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Cowes prepares to celebrate Polish Heroes during World War II


Eagle20 16 | 119
5 May 2012 #1
Cowes is geared up to celebrate the heroism of Polish sailors during World War II this weekend.
The 70th anniversary of the defence of Cowes by the Polish Destroyer, ORP Blyskawica.............................................
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The brunt of the defence lay with Capt. Francki and the Polish officers and crew of ORP BÅ‚yskawica. The planes came from the Solent and ORP BÅ‚yskawica's main armament, under the crew's direction, drove the attackers up higher, so reducing the accuracy of the bombing. Her anti-aircraft guns fired continuously. Hands were scalded and gun barrels grew so hot that seawater was lifted in buckets from over the side, and thrown on the barrels to cool them down.

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Captain Franki's defence of the town that night was acknowledged formally by the people of Cowes when a plaque was unveiled on 3 May 2004, to commemorate the event and to name an amenity area "Francki Place".

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cowes.co.uk/Cowes-prepares-to-celebrate-Polish-Heroes.aspx
hudsonhicks 21 | 346
22 May 2012 #2
Don't forget the 145 Polish members of the RAF, that single handedly won the Battle of Britain for us.

While

2,353 British did nothing :)
peterweg 37 | 2,311
22 May 2012 #3
Or the two hundred thousand who found for the British Army, Navy and RAF.
TheOther 6 | 3,674
22 May 2012 #4
Britain and Poland didn't win the war in Europe. The Soviet did most of the dying, and the Americans financed it.
Hipis - | 227
22 May 2012 #5
The Soviet Russians did most of the killing as well. Their battle tactics went along the lines of bombard the hell out of whatever stood in their way then throw loads of men at whatever was left standing. They didn't care how many people died be it military or civilian, enemy or ally.
TheOther 6 | 3,674
22 May 2012 #6
The Soviet Russians did most of the killing as well.

I agree, but they were the ones who actually defeated Germany. It took one animal (Stalin) to take down another (Hitler).
Hipis - | 227
22 May 2012 #7
On their own? So the Western Front was an irrelevance then?
TheOther 6 | 3,674
22 May 2012 #8
So the Western Front was an irrelevance then?

The western front wasn't irrelevant, of course, but without the war in the east the allies wouldn't have set a foot on the European mainland on D-Day.
Hipis - | 227
22 May 2012 #9
And without the allies supplying 16.5million tons of goods to Soviet Russia via the Artic convoys, the Persian corridor and the Pacific route then Russia would not have been in a position to keep up the fight and would have been defeated.
TheOther 6 | 3,674
22 May 2012 #10
That's why I said "and the USA financed it".

What do you think would have happened if Hitler hadn't attacked the USSR and not declared war on the USA? Millions upon millions of German soldiers at his disposal in the west, most likely additional troops provided by his (then) chum Stalin, plus crucial supplies coming from the Russians. I believe that Germany would've won the war or at least would have negotiated a truce with Britain.


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