I'm not sure why that upsets you, enkidu? there was an agreement signed between ours and theirs commands, that we pay for ourselves. you should be proud that we didn't take money.
You get me wrong. I am not upset. I just confider this fact (Yes Harry - this is fact) worth to remember.
Many of Polish soldiers has died defending this islands. They didn't ask who will pay them and where. Among others 303 Polish Fighter Squadron members. They did their duty.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Polish_Fighter_Squadron
And after that - British government sold us to Stalin an send us a bill. They count every bullet, every uniform, every meal. They charged us even for docking fees for Polish ships. The same ships that fought to protect their island.
I hope you understand - i don't oppose the fact, that Polish Army had used that bullets. The point is - they used those bullets to protect United Kingdom sovereignty. Many of them died in the process. Charging us for it is just not right.
That make me proud of being Polish. And that makes me ashamed that we chooses our friends so poorly.
How it was paid? Simple. About 75 tons of Polish gold reserve has been transfered to London in 1940 and deposited there. After war British government knows that we are to weak under Stalin's boot (to whom they shamelessly sold us on Jalta conference) to claim it back. So - they keep it. PDF document I linked in my previous post is official document that legalized this theft.
For those who are interested: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_betrayal