Thanks for the response. I know that the navy were. For example this is from the
National Archives:

War Cabinet - Organisation of allied naval army and air contingents
Twentieth Report 22nd April 1942
Polish Navy
Recruiting—Ships Commissioning and Paying-off.
43. The arrival of the Polish recruits from Russia has been delayed. The present
position in so far as the Navy is concerned is that they hope to receive about
750 men in June.

War Cabinet - Organisation of allied naval army and air contingents
Twenty-Second Report 31st October 1942
Polish Navy
Recruiting.
31. Of the recruits recently arrived in this country from Russia via South
Africa, 350 have been allocated to the navy and have already commenced their
training at Devonport. This number will be brought up to 800 by December, thus
enabling the Dragon and Myrmidon to be manned as mentioned above.

The first report was dated April 1942 and the 800 or so Navy recruits were
already anxiously being waited for in the UK. The small Polish Navy was in
desperate need of recruits.

Also this is in my Dad's MOD records:

24.3.42 He moved from transport to Palestine by Persia
1.6.42 He was transported to Palestine - assigned to Navy camp
3.7.42 He was transported to England

He got to Palestine very quickly (1st June 1942) and assigned to the Navy camp
and then shipped to UK on 3rd July so this would seem to say that there was a
plan to get the Navy recruits out very quickly.

Of the 1387 men quoted in the book, this would leave approximately 600 Polish
Airforce in the first evacuation. I know less about the Polish Airforce but it
is well documented so might be possible to find out via that way.

Many thanks,
Anna Pacewicz
Sydney

--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, Dan Ford  wrote:
>
> I've never seen that name given to it! Nor do I really recall that
> sailors and airmen were privileged for evacuation. Very interesting. --
> Dan Ford US
>
> On 2/5/2013 8:14 PM, annapacewicz wrote:
> >
> > Dear group, I am trying to find out more information about the
> > evacuation of Polish Airforce and Polish Navy personnel from the USSR on the
24th March 1942 across the Caspian Sea under "Operation Scrivner".

This was one of my first really good books when I started researching my dads
journey.

hania

--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, John Halucha  wrote:
>
> A World Apart, first published in 1951, is as heart-wrenching as anything I
have read about the Polish experience in Soviet slave prisons. It is better
written than many accounts since Gustaw Herling was highly educated and a
professional writer. Old copies are still available at a reasonable price and it
is available for free download in several different formats at
> http://www.archive.org/stream/worldapart007324mbp/worldapart007324mbp_djvu.txt
>
> Herling was imprisoned in a forest slave prison at Yercevo, near Archangel.
His detailed description of prison life there will have special resonance for
anyone with a direct connection to that particular facility, but I imagine the
conditions were pretty much the same all over at that time.
>
> Members who have an interest in the 10th Infantry Division formed in the USSR
might also find his report near the end of the book especially interesting. Some
brief excerpts:
> "My diary ... contains only a detailed itinerary of our route :
Chelyabinsk-Orsk-Orenburg-Aktubinsk-Aralsk-Kyzyl-Orda-Arys-Chymkent-Dzambul-Lugo\
voye. In the first days of February we left Chelyabinsk in a goods truck which
had been provided with two tiers of wooden bunks, two buckets, a sack of flour
and one of barley, and two holes in the floor for our most immediate needs. On
March 9th we were already in Lugovoye.
>
> ...
> "On March 12th, in Lugovoye, I was accepted for the tenth regiment of light
artillery.
> ...
> "The tenth division, containing almost entirely those most recently released
from the camps and therefore the weakest and most undernourished prisoners, was
the first to be evacuated to Persia from Russia. On March 26th my regiment was
transported on a goods train through Dzambul, Arys, Tashkent, Dzizak, Samarkand,
Bukhara, Tchardzhau and Ashkhabad, to Krasnovodsk on the Caspian Sea; on March
30th we embarked on two ships, the Agamali Ogly and the Turkmenistan. The night
of April 2nd, 1942, I spent on the beach at Pahlevi ..."
>
> Herling should have perhaps said "among the first to be evacuated" since the
first ship departed March 24 and he says he left almost a week later. Still,
there is some delicious detail here.
>
> John Halucha
> Sault Ste Marie, Canada
>

Dear group
Please welcome new member Ryszard whose mother's family name was Rytwinski. 
Ryszard's grandfather, Stefan, was imprisoned and his grandmother with two
daughters and a son were deported to Kazakhstan. Ryszard says he has some
photographs and perhaps he will upload them to the KSVM Gallery ?
Kind regards
Helen Bitner
Colchester UK

----- Original Message -----

From: annapacewicz

To: Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 10:51 PM

Subject: Re: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Evacuation from USSR "Operation Scrivener"

 

Thanks for the response. I know that the navy were. For example this is from the National Archives:

War Cabinet - Organisation of allied naval army and air contingents
Twentieth Report 22nd April 1942
Polish Navy
Recruiting—Ships Commissioning and Paying-off.
43. The arrival of the Polish recruits from Russia has been delayed. The present position in so far as the Navy is concerned is that they hope to receive about 750 men in June.

War Cabinet - Organisation of allied naval army and air contingents
Twenty-Second Report 31st October 1942
Polish Navy
Recruiting.
31. Of the recruits recently arrived in this country from Russia via South Africa, 350 have been allocated to the navy and have already commenced their training at Devonport. This number will be brought up to 800 by December, thus enabling the Dragon and Myrmidon to be manned as mentioned above.

