Narvik 1940
THE POLISH ARMY
IN THE NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN
1940
The Norwegian Campaign (9 April to 10 June 1940) was fought in Norway between the Allies and Germany in World War II after the latter's invasion of the country. In April, the France, United Kingdom and Poland came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force.
French soldiers of the Chasseurs Alpins infantry on their way to Narvik
The fighting in Norway, after 7 months from the Polish Campaign for the second time during WW2, was attended by Polish military units: Podhalan Rifles Brigade and Polish Ships
FIRST SIGNAL
On the morning of 8 April, the Polish submarine ORP Orzeł (Eagle) confronted and sank the clandestine German troop transport ship Rio de Janeiro off the southern Norwegian port of Lillesand. Discovered amongst the wreckage were uniformed German soldiers and various military supplies. Though Orzeł reported the incident to the Admiralty, they were too concerned by the situation with Glowworm and the presumed German breakout to give it much thought and did not pass the information on. Many of the German soldiers from the wreck were rescued by Norwegian fishing boats and the destroyer Odin. On interrogation the survivors disclosed that they were assigned to protect Bergen from the Allies. This information was passed on to Oslo where the Norwegian Parliament ignored the sinking due to being distracted by the British mining operations off the Norwegian coast
Polish Navy submarine ORP Orzeł (Eagle) Gdynia, Poland 1939
Orzeł was laid down 14 August 1936 at the Dutch shipyard De Schelde, as the Job No. 205; launched on 15 January 1938, and commissioned on 2 February 1939. She was a modern design (designed by the joint venture of Polish and Dutch engineers), albeit quite large for the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea
German troopships Rio de Janeir
Portrait of Commander Jan Grudziński, the Commander of the Polish Navy submarine ORP Orzeł (Eagle)
Polish Navy submarine ORP Orzeł (Eagle)
Commander Jan Grudziński, the Commander of the Polish Navy submarine ORP Orzeł (Eagle), seated in the Orzeł's fin
The Polish Navy submarine ORP Orzeł (Eagle) returning to her depot ship at Rosyth after taking part in operations off Norway where she accounted for two enemy transport ships, 19 April 1940. She was lost in the North Sea, probably mined, on 8 June 1940
THE POLISH INDEPENDENT HIGHLAND BRIGADE
The Polish Independent Highland Brigade / Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade (Polish: Samodzielna Brygada Strzelców Podhalańskich) was a Polish military unit created in France in 1939, after the fall of Poland, as part of the Polish Army in France. It had approximately 5,000 soldiers trained in mountain warfare and was commanded by General Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz. It was named after the region of Podhale in southern Poland.
In February it was assigned to the Anglo-French expeditionary corps prepared to be sent to Finland. Eventually in May and June 1940 it took part in the Allied campaign in Norway and fought with distinction in the Battles of Narvik. After the beginning of hostilities on the Western Front, the brigade was withdrawn to France, where it fought in the defence of Brittany. Disbanded, some of its soldiers were evacuated to Britain and Egypt, while others joined the French resistance.
General Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz
April 10, 1940. The ceremony of presenting the military flag brigade with the participation of General Sikorski
April 21, 1940 Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski. Farewell soldiers Independent Brigade of Riflemen before leaving for Norway
Brigade officers
ON THE WAY TO NARVIK
French troopship Chenonceaux
French mess kit m1935, cups m 1867 and 1935
French folding camp stove
Soldiers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade on board the French troopship Chenonceaux on the way to Narvik, April-May 1940
General Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko, the Commander of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade, on board the French troopship Chenonceaux on the way to Narvik, April-May 1940
On the way to Narvik. Famous Polish journalist, publicist, writer, diplomat and war correspondent Ksawery Pruszyński (in the middle). After returning from Norway write a book "Droga wiodła przez Narvik" (London 1941)
Soldiers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade celebrating Holy Mass on board the French troopship Chenonceaux on the way to Narvik, April-May 1940.
One of the French Navy destroyers escorting a convoy carrying troops of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade to Narvik. Photograph taken from the French troopship Chenonceaux, April-May 1940.
A Short Sunderland flying boat bomber flying over, possibly, the French troopship Chenonceaux carrying soldiers of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade to one of the locations around Narvik, May 1940.
HMS Imogen (D44), the Royal Navy I-class destroyer, escorting convoy carrying troops of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade to Narvik, May 1940. Photograph probably taken from the French troopship Chenonceaux.
A Polish Red Cross nurse dressing up a hand of one of soldiers of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade while on board a ship on the way to one of the locations around Narvik. The soldier is wearing a unique French green denim windproof smock m1940 (blouson de skieur modele 1940) for mountain rifle troops. May 1940.
