilots in frontline squadrons were Poles, and in October, because of the RAF loses, the proportion went up to 20%.
According to Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding, AOC Fighter Command of RAF: “(…) all (Polish) squadrons swung into the fight with a dash and enthusiasm which is beyond praise. (…) The first Polish squadron (303) (…) during the course of one month shot down more Germans than any other British unit in the same period. Other Poles (…) were used (…) in British squadrons, but (…) they were probably most efficient employed in their own national units."