The first report was dated April 1942 and the 800 or so Navy recruits were already anxiously being waited for in the UK. The small Polish Navy was in desperate need of recruits.

Also this is in my Dad's MOD records:

24.3.42 He moved from transport to Palestine by Persia
1.6.42 He was transported to Palestine - assigned to Navy camp
3.7.42 He was transported to England

He got to Palestine very quickly (1st June 1942) and assigned to the Navy camp and then shipped to UK on 3rd July so this would seem to say that there was a plan to get the Navy recruits out very quickly.

Of the 1387 men quoted in the book, this would leave approximately 600 Polish Airforce in the first evacuation. I know less about the Polish Airforce but it is well documented so might be possible to find out via that way.

Many thanks,
Anna Pacewicz
Sydney

--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, Dan Ford wrote:
>
> I've never seen that name given to it! Nor do I really recall that
> sailors and airmen were privileged for evacuation. Very interesting. --
> Dan Ford US
>
> On 2/5/2013 8:14 PM, annapacewicz wrote:
> >
> > Dear group, I am trying to find out more information about the
> > evacuation of Polish Airforce and Polish Navy personnel from the USSR on the 24th March 1942 across the Caspian Sea under "Operation Scrivner".

Please welcome Julia to the group. She is at present writing about the
deportation  of Poles  in the Forties and their evacuation to Africa and India
and hopes to interview those who endured these experiences.
Kind regards
Helen Bitner
Colchester UK

Dear Anna

In all of my readings so far I have never come across the use of the term
Operation Scrivener (Scrivner) in relation to the transport by ships of Poles
evacuated from Russia to the UK.

Starting from June 1942 and continuing throughout that year and then well into
the summer of 1943 Polish servicemen and women were shipped to the UK from the
Middle East. Only when shipping was available could those evacuated make their
long way to the UK.

The British, prior to receiving the ships that landed at Pahlevi, would have
made early plans for the organised evacuation of these souls coming from Russia,
say to Tehran for instance.  Perhaps this Operation refers to these British
evacuation plans by land.

Regards
Robert Ostrycharz


--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, "annapacewicz"  wrote:
>
>
> Dear group, I am trying to find out more information about the
> evacuation of Polish Airforce and Polish Navy personnel from the USSR on
> the 24th March 1942 across the Caspian Sea under "Operation Scrivner".
>
> I quote from a book called "Polish Spirit" by Siberak and Polish
> Airforce veteran Wladyslaw Wojcik. He left Krasnovodsk on 24th March,
> arriving Persia 25th March 1942. He says
>
> "Over a period of 11 days beginning 25th March, a total of 43,858 Poles
> were evacuated, the first substantial body of my countrymenn to emerge
> from the within the Soviet Union since the events of September 1939. Of
> these, I was privileged to be on the very first ship out which carried
> virtually all of the 1,387 airmen and sailors ear-marked for onward
> transfer to Great Britain under Operation Scrivener".
>
> He had enlisted at Totsk and from Persia was sent directly to the UK,
> via Bomba and then South Africa.
>
> My father had enlisted in Totsk and volunteered for the Polish Navy. He
> left USSR also on the 24th March 1942, left Palestine on 3rd July and by
> August was in the UK. Similarly another member I have been corresponding
> with - her father was in the Polish Airforce and left USSR on 24th March
> with quick passage onto the UK.
>
> I would love to find out more about this arrangement (the evacuation of
> Polish Airforce and Navy personnel) under "Operation Scrivener". I tried
> to google it but couldn't find anything. I will also try the UK National
> Archives.
>
> If anybody can shed any additional light on this, I would be very
> grateful.
>
> Kind regards, Anna Pacewicz
>
> Sydney
>

Dear Martin

I suspect that I may be entering this conversation rather late.

Rather than only photographs why not include details of the military record of
the serviceman/women whilst in the service of the Polish Armed Forces.
This could be combined with a brief biography of their lives prior to September
1939, and major events in their lives, from their experiences in the Soviet
Union, right up to peace time e.g. marriage, children, occupation, position,
achievements, etc.

