Polish Armed Forces in the West

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1st Polish Armoured Division, Haddington, 1943
1st Polish Armoured Division, Haddington, 1943

Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight along the Western Allies and against Nazi Germany and its allies. The formations, loyal to the Polish government in exile, were first formed in France and its Middle East territories following Polish defeat and occupation by Germany in September 1939. After the fall of France, the formations were recreated in Great Britain. Polish military in the West was composed of both army, air and naval forces and during the war it was one of the most numerous Allied military formations; sometimes referred to as the fourth largest among the Western Allies.[1] The formation was finally disbanded in 1947, with many of its soldiers chosing to remain in exile rather than to return to communist-controlled Poland.

Contents

Polish Armed Forces in the West
at the height of their power[2]
Deserters from the German Wehrmacht 89,300 (35.8%)
Evacuees from the USSR in 1941 83,000 (33.7%)
Evacuees from France in 1940 35,000 (14.0%)
Liberated POWs 21,750 (8.7%)
Escapees from occupied Europe 14,210 (5.7%)
Recruits in liberated France 7,000 (2.8%)
Polonia from Argentina, Brazil and Canada 2,290 (0.9%)
Polonia from United Kingdom 1,780 (0.7%)
Total 249,000
Note: Until July 1945, when recruitment was halted, some 26,830 Polish soldiers were declared KIA or MIA or had died of wounds. After that date, an additional 21,000 former Polish POWs were inducted.

After Poland's defeat, the government in exile quickly organised in France a new fighting force originally of about 80,000 men.[3] Their units were subordinate to the French Army. In early 1940 a Polish Highland Brigade took part in the Battle of Narvik in Norway. A Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade was formed in French-mandated Syria, to which many Polish troops had escaped from Poland. The Polish Air Force in France comprised 86 aircraft in four squadrons, one and a half of the squadrons being fully operational while the rest were in various stages of training.[3] Two Polish divisions (First Grenadier Division, and Second Infantry Fusiliers Division) took part in the defence of France, while a Polish motorized brigade and two infantry divisions were being formed.[4]

When France capitulated and many Polish personnel had meantime died or been interned, General Władysław Sikorski, Polish commander-in-chief and (later) prime minister was able to evacuate over 20,000 many Polish troops to the United Kingdom.[3] These units were subordinate to the British Army.[4] and most Polish troops were stationed in Eastern Scotland in the St Andrews area. Their initial job was to help build coastal defences while the Polish I Corps was reorganised.[5]

In 1941, following an agreement between the Polish government in exile and Joseph Stalin, the Soviets released Polish soldiers, civilians and citizens, from whom a 75,000-strong army was formed in the Middle East under General Władysław Anders (Anders' Army, later the Polish II Corps).[4]

A Polish flag flying over the ruins of the Monte Cassino monastery.
A Polish flag flying over the ruins of the Monte Cassino monastery.

The Polish armed forces in the west fought under the British command and numbered 195,000 in March 1944 and 165,000 at the end of that year, including about 20,000 personnel in the Polish Air Force and 3,000 in the Polish Navy. At the end of WWII, the Polish Armed Forces in the west numbered 195,000 and by July 1945 had increased to 228,000, most of the newcomers being released prisoners of war and ex-labor-camp inmates.

Polish Armed Forces in the West fought in most Allied operations against the Nazi Germany in Middle East, Mediterranean, African and European theatres: the North African campaign, the Italian Campaign (with Battle of Monte Cassino being one of the most notable), the Western European Campaign (from Dieppe Raid and D-Day through Battle of Normandy and latter operations, especially Operation Market Garden).[2]

After German Instrument of Surrender, 1945, Polish troops took part in occupation duties in the Wester Allied Occupation Zones in Germany. They were however not invited to the London Victory Parade of 1946.[6][7][1] The formation was finally disbanded in 1947, with many of its soldiers chosing to remain in exile rather than to return to communist-controlled Poland, were they were often seen by the Polish communists as 'enemies of the state', influenced by the Western ideas, loyal to the Polish government in exile, and met with persecution and imprisonment (and in extreme cases, death). Failure of allied Western governments to keep its promise to Poland, which now fell under the Soviet sphere of influence, became know as the 'Western betrayal.' [6][7] The number of Polish ex-soldiers unwilling to return to communist Poland was so high that a special organization was formed by the British government to assist them in settling in United Kingdom, the Polish Resettlement Corps (Polski Korpus Przysposobienia i Rozmieszczenia);[2][8] 114,000 Polish soldiers went through that organization. Since during the war many Poles were stationed in United Kingdom and served alongside British units, many Poles settled in United Kingdom after the war, becoming part of the Polish minority in United Kingdom.[5]