This is the only photo from Norway when the Polish soldier wears such windproof smock
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French green denim windproof smock m1940 (blouson de skieur modele 1940) for mountain rifle troops
French military pants
French underpants of 1939 and 1940
THE COAST OF NORWAY
Officers of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade on board one of the ships during transportation of the Brigade's manpower and equipment from Harstad to various locations around Narvik, May 1940.
French binocular 6x24
Binoculars 8x30 Polish lornetka wojskowa H. KOLBERG WARSZAWA and French M.G. Ets KRAUSS, PARIS
French troopship Chenonceaux, with crowds of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade soldiers on board, being followed by another troopship, either Mexique or Colombie, May 1940. Ships are probably approaching Norwegian port of Harstad.
French destroyer Epervier, penant number X112, escorting the French troopship Chenonceaux loaded with Polish soldiers to Harstad, May 1940.
POLISH SOLDIERS IN ACTION
A patrol of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade moving along a narrow mountain road on the north-western shore of the Herjangs Fjord during the operation for Bjerkvik, 13 May 1940
Officers and soldiers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade talking to a member of the Motorcycle Reconnaissance Unit (Zwiad Motocyklowy) on his motocycle, May 1940. Photograph taken probably around Harstad are
Soldiers of the Motorcycle Reconnaissance Unit (Zwiad Motocyklowy) of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade by their motocycle, May 1940. Photograph probably taken around Harstad area
Troops of the Motorcycle Reconnaissance Unit (Zwiad Motocyklowy) of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade passing through Borkenes, 25 May 1940.
Officers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade in their camp, probably in the area of Borkenes Kvaefjord village, 16 kilometers west of Harstad, May 1940. This was a place where the Brigade's staff and the 1st Battalion was placed.
General Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko, the Commander of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade, in front of a hut with some of his officers, May 1940. Photograph taken probably around Harstad area.
Officers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade in their camp somewhere in Harstad area, May 1940.
Polish soldiers during the Battle of Narvik 1940
French binocular periscope - jumelles periscopiques 8x24 modele 1936
French ammo pouch to machine gun - FM 1924/29 - magazines m1924 and bread bag m1935
Signals unit of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade at work in Borkenes. Note a signal lamp (Appareil optique de10, modele 1928)
Similar to the French lamps British army Morse Code Signal Lamp Kit with Metal Case
Signals unit of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade working on a wireless set (Poste 22 modele 1934) in Borkenes
A soldier of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade taking picture of a Norwegian woman, May 1940. Photograph probably taken around the city of Harstad where the Brigade was stationed after landing in northern Norway.
Commemorative photo of the German information board. Inscription written broken, bizarre Polish language encourages Polish soldiers for desertion: "Do you want to die for England? Come to us unarmed. The road to Warsaw is open"
Troops of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade guarding German prisoners captured during the battle for Narvik, early June 1940. Note a Luftwaffe officer and an alpine (Gebirgsjager) soldier amongst prisoners.
An exhausted soldier of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade asleep on a bench with a loaf of bread for a later meal, 15 May 1940. Photograph taken in the area south of Bjerkvik during the link up operation with the French.
French blanket 1938, Polish folding stove 1939 and French flashlight WONDER
French rain poncho (tente individuelle modele1935) 1937, Field bucket canvas (seau en toile m1876) 1926, French helmet m1926 with Polish eagle
Soldiers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade singing accompanied by accordion player in their camp, May 1940. Photograph probably taken around Harstad area.
The strange thing is that Polish soldiers wear British Army poncho cape model WW1 or 1937. Deliveries of the British? French stocks of WW1?
British Army poncho cape m1937
Group of officers of the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade discussing plans on the road near Borkenes. From left to right: Lieutenant Ludwik Kwiatkowski (Adjutant); Major Janusz Iliński, the Liaison Officer to the British GHQ and Deputy Chief of Staff; General Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko, the CO of the Brigade; and Captain Zenon Starkiewicz, the CO of the Fourth Bureau of the Staff. 1940-05-25 . Captain Starkiewicz is wearing a leather jacket Polish armored troops m1936
French compass m1922
French map case
French military flashlight
Transport a wounded soldier
French aid packs
The graves of Polish soldiers killed in Narvik.
During the battle killed 97 Polish soldiers, 189 wounded
Evacuation of Polish soldiers to France
HOTCHKISS TANKS
Landing craft with French Hotchkiss H38 tank
British troops talking to French and Polish soldiers around a French Hotchkiss H38 tank in Steinsland
Damaged tanks Hotchkiss H38 in German hands
French Army fuel barrel from December 1939
French light tank Hotchkiss H39 (Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 1939) in Narvik, now
NORWEGIAN ARMY 1940
Norwegian soldiers on the Narvik front
Norwegian Infantry in battle of Narvik 1940
The British and Norwegian Army 1940
Norwegian army backpack and mess kit
Norwegian canned
Norwegian container for gasoline and means to ignite the fire
POLISH NAVY
On 30 August 1939, the Polish destroyers ORP Burza (Storm), ORP Błyskawica (Lightning) and ORP Grom (Thunder), and were ordered to activate the Peking Plan, and the warships headed for Great Britain, from where they were to operate as convoy escorts. On 1 September 1939, Polish destroyers met the British destroyers Wanderer and Wallace. The British ships led the Polish flotilla to Leith, and in the night the Polish destroyers came to Rosyth. However, no convoys were ever organized to help Poland during the Polish Defensive War and the Polish ships were used in support of Allied maritime operations.