Kindest Regards
Robert Ostrycharz


--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, martin stepek  wrote:
>
> Sorry. I hit the send button by mistake. I’ll start afresh.
>
>
>
> Given the fascinating response by members to my idea about a Polish Navy site
I wonder if this is something the executive team at KSVM will now explore. There
may be funding available to pay for the design and creation of a new gallery or
indeed a new site as a new project.
>
>
> I think, crucial to my idea, were these two related aspects:
>
> a) The numbers in the Polish Navy are small. This makes each of the
individuals searchable and findable. Only 4500 by my source, circa 2500-3000 by
Robert’s. The exact number is immaterial. What matters is that this is a
manageable number of individuals. It may even be possible to have the name and
other known details of every single member of the WW2 Polish Navy loaded onto
the site in such a way that people looking for a particular person can find them
by just entering their name in the search tab. This is possible for Naval
personnel because of the small numbers and the existence of a complete list, in
a way that is not practical for the hundreds of thousands of Kresy individuals
or families.
>
> b) Related to this, I think it vital that there is a facility for people to
upload their photos, tag the name of those whose identities they know, and to
have a facility for others to add the names of people they recognise in the
photos others have uploaded. I think it would be magical for members to search
and find photos of their loved ones in this way.
>
>
>
> I am not qualified in I.T. or web design to help in the technical sphere. Nor
do I have the ear of funders who could provide the resources to make this
happen. But I do have a clear vision of what would be most appreciated and
uplifting for the families of the members of Poland’s Navy during WW2. So I
would be delighted to liaise with those who can make it happen, maybe as part of
a sub-committee advising the designers as we did so remarkably well when
exploring via Skype meetings how to create the Virtual Museum.
>
>
>
> Can Stefan, Aneta or anyone else in the leadership team have a think about
this as a formal request for a new project, and reply to the group please?
Particularly relevant is Robert’s statement that around 800 Kresy survivors
joined the navy.
>
>
>
> I am excited about being able to share my father’s navy photos in the hope
that some member of this group, from whatever continent, can one day point at a
hitherto unidentified man in the photos and say “there’s my dad!� This
inspires me even more than the possibility that it might be me saying those
words about someone’s else’s uploaded photos!
>
>
>
> I hope we can make this happen.
>
>
>
> Martin Stepek
>
> Author “For There is Hope�
>
> “The poem is a prayer, not only for Poland, but for all peoples and places
in all times which have known displacement and suffering.� Neal Ascherson,
author of The Struggles for Poland.
>
> Available at Amazon, Waterstones (UK) and direct from the publisher
www.ettadunn.com
>
>
>
> Sent from Windows Mail
>
>
> From: Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: ‎02‎ ‎February‎ ‎2013 ‎06‎:‎23
> To: Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Digest Number 5567
>
>
> Kresy-Siberia Group and Foundation
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups
>
> Kresy-Siberia Group and Foundation  Group
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 15 New Messages
>
> Digest #5567
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 1a
>
> Re: number in the military forces  by "Vincent Geffroy" skydeberg
>
>
>
>
> 1b
>
> Re: number in the military forces  by "Vincent Geffroy" skydeberg
>
>
>
>
> 1c
>
> Re: number in the military forces  by "Robert" helpsln
>
>
>
>
> 1d
>
> Re: number in the military forces  by "annapacewicz" annapacewicz
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 2a
>
> Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview  by skwisniowski
>
>
>
>
> 2b
>
> Re: Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview  by "Mark"
turkiewiczm
>
>
>
>
> 2c
>
> Re: Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview  by "Julian Plowy"
julek2205
>
>
>
>
> 2d
>
> Re: Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview  by "Lenarda
Szymczak" lenardaszymczak
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 3
>
> 1st Polish Armoured Division video online  by "John Halucha" john.halucha
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 4
>
> Fwd: FW: Polish in Siberia  by "John Roy" polishjohn2000
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 5
>
> Hey!  by "Alexandra Copley" alexandra.copley
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 6a
>
> Re: number in the military forces (ORP Orzel)  by "Steve Szewczuk"
stefan.szewczuk
>
>
>
>
> 6b
>
> Re: number in the military forces (ORP Orzel)  by "annapacewicz" annapacewicz
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 7
>
> Re: Polish in Siberia (assistance required)  by "Lenarda Szymczak"
lenardaszymczak
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 8a
>
> Wojtek the Bear  by "ebard55" ebard55
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Messages
>
>
>
> 1a
>
> Re: number in the military forces
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 6:58 am (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Vincent Geffroy" skydeberg
>
> Hi Martin
>
> This is a great idea. My late father, like yours and Anna's, served in the
Polish navy. After signing up in Tockoje (23/9/1941) & serving with the 17th
Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division, he was sent to the UK on 15/8/1942. He
arrived at Kinghorn in Scotland on 1/3/1943 & was also, I believe, in Kirkaldy.
On 22/5/1943 he was transferred to Plymouth for naval training. He served on ORP
"Dragon" from 17/8/1943 & took part in the Normandy Landings, where he was
amongst the lucky survivors when the ship was torpedoed on 8/7/1944. After
recovery he was assigned to ORP "Conrad" & later ORP "Baltyk". In 1946 he served
on ORP "Blyskevica" & was finally discharged from Witley Camp on 13/7/1948.
>
> I also have a few navy photographs & pictures of my father with unnamed naval