Polish Army in France, that begun to be organized soon after fall of Poland in 1939, was composed of about 85,000 men.[3]

Four Polish divisions (First Grenadier Division, Second Infantry Fusiliers Division, 3rd and 4th Infantry Division), a Polish motorized brigade (10th Brigade of Armored Cavalry, 10éme Brigade de cavalerie blindée) and infantry brigade (Polish Independent Highland Brigade) were organized in mainland France.[3] Polish Independent Highland Brigade took part in the Battles of Narvik in early 1940; after the German invasion of France, all Polish units were pressed in formation, although due to to French inefficient logistics and policies, all Polish units were missing much equipment and supplies; particularly the 3rd and 4th divisions which were still in the middle of organization. A Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade was formed in French-mandated Syria, to which many Polish troops had escaped from Romania and would later fight in the Middle East.[4]

After the fall of France (during which about 6,000 Polish soldiers died fighting), about 13,000 of Polish personnel had interned in Switzerland.[3] Nevertheless, General Władysław Sikorski, Polish commander-in-chief and prime minister, was able to evacuate many Polish troops to the United Kingdom (estimates range from 20,000[3] to 35,000[2]). Polish I Corps was the unit formed from the soldiers evacuated to UK, it comprised the Polish 1st Armoured Division (which later became attached to the First Canadian Army) and the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade and other units.[4]

In 1941, following an agreement between the Polish government in exile and Joseph Stalin, the Soviets released Polish citizens, from whom a 75,000-strong army was formed in the Middle East under General Władysław Anders (Anders' Army, later the Polish II Corps). It was composed of Polish 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division, Polish 5th Kresowa Infantry Division, Polish 2nd Armoured Brigade and other units).[4]

Further information: Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain

The Polish Air Force fought in the Battle of France as one fighter squadron GC 1/145, several small units detached to French squadrons, and numerous flights of industry defence (approximately 130 pilots, who achieved 55 victories at a loss of 15 men).[3]

From the very beginning of the war, the Royal Air Force (RAF) had welcomed foreign pilots to supplement the dwindling pool of British pilots. On 11 June 1940, the Polish Government in Exile signed an agreement with the British Government to form a Polish Army and Polish Air Force in the United Kingdom. The first two (of an eventual ten) Polish fighter squadrons went into action in August 1940. Four Polish squadrons eventually took part in the Battle of Britain (300 and 301 Bomber Squadrons; 302 and 303 Fighter Squadrons), with 89 Polish pilots. Together with more than 50 Poles fighting in British squadrons, about 145 Polish pilots defended British skies.[2] Polish pilots were among the most experienced in the battle, most of them having already fought in the 1939 September Campaign in Poland and the 1940 Battle of France. Additionally, prewar Poland had set a very high standard of pilot training. The 303 Squadron, named after the Polish-American hero, General Tadeusz Kościuszko, achieved the highest number of kills (126) of all fighter squadrons engaged in the Battle of Britain, even though it only joined the combat on August 30, 1940: these Polish pilots, representing about 5% of total Allied pilots in that battle, were responsible for 12% of total victories (203) in the Battle and achieved the highest number of kills of any Allied squadron.[4][2][9][10]

126 German airplanes shot down by the 303 squadron during the Battle of Britain. Painted on a Hurricane.
126 German airplanes shot down by the 303 squadron during the Battle of Britain. Painted on a Hurricane.

