View Full Version : Polish Warships
A selection of Polish Navy ships from my collection.
Pre-war destroyers and torpedo boats.
BURZA and WICHER were built in France. The former joined RN in September 1939, later - since 1960 - became a floating museum in Gdynia until 1975. The latter was sunky by German aircraft on 3.09.1939.
BLYSKAWICA and GROM are well known on this Forum
KASZUB and MAZUR were WW1 German torpedo boats acquired after WW1 by Poland. KASZUB was lost in 1925 in accidental explosion, while MAZUR was rebuilt in 1930s as artillery training ship and was lost only on 1.09.1939 during German air attack on Gdynia.
KRAKOWIAK, KUJAWIAK, PODHALANIN and SLAZAK were ex German torpedo boats, too. Just before WW2 they were withdrawn from service.
More to come.
Submarines and mine warfare vessels.
WILK, RYS and ZBIK were French-built submarine minelayers. WILK managed to escape Baltic in September 1939 and then operated from UK. In 1950s she came back to Poland and was BU. RYS and ZBIK were interned in Sweden in 1939 and were returned to Poland in 1945. Both were BU in late 1950s.
ORZEL and SEP were built in Netherlands. The first is known for a daring escape from Tallin and - later - from Baltic. She was lost in May-June 1940. The SEP was interned in Sweden, but after coming back to Poland in 1945 she served Polish Navy until late 1960s.
GRYF was a modern training built in France. During the war she was to lay mines, but was damaged on 1.09.1939 in - what I believe - to be a first ever battle between a strong assembly of aircraft and a group of warships.
RYBITWA was a former FM-class German minesweeper bought for Polish Navy in 1920 together with sisters CZAJKA, JASKOLKA and MEWA. All were withdrawn in early 1930s.
Minesweeper JASKOLKA (second of that name) was built in Poland in first half of 1930s together with three sisters; they were named after the FM boats. In 1939 two more joined them - CZAPLA and ZURAW. CZAPLA and JASKOLKA were lost in September 1939 campaign (bombed by Germans), while remaining four were taken over by Germans as auxilliary craft. All returned to Poland in 1946 and served with Polish Navy as minesweepers nad patrol boats until late 1960s, except ZURAW. She became a survey ship in 1940s and was withdrawn only in 1970s.
Gunboats GENERAL HALLER and KOMENDANT PILSUDSKI were bought in Finland in 1920. Both were laid down by Russian Navy, but after bolshevik revolution were taken over by the Fins. Other two served with Finnish Navy. Of the Polish pair the HALLER was destroyed by German bombs in September 1939, while PILSUDSKI was taken over by Germans, only to be sunk in Nantes during Allied air attack in 1944. Until arrival of WICHER those two gunboats were largest ships of Polish Navy.
The 3rd installment soon.
Naval auxilliaries.
Survey ship POMORZANIN - bought in April 1920 - was the first seagoing ship of Polish Navy. In early 1930s she was sold into private hands and was used as a tug until BU in early 1950s.
Naval transports WILJA and WARTA were bought in France to ship military equipment sold to Poland in 1920s. The latter was sold in mid-1930s to Italy, then sailed under Hungarian colours as TURUL. During WW2 she was sometimes seen in Atlantic convoys, though under Panamian flag. The WILJA became a training ship and in 1939 arrived in Casablanca. In 1940 she was transferred to Polish Merchant Navy as MODLIN and in 1944 she was scuttled off Normandy coast as part of Gooseberry.
Training ship ISKRA was bought in 1920 in UK. During WW2 she was used in Gibraltar as MTB and/or submarine depot PIGMY and returned to Poland in 1948. She was used to train officers until mid 1970s.
Stationary training ship BALTYK was the former Frech cruiser D'ENTRCASTEAUX bought by Polish Navy in late 1920s. She was moored in Gdynia harbour. Taken over by Germans in 1939, she was BU in 1942, reportedly.
astraltrader
29-10-2009, 18:16
Thanks for showing us these Marek - much appreciated.
Any more like that will always be welcome!
Marek
Agree with Terry's comments, well done and keep them coming if you have any more
Mik
Any more like that will always be welcome!
Here we go, then.
Wartime navy - destroyers.
Two views of BLYSKAWICA in late 1942, possibly getting ready for Operation "Torch".
BURZA in late 1943 as an ocean escort, in "Reversed" WA camouflage scheme.