During her operations in the Norwegian Campaign, ORP Grom was ranked by the German soldiers as probably the most hated of all the Allied ships deployed to the area. This hatred was founded on the fact that Grom took an intense interest in all hostile movements on shore and was reputed to spend hours lurking the coast in order harass German forces.
On 4 May 1940, Grom carried out what turned out to be the last of her many naval gunfire support missions in the Narvik area in the Rombaken fjord. She was attacked by a Heinkel He 111 bomber from Kampfgeschwader 100. Her loaded midship torpedo launcher was struck by a bomb from a German plane and the torpedo exploded, causing the hull to break into two and the ship to sink almost immediately with a loss of life of 59 sailors.
Peking Plan - Polish destroyers on the way to UK
ORP Burza
ORP Burza operations in the area of Narvik, May 1940
ORP Błyskawica - ship museum
.
ORP Grom
4 May 1940 ORP Grom in Norway. The last photo before flooding
The surviving members of the crew ORP Grom
Plaque in Narvik commemorating those members of the crew ORP Grom
Polish passenger ships, liners MS Chrobry, MS Batory and MS Sobieski - as troopships - have taken part in the Norwegian campaign
MS Batory
MS Sobieski
1939 raise the Polish flag on the liner MS Chrobry
General Claude Auchinleck, the C-in-C of the North Western Expeditionary Force, and Group Captain Moor looking over maps on board the Polish Navy troopship MS Chrobry before docking in Harstad
Troops of the AA battery Royal Artillery in action stations at a 12 pounder (152 mm) anti-aircraft gun being watched by men and officers of the North Western Expeditionary Force (HQs and Army) and the RAF on board the Polish Navy troopship MS Chrobry. The ship is off the coast of Harstad.
The ship MS Chrobry was used as a transport during the Norwegian Campaign, in the area around Narvik. On 14 May 1940 she sailed from Tjeldsundet transporting British troops to Bodo.Just before midnight German dive bombers attacked the ship three times in the middle of the Vestfjorden, setting the ship on fire, exploding ammunition, and killing several army officers and men. One of the escorts, the destroyer HMS Wolverine, took off 700 survivors from the ship, while the other escort, the sloop HMS Stork, stood on guard and drove off other German aircraft, then took off the remaining survivors. Both escorts, loaded with survivors, sailed for Harstad. The abandoned Chrobry was scuttled by aircraft from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal on 16 May. A considerable amount of equipment went down with the ship.
AFTER THE BATTLE
Highland brigade evacuates from France - 1940
Officers and men of the Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade decorated by King Haakon VII of Norway with the War Cross with Sword (the highest ranking Norwegian gallantry decoration) for gallantry during the Narvik Campaign. Among them is Corporal Jan Lasowski (second from the right) who lost his sight during the Battle of Narvik. On his right is Lieutenant Colonel Wacław Kobyliński, the CO of the 1st Battalion of the Brigade during the Campaign. Two soldiers on the left are very likely Private Wasyl Cykwas (second from the left ?) and Officer Cadet Leon Słupieński. The Lieutenant on the far right is either Brunon Utnicki or Kazimierz Kędzierski.
Colonel Władysław Dec (centre), the CO of the 2nd Battalion, Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade with other officers and soldiers decorated for their deeds in Narvik, 21 July 1940. Note two Polish Red Cross nurses present, both decorated with the Cross of Valour. Photograph taken during the decoration ceremony of the Brigade colours by General Władysław Sikorski in the camp near Douglas Park, Hamilton.
1940-07-21
The Duke of Kent talks to Colonel Wladyslaw Dec September 1940.
General Gustaw Paszkiewicz presenting a painting of, probably, the Polish Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade soldier to Provost of Biggar, Mr Brown, on behalf of the 1st Polish Rifle Brigade (1st Polish Corps) during a ceremony to celebrate the Polish Army Day at Biggar, Scotland.
1940-08-15
Decoration of the Highland Brigade - 1940
MEMORY OF THE BATTLE OF NARVIK
Narvik WWII Museum
Monument Polish sailors in Narvik
Polish soldiers cemetery in Haakvik
Polish postage stamps
coin 1991
***
Photos are part of collections of British Imperial War Museum (PRYTYŚ WŁADYSŁAW JACEK COLLECTION) and Polish Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe.
All presented uniforms, parts of field equipment and personal items are from D.&T. BIENEK COLLECTION
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