"buddies", who other members may recognise. For some years my siblings & I have
wondered who the nameless individuals are. Similarly other members may have
photographs depicting my father, which would be of great interest to me.
>
> Kind Regards
> Karen Geffroy (Nikiel)
> Cape Town
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: martin stepek
> To: kresy
> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:02 AM
> Subject: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Re: number in the military forces
>
> Lucyna
>
> The Polish Navy was very small. Only 4,500. I know this because I have about a
dozen to twenty photos of my father and naval friends and colleagues, most of
whose identities I don’t know. If I get the time I’d like to set up a kind
of “Search for wartime Polish sailors photographs� website. This would allow
families of WW2 Polish Navy personnel to put up their photos and search
others’ to see if they can find previously unknown photos of their relatives.
After all if I have photos of Polish sailors in my possession it suggests that
others will have photos of my father in their possession. Anyone who could help
set this up please get in touch because I have the vision but neither the time
nor the expertise to do it properly.
>
> I wonder if anyone has any stats on the number of Siberiaks who ended up being
transferred to the navy. My Dad joined Anders Army on 10th Feb 1942 at Kermine,
contracted typhus so couldn’t leave with the vast majority of the troops,
eventually left in August 1942, promptly contracted dysentery twice then malaria
so spend from August 42 to January 43 in hospital in Teheran before rejoining
Anders in Basra, Iraq. There he promptly fell ill again. At that point a friend
told him the Navy were recruiting and Dad thought of it as a way to leave the
Middle-East and its tropical diseases. By March he was in Kirkcaldy here in
Scotland training before being transferred to Poland Naval HQ near Plymouth. For
the next two years he served as radar operator on Polish ships in Sicily, Italy
(including pounding around Monte Cassino to distract the enemy from defending it
in greater numbers), D-Day in Normandy and finally Germany itself.
>
> I think his war was quite rare for a Syberiak and would be interested to learn
if there are many - any? - other examples of transferences of survivors of
Siberia spending the war in the navy rather than army or civilian life.
>
> Martin Stepek
> Author, For There is Hope
> “tender and impassioned, it should be on every table where Poland is
discussed and the brave dead remembered� Neal Ascherson
> Available from Amazon, Waterstones or directly from the publishers
www.ettadunn.com
>
> Sent from Windows Mail
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (6)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 1b
>
> Re: number in the military forces
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 7:34 am (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Vincent Geffroy" skydeberg
>
> Hi Anna
>
> I should like to know if the name of my late father, or any of his family,
appears in your book "Polska Marynarka Wojenna". The surnames NIKIEL &
GERCYK/GIERCYK/HERCYK (or similar) would be of interest to me. My father was
Edward Josef NIKIEL.
>
> Kind Regards
> Karen Geffroy (Nikiel)
> Cape Town
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: annapacewicz
> To: Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2013 1:39 PM
> Subject: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Re: number in the military forces
>
> Martin, that is a superb idea. My Dad was also in the Navy (I'm sure we have
corresponded on this previously). He enlisted in Tockoje and by August 1942 was
in UK. He was on Garland also pounding Italy in 1944.
>
> There is some great info on the National Archives under the archives for
Churchill's War Cabinet. It makes reference to 800 men coming from "Russia" (I
can send you this?).
>
> I have been in touch with a Polish Navy historian in the UK who has been
enormously helpful - Wanda Troman - and there is also Martin Hazell from
Plymouth who has just recently organised an exhibition/testimonial history at
the naval museum in Gdansk.
>
> I do have a list of all the names of sailors from the Polish Navy in WW2. They
are listed in the book "Polska Marynarka Wojenna" published in 1947. It is on my
To Do list to scan this book for KSVM.
>
> Anyway I'm sure it is possible to set something up as you propose.
> For example we could start a collection on the KSVM Hall of Memories. There is
a lady in Wollongong NSW I have been meaning to visit all year..: her father
also served on Garland and she has dozens of photos which she will let me scan.
I'm sure I connected with her via Martin Hazell / the Plymouth maritime museum.
I have also found lots of photographs from PISM although apart from very senior
officers there are no names attributed.
>
> What do you think?
>
> We would also like to do a special exhibition or gallery on the Polish Navy in
KSVM but that is grant dependant and a bigger task. Setting up a photograph
gallery would be easier perhaps with a link up to Wall of Names.
>
> Kind regards
> Anna Pacewicz
> Sydney
> (from Edinburgh)
>
> --- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, martin stepek wrote:
> >
> > Lucyna
> >
> >
> >
> > The Polish Navy was very small. Only 4,500. I know this because I have about
a dozen to twenty photos of my father and naval friends and colleagues, most of
whose identities I donâ?Tt know. If I get the time Iâ?Td like to set up a kind
of â?oSearch for wartime Polish sailors photographsâ?� website. This would
allow families of WW2 Polish Navy personnel to put up their photos and search
othersâ?T to see if they can find previously unknown photos of their relatives.
After all if I have photos of Polish sailors in my possession it suggests that
others will have photos of my father in their possession. Anyone who could help
set this up please get in touch because I have the vision but neither the time
nor the expertise to do it properly.
> >
> >
> >
> > I wonder if anyone has any stats on the number of Siberiaks who ended up
being transferred to the navy. My Dad joined Anders Army on 10th Feb 1942 at