GARLAND after the war in final configuration as ocean escort.
PIORUN in 1944, during Normandy landing, with pennant number scraped out by the censor.
ORKAN bringing the body of Polish PM gen. Sikorski to Plymouth. Poor photo, but this ship was lost too soon and her photographs are rare.
KRAKOWIAK - a Hunt II class, seen after the war.
SLAZAK - also a Hunt II class, seen probably in 1942.
Wartime submarines and other.
CONRAD - D class cruiser after the war, probably in mid-1945.
DRAGON - first operational cruiser of Polish Navy, here just before D-Day.
OURAGAN - taken over by RN after French surrender and later manned by Polish Navy. Poor photo, but the only one known with Polish ensign.
ORZEL - here already in UK.
JASTRZAB - former US submarine transferred to Polish Navy and sunk in 1942 by Allied craft.
SOKOL - arriving in UK after second Mediterrranean campaign, in 1944.
DZIK - probably in 1943.
ZBIK - in October 1945, returning from Sweden where she was interned since 1939.
... and the rest.
S-1 - one of a pair of MTBs ordered pre-war by Polish Navy at J. S. White and completed in 1940 as MGB.
S-2 - a BPB boat; together with sistership S-3 she was transferred to Poland in exchange for the sister of S-1.
S-7 - a White-built MTB manned by Polish Navy. There were 5 boats of that class, named S-5 to S-10. Polish MTBs/MGBs carried either Polish numbers (S-1 to S-10) on their sides or British ones (eg. "44" for MGB-44 or "426" for MTB-426)
MEDOC - former French cargo ship, commissioned for the war as auxilliary patrol and taken over in 1940 by RN together with sister POMEROL. Similar to OURAGAN both patrols were manned by Polish Navy for a short time.
Polish ships in Harwich in 1946. The photo is taken from the PIORUN with bows of two HUNTS (KRAKOWIAK and SLAZAK) on both sides. The big one is BURZA with submarine WILK along port side and submarines DZIK and SOKOŁ further out. On the starboard are two RN corvettes used to supply steam.
astraltrader
01-11-2009, 06:42
Some more brilliant pictures Marek - thanks very much!! :):)
Well, they are noy best quality. Unfortunately wartime photos of Polish ships are very scarce here in Poland. Most of Polish personnell choose not to return to Poland and therefore private collections are usually out of reach.
Even worse is with Polish merchant ships - I have only a few shots of those ships from between 1939 and 1945.
astraltrader
01-11-2009, 23:57
Nevertheless to those of us interested in warships from other countries they are most welcome my friend! :)
romft1945
02-11-2009, 10:41
thanks very much for those will contact you personally in a few days
Peter
tim lewin
02-11-2009, 14:21
Dear Marek,
I have a book called "Polska Marynarka Wojenna" which seems to be published in 1947, or at least a reprint thereof; inside it is inscribed;-
The Polish Anchorites
Naval Attaches Night 11 October 1978
To Admiral Sir Terrence Lewin GCB, MVO, DSC, ADC
First Sea Lord
from
Polish Sailors
with kindest regards and best wishes
signed by Captain Wladyslaw K. Nadratowski LLM, CPR, PN
The book is full of wartime pictures altho all of the text is in Polish. Unfortunately its an awkward size for a modern A4 scanner but I wil do my best to post as many pics as possible safe in the knowledge that our dear friends in the PN will not complain! The book is a pictorial record of 1939 to 1945.
give me a day or two and I'll get them scanned for you, the pics are superb but sadly the printing is rather low quality in representation, but then 1947 was not an easy time for Poland (or the rest of us, i was born that year)
best wishes
tim
...
I have a book called "Polska Marynarka Wojenna" which seems to be published in 1947 ...
Dear Tim,
I know that book very well. It was published in Rome by the Society of Polish Navy Officers and in 1950s and 1960s was main source of Polish wartime photos that appeared here in Poland. I have one too.
Nevertheless thank you for your kind offer to scan it - fortunately this trouble you can be spared. If however you happen to see somewher a private photoalbum belonging to former Polish sailor I would be very glad to hear about it.
Best wishes
Marek
tim lewin
02-11-2009, 17:57
with pleasure!
jbryce1437
08-12-2009, 16:58
I had a private message from Mateusz, user name RAMM, who is from Poland. He is looking for some photos of polish ships, particularly ORP Grom/ Błyskawica (Thunder Lighting).
