Mascot of the Month: Barry – 300 Squadron

In this photo, Barry the German Shepherd shares the cockpit of a 300 Squadron Wellington bomber with one of his Squadron mates.

300 Squadron, formed in Britain on July 1, 1940, was the first of four Polish bomber squadrons that flew with the RAF during the war. The Squadron initially flew Fairey Battle medium bombers, but soon converted to Vickers Wellington heavy bombers.

The Squadron flew its first combat mission on the night of September 14, 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain — its target: German invasion barges at Boulogne on the coast of France, which were waiting only for the Luftwaffe to finish clearing the skies of the RAF and Allied planes before crossing the English Channel loaded with the German invasion force.

Nicknamed “Mazovian,” 300 Squadron’s badge was based on the coat of arms of the Mazovian Dukes, and bore the Mazovian eagle, the British lion, and the Roman numeral CCC (for 300).

In addition to the red-white-and-blue British roundel, planes of the Polish squadrons flying with the RAF also usually carried the red-and-white checkerboard emblem of the Polish Air Force (visible here in the lower left of the photo), as well as the squadron’s individual badge.

Check out the products in our Store featuring the 300 Squadron insignia!