Kermine, contracted typhus so couldnâ?Tt leave with the vast majority of the
troops, eventually left in August 1942, promptly contracted dysentery twice then
malaria so spend from August 42 to January 43 in hospital in Teheran before
rejoining Anders in Basra, Iraq. There he promptly fell ill again. At that point
a friend told him the Navy were recruiting and Dad thought of it as a way to
leave the Middle-East and its tropical diseases. By March he was in Kirkcaldy
here in Scotland training before being transferred to Poland Naval HQ near
Plymouth. For the next two years he served as radar operator on Polish ships in
Sicily, Italy (including pounding around Monte Cassino to distract the enemy
from defending it in greater numbers), D-Day in Normandy and finally Germany
itself.
> >
> >
> >
> > I think his war was quite rare for a Syberiak and would be interested to
learn if there are many - any? - other examples of transferences of survivors of
Siberia spending the war in the navy rather than army or civilian life.
> >
> >
> >
> > Martin Stepek
> >
> > Author, For There is Hope
> >
> > â?otender and impassioned, it should be on every table where Poland is
discussed and the brave dead rememberedâ?� Neal Ascherson
> >
> > Available from Amazon, Waterstones or directly from the publishers
www.ettadunn.com
> >
> >
> > Sent from Windows Mail
> >
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (6)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 1c
>
> Re: number in the military forces
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 5:41 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Robert" helpsln
>
> Dear Martin
>
> In response to your question on stats.
>
> By the end of 1942, around 800 men evacuated from Russia were absorbed into
the Polish Navy.
> In addition, say from March 1943 to say July 1943, there would have been
recruits drawn from the Army (presumably some of them ex-Russia) and others that
would have been enlisted into the Polish Navy.(Strength increased by about 300
between March and July 1943).
> Taking the number of ratings as of 1st December 1942 as approx 2,300 - the 800
ex-Russia represent about one-third of this strength.
> A large number of these men served on the cruiser, ORP Dragon.
>
> Best Wishes
> Robert Ostrycharz
>
> --- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, martin stepek wrote:
> >
> > Lucyna
> >
> >
> >
> > The Polish Navy was very small. Only 4,500. I know this because I have about
a dozen to twenty photos of my father and naval friends and colleagues, most of
whose identities I don’t know. If I get the time I’d like to set
up a kind of â€Å"Search for wartime Polish sailors photographsâ€Â�
website. This would allow families of WW2 Polish Navy personnel to put up their
photos and search others’ to see if they can find previously unknown
photos of their relatives. After all if I have photos of Polish sailors in my
possession it suggests that others will have photos of my father in their
possession. Anyone who could help set this up please get in touch because I have
the vision but neither the time nor the expertise to do it properly.
> >
> >
> >
> > I wonder if anyone has any stats on the number of Siberiaks who ended up
being transferred to the navy. My Dad joined Anders Army on 10th Feb 1942 at
Kermine, contracted typhus so couldn’t leave with the vast majority of
the troops, eventually left in August 1942, promptly contracted dysentery twice
then malaria so spend from August 42 to January 43 in hospital in Teheran before
rejoining Anders in Basra, Iraq. There he promptly fell ill again. At that point
a friend told him the Navy were recruiting and Dad thought of it as a way to
leave the Middle-East and its tropical diseases. By March he was in Kirkcaldy
here in Scotland training before being transferred to Poland Naval HQ near
Plymouth. For the next two years he served as radar operator on Polish ships in
Sicily, Italy (including pounding around Monte Cassino to distract the enemy
from defending it in greater numbers), D-Day in Normandy and finally Germany
itself.
> >
> >
> >
> > I think his war was quite rare for a Syberiak and would be interested to
learn if there are many - any? - other examples of transferences of survivors of
Siberia spending the war in the navy rather than army or civilian life.
> >
> >
> >
> > Martin Stepek
> >
> > Author, For There is Hope
> >
> > â€Å"tender and impassioned, it should be on every table where Poland is
discussed and the brave dead remembered� Neal Ascherson
> >
> > Available from Amazon, Waterstones or directly from the publishers
www.ettadunn.com
> >
> >
> > Sent from Windows Mail
> >
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (6)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 1d
>
> Re: number in the military forces
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 7:14 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "annapacewicz" annapacewicz
>
> Hi Karen,
>
> Unfortunately the listing is not alphabeticised... it seems to go by a number
coding for the Polish Navy (maybe by ship?). So it is hard to search but I have
found:
>
> St. Mar. GIERKA Ludwik I I/43-40/42
>
> St. Mar. NIKIEL Edward
>
> I went through the list twice and could not find Josef Nikiel... but as the
list is so laborious to search not being alphabeticized it's possible I missed
it or else your father had a middle name Edward??? Let me know and if it's not
him I will look again :)
>
> Martin I also found St. Mar STEPEK Jan - Is that your father? He is very close
in listing to my father St. Mar PACEWICZ Wladyslaw. This seems to be under a
general heading "Medal morski za - rzetelna sluzbe na morzu (z jednym okuciem)".
>
> Kind regards, Anna
>
> --- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, "Vincent Geffroy" wrote:
> >
> > Hi Anna
> >
> > I should like to know if the name of my late father, or any of his family,
appears in your book "Polska Marynarka Wojenna". The surnames NIKIEL &
GERCYK/GIERCYK/HERCYK (or similar) would be of interest to me. My father was
Edward Josef NIKIEL.
> >
> > Kind Regards
> > Karen Geffroy (Nikiel)
> > Cape Town
> >
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (6)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 2a
