RAF MERLIN ENGINE PISTON BATTLE OF BRITAIN WWII Hurricane Spitfire Trench Art For Sale

Trench-Art Ashtray made from a Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine piston.from a Hawker Hurricane or Supermarine Spitfire.318 Squadron.Inscription reads:"Made from a Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine piston as used in the Battle of Britian August 1940 - October 1940"and the famous Churchill Quote"Never in the Field of Human Conflict was so much owed by so many to so Few" with facsimile of Churchill's signature...318 Squadron Crest in the center of the piston.No. 318 "City of Gdańsk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron(Polish:318 Dywizjon Myśliwsko-Rozpoznawczy Gdański") was a Polish tactical reconnaissance aircraft squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of 15 squadrons of the Polish Air Force in exile that served alongside the Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War II.Formation and trainingThe squadron was formed on 20 March 1943 at RAF Detling, Kent from personnel of No. 309 Squadron and after training with Hawker Hurricane Mk.Is it moved to the Middle East, operating from RAF Muqeibila and RAF Gaza and continuing its training, specifically with II Corps of the Polish Army, by now using Hurricane Mk.IIBs. Training went on until 1944, when the squadron converted to Supermarine Spitfires.Operations in ItalyThe squadron was then involved in ground attack and tactical reconnaissance operations over Italy in support of the Eighth Army following the allied advance; and saw action at the Battle of Monte Cassino. After hostilities ceased the squadron remained in Italy for another year, but on 15 August 1946 it handed over its aircraft and left Italy for the UK, where it arrived on the 19th. Soon after, the squadron disbanded at RAF Coltishall, according to some sources on 31 August 1946, while others mention 12 December 1946.Aircraft operated by No. 318 Squadron RAFApril 1943August 1943Hawker HurricaneMk.ISeptember 1943March 1944Hawker HurricaneMk.IIbMarch 1944March 1945Supermarine SpitfireMk.VbMarch 1944March 1945Supermarine SpitfireMk.VcSeptember 1944August 1946Supermarine SpitfireMk.IX

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