His English is not good but he would appreciate any photos of Polish ships.
Jim
I had a private message from Mateusz, user name RAMM, who is from Poland. He is looking for some photos of polish ships, particularly ORP Grom/ Błyskawica (Thunder Lighting).
His English is not good but he would appreciate any photos of Polish ships.
Jim
Me too as well! Especially those of BLYSKAWICA as rearmed with 4" guns.
Me too as well! Especially those of BLYSKAWICA as rearmed with 4" guns.
Hi Marek my father was a gunner on the destroyer ORP Garland and also quite handy with a camera sadly many of his photographs and all the negatives were lost through time but fortunately I managed to salvage quite a few from his old album. About 8 years ago I forwarded copies of these to the polish Navy Museum in Gdynia. I will scan some and post them soon
designeraccd
22-12-2009, 21:59
Very interesting pics...thanks a lot! Always very nice to see shots like this. DFO ;):D
astraltrader
22-12-2009, 23:51
Hi Marek my father was a gunner on the destroyer ORP Garland and also quite handy with a camera sadly many of his photographs and all the negatives were lost through time but fortunately I managed to salvage quite a few from his old album. About 8 years ago I forwarded copies of these to the polish Navy Museum in Gdynia. I will scan some and post them soon
Welcome to the forum Alek.
Please do scan in those photographs from your fathers old album.
Wwould love to see them very much.
If possible please scan them as large as possible.:)
Merry Chrismas everyone and thanks for allowing me to join your forum. I'm responding to a request posted by Marek T. He was looking for photographs and as he rightly suspects I have my late father's (Aleksander Niezynski gunner on ORP Garland) album corrosponding to the period 1941 to post war.
I will try to submit some images for marek and others who are interested.
Kind regards to all
astraltrader
23-12-2009, 19:44
Alek - I have moved these photographs to their rightful place in this thread!
Many thanks for taking the time to post them here for us.
Some more photographs from my dad's album, incidently over the years he posted many to friends abroad and some went to museums in Poland Bialystok and the naval museum in Gdynia I have included most of the others. If anyone is particulary interested I will scan them in at a higher dpi but right now Chrismas eve duties beckon
astraltrader
24-12-2009, 16:42
I personally would like to see any of the pictures showing warship[s] at a decent resolution. Some of the best ones are very small.
Needless to say PC's are not exactly my forty but I have tried to raise the dpi to it's maximum on these particular photographs
designeraccd
25-12-2009, 13:50
VERY interesting photos...THANKS again for scanning and posting them!! DFO :D
Polish ships in Harwich in 1946. The photo is taken from the PIORUN with bows of two HUNTS (KRAKOWIAK and SLAZAK) on both sides. The big one is BURZA with submarine WILK along port side and submarines DZIK and SOKOŁ further out. On the starboard are two RN corvettes used to supply steam.The port corvette is HMS PRIMULA (K14) but I'm unable to recognize the starboard corvette.
Andrzej
Alex Shenec
03-01-2010, 08:05
Hi.
Some photos from my collection.
1. Submarine ZBIK.
2. Torpedo boat KASUB (ex-german V-108).
3. Torpedo boat KASUB after explosion of a boiler of 20.07.1925.
4. Gunboat KOMENDANT PILSUDSKI (ex-finnish KARJALA, ex-russian LUN).
Alex Shenec
03-01-2010, 08:19
Destroyer WICHER in Latvian port Liepaja 10-12.06.1931 during celebrating the 10 anniversary of the Latvian fleet.
In the first photo - WICHER, swedish battleship DROTTNING VICTORIA, german light cruiser KÖNIGSBERG, french destroyer BISSON.
Alex Shenec
03-01-2010, 08:24
1. Destroyer GROM in Riga, 1930.
2. Destroyer GROM in Riga, 1930.
3. Destroyers BURZA and WICHER in Riga. The photo is made from a board of a destroyer GROM.
4. Destroyers BURZA and WICHER in Riga.
5. Destroyers BURZA, WICHER and GROM in Riga.
Best regards
Alex
4. Gunboat KOMENDANT PILSUDSKI (ex-finnish KARJALA, ex-russian LUN).This is not true.
HALLER ex Водорез (number 647)
PILSUDSKI ex Лунь (number 648)
KARJALA ex Филин (number 649)
TURUNMAA ex Чирок (number 650)
Andrzej
ORP Orzel
Photo 2,4,6,9,10,18,19,23 ORP Blyskawica in England
Excellent photo's posted by all. It's a pleasure to view the photo's scanned in.