>
> Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 7:45 am (PST) . Posted by:
>
> skwisniowski
>
> Dear Group members, For some time now, we have felt the need for
> a strong English language section in our group's Kresy-Siberia
> Virtual Museum website. So I am especially pleased to announce
> the launch of the "English Galleries Overview" at
> www.kresy-siberia.org http://www.kresy-siberia.org/> . We very
> much hope that this new section will help us to share our history
> with an English speaking audience around the world.
>
> This new section takes us on a multi-media journey through our
> online museum's 29 Exhibition Rooms, grouped into 9 thematic
> Galleries. It weaves a tapestry of narratives that blend personal
> testimony with historical context to tell the World War II story
> of the citizens of Poland’s eastern “Kresy�
> borderlands. The overviews explore what life was like for people
> in the Kresy before the War, their fight for survival and freedom
> during the War - both in the Kresy under Soviet and Nazi German
> occupation and in forced exile, as military and civilians
> dispersed around the world - and finally their fates after the
> War.
> The Exhibition Rooms are introduced by 9 Polish characters, whose
> identities are fictional but are based on a composite of real
> persons. Accompanying each character's narrative story is a
> selection of photographs, documents, maps, testimonies and
> historical facts. You will recognise many of the photographs from
> our members' collections in the "Hall of Memories" at
> www.kresy-siberia.org/hom http://www.kresy-siberia.org/hom> . If
> any of the captions are missing the source name to your family
> collection, please be assured that we are working on completing
> this. Some of the exhibition rooms are also still to be completed
> and we plan to finish this work very soon.
>
> The English Galleries Overview project was led by group member
> Anna Pacewicz (Australia) with the support of Aneta Hoffmann
> (Poland) and Krystyna Szypowska (Canada). Many other
> Kresy-Siberia group members contributed their precious time,
> energy and knowledge. The specific contributions of each
> volunteer will be acknowledged on the website but, in the
> meantime, please let me thank Barbara Charuba, Alexandra Copley,
> Paul Digget, Eva and Greg Dryanski, Irena Lowe, Mark Ostrowski,
> Julian Plowy, Krystyna Tomaszczyk and Janusz Tydda. The
> outstanding graphics and website development work were done by IT
> firm Momint in Poland.
> The project was funded by a $51,000 grant from the Ministry of
> Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and by $14,000 from
> funds contributed by by Polonia associations and by Kresy-Siberia
> group members as annual subscriptions and donations.
> Please do visit the exhibition at www.kresy-siberia.org
> http://www.kresy-siberia.org/> Kind
> regards,_________________________________________________________\
> _______________________________________________ Stefan
> WiśniowskiKresy-Siberia Foundation
> PresidentStefan.Wisniowski@...
> KRESY-SIBERIA www.Kresy-Siberia.org
> http://www.Kresy-Siberia.org> Dedicated to research, remembrance
> and recognition of Poland's citizens' struggles for freedom and
> survival in the Eastern Borderlands and in forced exile during
> World War II
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation. Registered in Warsaw (KRS 0000326445)
> and around the world. [Poland] Fundacja Kresy-Syberia
> (Poland), ul Krakowskie Przedmieście 64/31, 00-322 Warszawa
> Poland ~ T +48 22 556 9055 ~ Fundacja@...
> Fundacja@...> [Australia] Kresy-Siberia
> (Australia), 3 Castle Circuit Close, Seaforth, NSW 2092 Australia
> ~ T +61 4 1186 4873 ~ Australia@...
> Australia@...> [Canada] Kresy-Siberia
> (Canada), 362 Whitegates Cr., Winnipeg, MB R3K 1L8 Canada ~ T +1
> 204 837 3199 ~ Canada@...
> Canada@...> Kresy-Siberia (New Zealand),
> 48 Arawa Street, New Lynn, Auckland 0060 New Zealand ~ T +64 9
> 826 4357 ~ NZ@... NZ@...>
> Kresy-Siberia (South Africa), P O Box 389, Paulshof 2056 South
> Africa ~ T +27 824 531 383 ~ SouthAfrica@...
> SouthAfrica@...> [UK] Kresy-Siberia (UK),
> 7 Barnstead Ave, Withington Manchester M20 4UL UK ~ T +44 161 445
> 6904 ~ UK@... UK@...> [USA]
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation (USA), 6501 Lansing Ave, Cleveland, OH
> 44105 USA ~ T +1 330 666 7251 ~ USA@...
> USA@...>
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (4)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 2b
>
> Re: Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 7:59 am (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Mark" turkiewiczm
>
> This is great Stefan, congratulations and thanks!
>
> Mark T.
> Canada
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: "stefan.wisniowski@..." stefan.wisniowski@...>
> To: Kresy-Siberia Group kresy-siberia@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, February 1, 2013 10:44:58 AM
> Subject: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries
Overview
>
>
>
>
> Dear Group members,
>
> For some time now, we have felt the need for a strong English language section
in our group's Kresy-Siberia Virtual Museum website. So I am especially pleased
to announce the launch of the "English Galleries Overview" at
http://www.kresy-siberia.org/. We very much hope that this new section will help
us to share our history with an English speaking audience around the world.
> This new section takes us on a multi-media journey through our online museum's
29 Exhibition Rooms, grouped into 9 thematic Galleries. It weaves a tapestry of
narratives that blend personal testimony with historical context to tell the
World War II story of the citizens of Poland’s eastern
â€Å"Kresy� borderlands. The overviews explore what life was like for
people in the Kresy before the War, their fight for survival and freedom during
the War - both in the Kresy under Soviet and Nazi German occupation and in
forced exile, as military and civilians dispersed around the world - and finally
their fates after the War.
> The Exhibition Rooms are introduced by 9 Polish characters, whose identities
are fictional but are based on a composite of real persons. Accompanying each