The Polish Air Force also fought in 1943 in Tunisia (Polish Fighting Team, so called "Skalski's Circus") and in raids on Germany (1940-45).[9][2] In the second half of 1941 and early 1942, Polish bomber squadrons were the sixth part of forces available to RAF Bomber Command (later they suffered heavy losses, with little replenishment possibilities). Polish aircrew losses serving with Bomber Command 1940-45 were 929 killed; total Polish aircrew losses were 1,803 killed.[2] Ultimately 8 Polish fighter squadrons were formed within the RAF and had claimed 621 Axis aircraft destroyed by May 1945.[10] By war's end, there were 14,000 Polish airmen in 15 RAF squadrons and in the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

Polish squadrons in the United Kingdom:

Just on the eve of war, three destroyers - representing most of the major Polish Navy ships - had been sent for safety to the British Isles (Operation Peking). There they fought alongside the Royal Navy. At various stages of the war, the Polish Navy comprised two cruisers and a large number of smaller ships. The Polish Navy fought with great distinction alongside the other Allied navies in many important and successful operations, including those conducted against the German battleship, Bismarck.[11] Overall, Polish Navy during the war sailed total twelve hundred thousands nautical miles, escorted 787 convoys, conducted 1162 patrols and combat operations, sunk 12 enemy ships (including 5 submarines) and 41 merchant vessels, damaged 24 more (including 8 submarines) and shot down 20 aircraft; all of that on 26 ships (2 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 5 submarines and 11 torpedo boats). 450 seamen out of over 4,000 lost their lives in action.[12][13]

ORP Sokól
ORP Sokól

The above list does not include a number of minor ships, transports, merchant-marine auxiliary vessels, and patrol boats.

Further information: Polish intelligence (1939-1945), Polish resistance movement in World War II

Polish intelligence structure remain mostly intact following the fall of Poland in 1939 and continued to report to the Polish Government in Exile. Known as the 'Second Department', it cooperated with the other Allies in every European country and operated one of the largest intelligence networks in Nazi Germany. Many Poles also served in other Allied intelligence services, including the celebrated Krystyna Skarbek ("Christine Granville") in the United Kingdom's Special Operations Executive. 43 per cent of all the reports received by the British secret services from continental Europe in 1939-45 came from Polish sources.[1]

The majority of Polish resistance (particularly the dominant Armia Krajowa organization) was also loyal to the government in exile with Government Delegate's Office at Home being the highest authority of the Polish Secret State. Although military actions of Polish resistance operating in Poland and Armed Forces operating in the West are not commonly grouped together there existed several important links in addition to the common chain of command. Resistance gathered and passed vital intelligence to the West (for example on German concentration camps[14] and on about the V-1 flying bomb and the V-2 rocket[15]); while in the West supplies where gathered for the resistance, and elite commandos, the Cichociemni, were trained. The Polish Government also wanted to use the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade in Poland, particularly during the Operation Tempest, but the request was denied by the Allies.

  1. ^ a b c Kwan Yuk Pan, Polish veterans to take pride of place in victory parade, Financial Times, July 5 2005. Last accessed on 31 March 2006.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Mark Ostrowski. To Return To Poland Or Not To Return" - The Dilemma Facing The Polish Armed Forces At The End Of The Second World War. Chapter 1 Retrieved on 31 July 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h (Polish) Wojsko Polskie we Francji. Świat Polonii. Please note that various sources give estimates that can differ by few percent.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g James F. Dunningan, Dirty Little Secrets of World War Ii: Military Information No One Told You By, HarperCollins, 1996, ISBN 0688122884, Google Print, p.139
  5. ^ a b Diana M. Henderson, The Lion and the Eagle: Polish Second World War Veterans in Scotland, Cualann Press, 2001, ISBN 095350364X
  6. ^ a b Rudolf Falkowski, THE VICTORY PARADE. Last accessed on 31 March 2007.
  7. ^ a b Lynne Olson, Stanley Cloud, A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten Heroes of World War II , Knopf, 2003, ISBN 0375411976, Excerpt (prologue).
  8. ^ Polish Resettlement Corps 1946 - 1948
  9. ^ a b The Poles in the Battle of Britain
  10. ^ a b Polish contribution to the Allied victory in World War 2 (1939-1945), PDF at the site of Polish Embassy (Canada)
  11. ^ Peszke, Michael Alfred (February 1999). Poland's Navy, 1918-1945. Hippocrene Books, 37. ISBN 0781806720. 
  12. ^ 86 years of the Polish Navy. Retrieved on 31 July 2007.
  13. ^ The Battle of the Atlantic and the Polish Navy. Retrieved on 31 July 2007.
  14. ^ (Polish) Detailed biography of Witold Pilecki on Whatfor. Last accessed on 21 November 2006.
  15. ^ Eastern Europe in World War II: October 1939-May 1945. Lecture notes of prof Anna M. Cienciala. Last accessed on 21 December 2006.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Armed_Forces_in_the_West"
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