Well Done!
Nice history lesson, indeed!
Regards
Charles
Agree with Charles, excellent pix guys and thanks for sharing them with us
Mik
ORP Orzeł today (Projekt 877E Kilo class submarines)....
and my papermodels
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/ramm87/th_ORPOrze089.jpg (http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg54/ramm87/ORPOrze089.jpg)
dorupantos
06-02-2010, 17:49
Dear MAREK T , I have a question ! How the germans bombarde GDANSK whit this verry old SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN and the Polishh Navy doesn't react ! Two modern destroyers ,used with brain ,could sunk that old ship !
Dear MAREK T , I have a question ! How the germans bombarde GDANSK whit this verry old SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN and the Polishh Navy doesn't react ! Two modern destroyers ,used with brain ,could sunk that old ship !
Well, in last days of August three destroyers (BLYSKAWICA, BURZA and GROM) were sent to UK. Only one (WICHER) was left.
The SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN was in the harbour most of the time. It would be rather difficult to sink her there, especially as Polish air forces in that area were practically non-existent.
By the way: she was not shelling the Gdansk (at that time she was a Free State), but she fired at Polish positions on Westerplatte (a small part of Gdansk harbour allocated to Poland) and at Gdynia defences.
Alek,
I have just discovered your wonderful series of photos taken on/of Garland.
Thank you very much indeed for posting them. Pictures showing such on-board details are rare.
Do you have any more showing the 3 inch AA gun and its platform?
I felt that this picture belonged here too...
Best wishes
steve roberts
07-02-2010, 10:35
Hi Marek.Can you confirm a story I was taught back in my school days (No we did not have chalk boards!) that when the Polish Submarine ORZEL escaped to England,she actually sailed with very few charts of the North sea and English coastline? Cheers Steve.:)
Some more photographs from my dad's album, incidently over the years he posted many to friends abroad and some went to museums in Poland Bialystok and the naval museum in Gdynia I have included most of the others. If anyone is particulary interested I will scan them in at a higher dpi but right now Chrismas eve duties beckon
What a brilliant collection of photos Alek (post#s 21,23 & 25.) Thankyou for sharing them with us. You're doing really well with scanning them up. If you have any problems, I'm sure that you know that Terry (Astraltrader) will be more than glad to help out.
It would have taken all the stamina that these men had to actually go to sea in such rough conditions, let alone fight a war....when called upon to do so - and yet they managed. As such, you've got some photos there that would do well in the "Seasick" thread (I know it made me queasy just looking at the photo with the water sloshing over the deck, post #25.)
Another of your photos could go along with those in the Ship's Pets thread. With regard to that photo with the ship's pets. Is that a cat and a dog and a monkey (or are there 2 monkeys?)
Regards,
Bee
p.s. Sorry to others here...only just found this thread and as such responded to last post on 1st page. Of course all your other piccies are great too. :)
steve roberts
14-03-2010, 11:16
Hi All.Although pictures of the Sumarine ORZEL have been shown before,here is another shot of her at Kiel Naval Base Germany.Taken during excercises with other Navies in the Baltic sea...Regards Steve.
Another pictures with Polish wartime destroyers.
The Hunt II class - ORP Kujawiak & ORP Krakowiak:
[QUOTE=Dick;97623]Alek,
Hi Dick,
I'm sorry but I don't have any other photographs of the AA gun mentioned but Robert Zawadw grandson of another of Garland's crew has sent me more photographs from that same period that may interest you they show the aftermath of the sinking of U Boat U407 the survivors were rescued and taken on board the Garland later they were taken blindfolded into custody by the Us military.
Kind regards, alek
Hi Bee,
Sorry to take so long to reply but lately my PC time has been somewhat limited limited however, I do know that two of the Garland's crew were lost having fallen overboard during an Atlantic storm and many more were lost having been blown to pieces during a convoy to Murmansk. Two Polish photographers were present during this particular convoy PQ19 I think one armed with a cine film camera. He was wounded along with my dad but they both appear in the 10 minute film he made called Podnosimy Kotwice. Incidently I am still trying to obtain a copy of this film. Now as for the monkeys my dad bought two of them in Freetown but was ordered to get rid of them as soon as they reached Capetown because unlike the cat and dog they turned vicious biting and stealing and got booted of the ship!