character's narrative story is a selection of photographs, documents, maps,
testimonies and historical facts. You will recognise many of the photographs
from our members' collections in the "Hall of Memories" at
www.kresy-siberia.org/hom. If any of the captions are missing the source name to
your family collection, please be assured that we are working on completing
this. Some of the exhibition rooms are also still to be completed and we plan to
finish this work very soon.
> The English Galleries Overview project was led by group member Anna Pacewicz
(Australia) with the support of Aneta Hoffmann (Poland) and Krystyna Szypowska
(Canada). Many other Kresy-Siberia group members contributed their precious
time, energy and knowledge. The specific contributions of each volunteer will be
acknowledged on the website but, in the meantime, please let me thank Barbara
Charuba, Alexandra Copley, Paul Digget, Eva and Greg Dryanski, Irena Lowe, Mark
Ostrowski, Julian Plowy, Krystyna Tomaszczyk and Janusz Tydda. The outstanding
graphics and website development work were done by IT firm Momint in Poland.
>
> The project was funded by a $51,000 grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Poland and by $14,000 from funds contributed by by Polonia
associations and by Kresy-Siberia group members as annual subscriptions and
donations.
>
> Please do visit the exhibition at http://www.kresy-siberia.org/
>
> Kind regards,
> __________________________________________________________ Stefan
Wiśniowski
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation President
> Stefan.Wisniowski@...
>
> KRESY-SIBERIA
>                        http://www.kresy-siberia.org/
> Dedicated to research, remembrance and recognition of Poland's citizens'
struggles for freedom and survival in the Eastern Borderlands and in forced
exile during World War II
>
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation. Registered in Warsaw (KRS 0000326445) and around the
world.
>
> Fundacja Kresy-Syberia (Poland), ul Krakowskie Przedmieście 64/31, 00-322
Warszawa Poland ~ T +4822 556 9055 ~ Fundacja@...
> Kresy-Siberia (Australia), 3 Castle Circuit Close, Seaforth,NSW 2092 Australia
~ T +61 4 1186 4873 ~ Australia@...
> Kresy-Siberia (Canada), 362 Whitegates Cr., Winnipeg, MB  R3K 1L8 Canada ~ T
+1 204 837 3199~ Canada@...
> Kresy-Siberia (New Zealand), 48 Arawa Street, New Lynn, Auckland 0060 New
Zealand~ T +64 9 826 4357~ NZ@...
> Kresy-Siberia (South Africa), P O Box 389, Paulshof 2056 South Africa ~ T +27
824 531 383~ SouthAfrica@...
> Kresy-Siberia (UK), 7 Barnstead Ave, Withington Manchester M20 4UL UK ~ T +44
161 445 6904~ UK@...
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation (USA), 6501 Lansing Ave, Cleveland, OH 44105 USA ~ T
+1 330 666 7251~ USA@...
>
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (4)    .  Top^
>
>
>
>
> 2c
>
> Re: Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 10:49 am (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Julian Plowy" julek2205
>
> Great work!
>
> Thank you for opening the Colonia Santa Rosa Mexico part of the Virtual
> Museum.
>
> I have one suggestion for all of the sections and that is for the hearing
> impaired the English commentary presented at the opening could also include
> typed words scrolling across the bottom of the screen.
>
> Thank you for all who have labored so hard last year.
>
> Julek
>
> On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 7:59 AM, Mark turkiewiczm@...> wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > This is great Stefan, congratulations and thanks!
> >
> > Mark T.
> > Canada
> > *From:* "stefan.wisniowski@..." <
> > stefan.wisniowski@...>
> > *To:* Kresy-Siberia Group kresy-siberia@yahoogroups.com>
> > *Sent:* Friday, February 1, 2013 10:44:58 AM
> > *Subject:* [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Kresy-Siberia launches new English
> > Galleries Overview
> > **
> >
> > Dear Group members,
> >
> > For some time now, we have felt the need for a strong English language
> > section in our group's Kresy-Siberia Virtual Museum website. So I am
> > especially pleased to announce the launch of the "English Galleries
> > Overview" at http://www.kresy-siberia.org/. We very much hope that this
> > new section will help us to share our history with an English speaking
> > audience around the world.****
> > This new section takes us on a multi-media journey through our online
> > museum's 29 Exhibition Rooms*, *grouped into 9 thematic Galleries. It
> > weaves a tapestry of narratives that blend personal testimony with
> > historical context to tell the World War II story of the citizens of
Poland’s
> > eastern â€Å"Kresy� borderlands. The overviews explore what life
was like
> > for people in the Kresy before the War, their fight for survival and
> > freedom during the War - both in the Kresy under Soviet and Nazi German
> > occupation and in forced exile, as military and civilians dispersed
> > around the world - and finally their fates after the War.
> > **
> > The Exhibition Rooms are introduced by 9 Polish characters, whose
> > identities are fictional but are based on a composite of real persons.
> > Accompanying each character's narrative story is a selection of
> > photographs, documents, maps, testimonies and historical facts. You will
> > recognise many of the photographs from our members' collections in the
> > "Hall of Memories" at www.kresy-siberia.org/hom. If any of the captions
> > are missing the source name to your family collection, please be assured
> > that we are working on completing this. Some of the exhibition rooms are
> > also still to be completed and we plan to finish this work very soon.**
> > **
> > The English Galleries Overview project was led by group member Anna
> > Pacewicz (Australia) with the support of Aneta Hoffmann (Poland) and
> > Krystyna Szypowska (Canada). Many other Kresy-Siberia group members
> > contributed their precious time, energy and knowledge. The specific
> > contributions of each volunteer will be acknowledged on the website but, in
> > the meantime, please let me thank Barbara Charuba, Alexandra Copley, Paul
> > Digget, Eva and Greg Dryanski, Irena Lowe, Mark Ostrowski, Julian Plowy,
> > Krystyna Tomaszczyk and Janusz Tydda. The outstanding graphics and website
