Polish Parachute Brigade and Armoured Division

As far as I can tell the Polish contribution to BAOR was very much in the early years and came about from the wartime 1st Armoured Division that fought with 21st Army Group from Normandy onwards, and the Independent Parachute Brigade that fought in Market Garden.

I've done a bit of reading about the Poles at Arnhem and its quite an unfortunate story. The Brigade got shunted around and caught up in Allied politics, they had been promised they would be parachuted into Warsaw but instead came under the Allied Airborne Army. As the Parachute Brigade and the Armoured Division came under the leadership of the Government in exile it was impossible for them to go back home to Soviet controlled Poland after the war, so they seem to have been used for occupation duties for a few years until disbanded in 1947. It seems that most of the Poles opted to stay in Germany or England.

Interesting James. Never knew of this happening, but it makes sense. Seeing as how the Free Poles were jerked around by the politicians at the end .

hi there,
just a few comments:
i remember lots of polish fella's driving the antars (tank transporters)for long distance tank movement in the early 80's,it was always interesting as a tank driver to share the journey in the antar cab with one of those guys and listen to their stories but of course I can't remember any of them.
Most were older men and could well of been ex polish soldiers..........we nick named them mojo's,i hope this doesn't offend anybody,it was used in a nice way.

'just read the MSO thread'

atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Polish Forces Wartime History Records are at RAF NORTHOLT north west London:

Access map (prepared for event in 2016 - Main Guard Room is point of access for this purpose)

https://www.raf.mod.uk/rafnortholt/events/norfestaccessmap.cfm


http://www.polandinexile.com/addresses.html

Canadian and Polish Forces N Germany (Friesland) cosing on Wilhelsnhaven 1945

https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/badzwischenahn.htm

Pborn4

Wow! Quite some detail there! Thanks .I must read it more in depth.

Thanks
Alan