Don Boyer
23-03-2010, 02:44
Alek N -- Thanks for the posts of the photographs. Very interesting material for someone like myself from America with next to no exposure to the Polish naval history and traditions. Both you and Marek T have been a goldmine of information for me.
I have just GOT to ask, though, what is the story behind the photo of the gentleman in blackface in photo 11 of post 21?? (Second row, third from left).
There has to be a laugh attached to that one, and it is so unusual I for one would like to hear about it!
Best regards
Great photos Alek - thank you!!
Excellent pictures. Thanks for posting.
bluestreak
01-04-2010, 14:06
A few shots of some modern Polish warships. I can only identify the two ships in the first photo. They are the General T KOSCIUZKO and General K PULASKI.
bluestreak
01-04-2010, 14:12
A few more "modern" Polish ships.
Fine photos, thank you.
Post #48:
1. KOSCIUSZKO and PULASKI
2. ORZEL in Naval Shipyard floating dock.
3. Two small GRP hull minesweepers in Naval Shipyard; the one on the left is probably NAKLO (640).
Post #49:
1. Minesweeper MEWA in foreground, to the left HYDROGRAF (263). Among the ships in background are two "Tarantul" class missile boats.
2. KASZUB corvette.
3. Same as 1, with salvage ship PIAST (281) to the right and survey ship ARCTOWSKI (266) in the background.
4. Minesweeper MEWA.
steve roberts
01-04-2010, 20:19
Hi Marek.The ship on the nearest jetty in post#49.Is she MOMA class? Steve.
Hi Marek.The ship on the nearest jetty in post#49.Is she MOMA class? Steve.You mean HYDROGRAF (263)? If so yes - it is MOMA mod. class.
Andrzej
steve roberts
03-04-2010, 14:47
My thanks Crolick.I thought she was,they were quite distinctive Regards Steve.
General Kazimierz Pulaski 272 (ex USS Clark FFG-11)
1) General Kazimierz Pulaski 272 date and location not available.
2) June 10, 1979: Clark FFG-11 under construction at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.
3,4) February 19, 1980: PCU Clark FFG-11 on sea trials off the coast of Maine.
5) February 10, 1980: Gallery FFG-26 (left) under construction, Jack Williams FFG-24 (center) and Clark FFG-11 at Bath Iron Works.
6) October 1, 1981: USS Clark FFG-11 returning to her homeport of Mayport, Florida after three weeks training in the Caribbean.
7) October 14, 1986: USS Clark FFG-11 location not available.
8) May 4, 1989: USS Clark FFG-11 and USS MacDonough DDG-39 at the Manhattan Passenger Terminal for Fleet Week 1989.
9) April 1, 1993: USS Clark FFG-11 being assisted by the harbor tug Shabonee YTB-833 at her homeport Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
10 ) October 22, 1994: USS Clark FFG-11 at Port Everglades, Florida.
General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 (ex USS Wadsworth FFG-9)
1) June 28, 2002: Decommissioning ceremony for the USS Wadsworth FFG-9 at San Diego, California.
USNS Mercy T-AH-19 is seen in the background.
2) June 28, 2002: Decommissioning ceremony for the USS Wadsworth FFG-9 at San Diego, California.
USNS Mercy T-AH-19 is seen in the background.
3) June 28, 2002: Decommissioning ceremony for the USS Wadsworth FFG-9 at San Diego, California.
4) June 28, 2002: The US flag is hauled down for the last time as the USS Wadsworth FFG-9 is decommissioned and turned over to the Polish Navy.
5) June 28, 2002: Officers of the new crew board the newly commissioned General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 following transfer to the Polish Navy.
6) June 28, 2002: The Polish Naval jack fly's from the flag pole on the General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273.
7-11 ) General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 seen off the English coast.
12) General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 arriving at Portsmouth, England for the Trafalgar 200 ceremonies and Fleet Review.
13) July 2005: A SH-2G Seasprite on the fan tail of the General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 at Plymouth, England.
14) July 2005: General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 arriving at Portsmouth, England for the Trafalgar 200 ceremonies and Fleet Review.
15) May 18, 2007: General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 in the Baltic Sea during exercise Noble Mariner 2007.
16) May 18, 2007: General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 in the Baltic Sea during exercise Noble Mariner 2007.
17,18,20,22-25) May 24, 2007: General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 in the Baltic Sea during exercise Noble Mariner 2007.
19) May 24, 2007: From left to right; The German tanker Spessart A-1442, General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273,
HNLMS De Ruyter F-804 and HMCS St. John's FFH-340 in the Baltic Sea during exercise Noble Mariner 2007.
21) May 24, 2007: General Tadeusz Kosciuszko 273 and the German tanker Spessart A-1442 in the Baltic Sea during exercise Noble Mariner 2007.
You mean HYDROGRAF (263)? If so yes - it is MOMA mod. class.
Andrzej
Thanks for support. I could not use the computer to answer by then.
steve roberts
04-04-2010, 12:54
Hi Andrej.A very good set of pictures.Thank you for taking the time to post them for us.
Regards Steve.
Alek N -- Thanks for the posts of the photographs. Very interesting material for someone like myself from America with next to no exposure to the Polish naval history and traditions. Both you and Marek T have been a goldmine of information for me.
I have just GOT to ask, though, what is the story behind the photo of the gentleman in blackface in photo 11 of post 21?? (Second row, third from left).
There has to be a laugh attached to that one, and it is so unusual I for one would like to hear about it!Best regards
Sorry to take a step back in this thread (and Ramm your photos are great)
....but...
I just have to reiterate Don's question to Alek.. Do you know the story behind that picture?You've got me curious too. It's titled "Big boat, good business" and the man with the dark face is wearing (of all things) a top hat.
I tend to agree with you, Don....there's got to be a story here. :D
(Hopefully you can enlighten us, Alek.)
Cheers,
Bee[/B] :)
... Do you know the story behind that picture?You've got me curious too. It's titled "Big boat, good business" and the man with the dark face is wearing (of all things) a top hat ...
Alek's photos show GARLAND throughout the war. At one time (in second half of 1943) she operated from West African harbours.
I presume the photo you are asking about dates to that period and shows a local vendor who decided that GARLAND ("Big boat") would provide "good bussiness". And the top hat? - well, he was a serious businessman ...
I have other photos of similar situation taken in 1950s or 1960s from merchant ships in African, Asian or Mediterranean harbours, though without top hats.
Thankyou Marek, for your interpretation of Alek's "vendor" photo. (Post 21, photo 11.)
Maybe another thread could be started for photos of a similar type (especially seeings how you have some like that.) Maybe one of the mods could suggest a thread title.
I like your comment about...."well he was a serious business man..." (re: the top hat.) :) He obviously dressed for the occasion.
The boat looks a tad flimsy though....they must have taken big risks in trying to sell their wares.
Regards,
Bee
bluestreak
09-04-2010, 13:21
Marek T, many thanks for the idents.
MelQuick
02-05-2010, 05:28
Hi Wicher
Thanks for posting the picture which I have reproduced below.
Do you (or anyone) know the identity of the ship in the inner harbour, to the right?
Mel
colombamike
02-05-2010, 09:15
Hi Wicher
Thanks for posting the picture which I have reproduced below.
Do you (or anyone) know the identity of the ship in the inner harbour, to the right? Mel
the big ship seems to be an old warship, (a very old light cruiser or big gunboat ?).
MelQuick
02-05-2010, 13:00
the big ship seems to be an old warship, (a very old light cruiser or big gunboat ?).
Hi
It looks pre-WWI. I agree that it may be an old cruiser.
Anyone got any ideas?
Mel
kronserg
02-05-2010, 14:06
Big three-funnel ship - is old Polish cruiser Baltyk (ex-French d'Entrecasteaux)
MelQuick
02-05-2010, 15:24
Big three-funnel ship - is old Polish cruiser Baltyk (ex-French d'Entrecasteaux)
Kronsberg
Many thanks for that.
Mel
She is the BALTYK indeed.
The red arrow points to the MAZUR - Polish Navy artillery training ship, former German torpedo boat V105. She was sunk on 1.09.1939 by German air bombs.
designeraccd
02-05-2010, 22:21
Here is a close bow view of her as an ORP hulk, plus a model of her in better days as a French cruiser...........DFO :D
Old Seaman
07-05-2010, 15:08
I do not where from this post card with Polish training ship "DAR POMORZA" of 1967 appeared in my Dad's archive, but I wish all of you to see her.
Regards,
Serge.
John James
16-07-2010, 09:39
Hi Dick
Thank you very much for the best photo i have seen of the Garland
I'm a new member & i hope i am doing this right.
Regards
John James
Old Seaman
09-08-2010, 19:48
Here are some pics of ORP "General Galler" (former Russian ship "Vodorez") and ORP "Komendat Pilsudski" (former Russian ship "Lun'") in 30-s.
astraltrader
09-08-2010, 22:51
Great pictures my friend. Many thanks for uploading them. :)
http://images38.fotosik.pl/341/977de1dbea306fcem.png (http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=977de1dbea306fce)
http://images47.fotosik.pl/345/6cfce939fdb606camed.png (http://www.fotosik.pl)
Here are a couple from our online photo shop of ORP Slazak, on trials from Hawthorn Leslie. I've also attached a detail shot which highlights the resolution of these photos*.
*They are actually from glass slides which we think were sourced from within Hawthorn Leslie, hence the photos of this ship (and many others from the same collection) performing trials.
http://www.directart.co.uk/bmall/images/sym0104.jpg (http://www.directart.co.uk/bmall/more.php?ProdID=109809)
1 (http://www.directart.co.uk/bmall/more.php?ProdID=109809)
http://www.directart.co.uk/bmall/images/sym0103.jpg (http://www.directart.co.uk/bmall/more.php?ProdID=109805)
2 (http://www.directart.co.uk/bmall/more.php?ProdID=109805)
tim lewin
22-08-2011, 19:29
Dear Marek, ages since i looked at your thread, and a pleasure to see so many excellent new pictures. I am sure you know that your two destroyers were attached to the 10th DF in 1944 for operation Tunnel about which i have posted in the past? there is a lot about the Polish inclusion in this force, with the Canadians and RN, which was a series of classic destroyer vs destroyer actions to clear the Western approaches to the Channel prior to D-day. in case you are lacking material on this pleae say so and i will post on this thread what i have.
In the early to mid 1960s i lived in a flat in Ealing in West London, an area much favoured in those days (maybe still?) by Polish emigrees due to its proximity to the Polish base at the Uxbridge RAF station. My landlady was a Mrs. Styburska whose husband had been a fighter pilot with the Polish Sqn. I well remember one of my flat mates dating a delightful Polish girl whose parents ran a bakery and still could not speak English. All completely unrelated to the Polish Navy, or RN, but its relationships and memories like this that make up the threads of international friendship!
Very close to where i live now is a memorial built only a few years ago by an old chap in memory to his friends in a Polish crewed Wellington bomber that struggled back from Germany early in the War only to crash on the rising ground 3-4 miles North of Battle, East Sussex, he and one other had baled out but the pilot and rest of the crew did not make it, its right to remember such events.
Well done with your thread.
tim
tim
Dear Marek
Great Thread
Have really enjoyed looking at the posts, there used to be a polish website that had plans of all the WW2 polish ships on it
Haven't been able to find it for a while, but would like to stumble on to it again to download those drawings
Ludsie
aphome@bigpond.net.au
24-12-2011, 11:30
Thank you so much for the Garland pics - I will go through them with a magnify glass as I my father (wladyslaw pacewicz) also served on the Garland from 1943 I believe. I am researching his WW2 history (sadly he died in 1998). He served on the ORP Orkan - he recognised himself in a photograph from when the Orkan returned General Sikorski's body from Gibralter. I would love to see it but have no idea where he saw this picture. He was also one of the 44 survivors from the sinking of the Orkan. An extremely traumatic event for him and he was just 15 years old (having lied about his age after release from USSR to Palestine). I would love to find out anymore information about the sinking of the ship and particularly any survivors' accounts if anybody has any information? Thank you. I do have a few photographs which I can scan and post.
Mark C. Jones
24-12-2011, 13:07
Hello AP,
I for one would be interested in seeing any photographs of the Polish warships, crew or any Polish Navy documents concerning your late father. Given the size of this series of messages, and the number of ships/topics subsumed within it, I suggest that you create a new topic for any materials you post. Perhaps title the new message with your father's name, or with the names ORP Garland or ORP Orkan.
Mark C. Jones
aphome@bigpond.net.au
24-12-2011, 20:46
Thanks Mark - I will do. may take a few days. Anna
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