> > development work were done by IT firm Momint in Poland.
> >
> > The project was funded by a $51,000 grant from the Ministry of Foreign
> > Affairs of the Republic of Poland and by $14,000 from funds contributed by
by
> > Polonia associations and by Kresy-Siberia group members as annual
> > subscriptions and donations.
> >
> > Please do visit the exhibition at http://www.kresy-siberia.org/
> >
> > Kind regards,
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> > Stefan Wiśniowski
> > Kresy-Siberia Foundation President
> > Stefan.Wisniowski@...
> >
> > KRESY-SIBERIA
> > http://www.kresy-siberia.org/
> > Dedicated to research, remembrance and recognition of Poland's citizens'
> > struggles for freedom and survival in the Eastern Borderlands and in forced
> > exile during World War II
> > *
> > *
> > *Kresy-Siberia Foundation. Registered in Warsaw (KRS 0000326445) and
> > around the world.*
> >
> > [image: Poland] Fundacja Kresy-Syberia (Poland), ul Krakowskie
> > Przedmieście 64/31, 00-322 Warszawa Poland ~ T +48* *22 556 9055 ~
> > Fundacja@...
> > [image: Australia] Kresy-Siberia (Australia), 3 Castle Circuit Close,
> > Seaforth, NSW 2092 Australia ~ T +61 4 1186 4873 ~
> > Australia@...
> > [image: Canada] Kresy-Siberia (Canada), 362 Whitegates Cr., Winnipeg, MB
> > R3K 1L8 Canada ~ T +1 204 837 3199 ~ Canada@...
> > Kresy-Siberia (New Zealand), 48 Arawa Street, New Lynn, Auckland 0060
> > New Zealand ~ T +64 9 826 4357 ~ NZ@...
> > Kresy-Siberia (South Africa), P O Box 389, Paulshof 2056 South Africa ~ T
> > +27 824 531 383 ~ SouthAfrica@...
> > [image: UK] Kresy-Siberia (UK), 7 Barnstead Ave, Withington Manchester
> > M20 4UL UK ~ T +44 161 445 6904 ~ UK@...
> > [image: USA] Kresy-Siberia Foundation (USA), 6501 Lansing Ave, Cleveland,
> > OH 44105 USA ~ T +1 330 666 7251 ~ USA@...
> >
> >
> >
> > ****
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (4)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 2d
>
> Re: Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries Overview
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 12:00 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Lenarda Szymczak" lenardaszymczak
>
> Congratulations again, to all members working on this amazing project.
>
> I found the site yesterday and left a well done and a suggestion regarding my
family.
>
> Regards
>
> Lenarda, Australia
>
> From: Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of stefan.wisniowski@...
> Sent: Saturday, 02 February, 2013 2:45 AM
> To: Kresy-Siberia Group
> Subject: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Kresy-Siberia launches new English Galleries
Overview
> Importance: High
>
> Dear Group members,
>
> For some time now, we have felt the need for a strong English language section
in our group's Kresy-Siberia Virtual Museum website. So I am especially pleased
to announce the launch of the "English Galleries Overview" at
www.kresy-siberia.org http://www.kresy-siberia.org/> . We very much hope that
this new section will help us to share our history with an English speaking
audience around the world.
>
> This new section takes us on a multi-media journey through our online museum's
29 Exhibition Rooms, grouped into 9 thematic Galleries. It weaves a tapestry of
narratives that blend personal testimony with historical context to tell the
World War II story of the citizens of Poland’s eastern “Kresy�
borderlands. The overviews explore what life was like for people in the Kresy
before the War, their fight for survival and freedom during the War - both in
the Kresy under Soviet and Nazi German occupation and in forced exile, as
military and civilians dispersed around the world - and finally their fates
after the War.
>
> The Exhibition Rooms are introduced by 9 Polish characters, whose identities
are fictional but are based on a composite of real persons. Accompanying each
character's narrative story is a selection of photographs, documents, maps,
testimonies and historical facts. You will recognise many of the photographs
from our members' collections in the "Hall of Memories" at
www.kresy-siberia.org/hom. If any of the captions are missing the source name to
your family collection, please be assured that we are working on completing
this. Some of the exhibition rooms are also still to be completed and we plan to
finish this work very soon.
>
> The English Galleries Overview project was led by group member Anna Pacewicz
(Australia) with the support of Aneta Hoffmann (Poland) and Krystyna Szypowska
(Canada). Many other Kresy-Siberia group members contributed their precious
time, energy and knowledge. The specific contributions of each volunteer will be
acknowledged on the website but, in the meantime, please let me thank Barbara
Charuba, Alexandra Copley, Paul Digget, Eva and Greg Dryanski, Irena Lowe, Mark
Ostrowski, Julian Plowy, Krystyna Tomaszczyk and Janusz Tydda. The outstanding
graphics and website development work were done by IT firm Momint in Poland.
>
> The project was funded by a $51,000 grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Poland and by $14,000 from funds contributed by by Polonia
associations and by Kresy-Siberia group members as annual subscriptions and
donations.
>
> Please do visit the exhibition at www.kresy-siberia.org
http://www.kresy-siberia.org/>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> __________________________________________________________
>
> Stefan Wiśniowski
>
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation President
>
> Stefan.Wisniowski@...
>
> KRESY-SIBERIA
>
> www.Kresy-Siberia.org
>
> Dedicated to research, remembrance and recognition of Poland's citizens'
struggles for freedom and survival in the Eastern Borderlands and in forced
exile during World War II
>
> Kresy-Siberia Foundation. Registered in Warsaw (KRS 0000326445) and around the
world.
>
> PolandFundacja Kresy-Syberia (Poland), ul Krakowskie Przedmieście 64/31,
00-322 Warszawa Poland ~ T +48 22 556 9055 ~ Fundacja@...
>
> AustraliaKresy-Siberia (Australia), 3 Castle Circuit Close, Seaforth, NSW 2092
Australia ~ T +61 4 1186 4873 ~ Australia@...
>
> CanadaKresy-Siberia (Canada), 362 Whitegates Cr., Winnipeg, MB R3K 1L8 Canada
~ T +1 204 837 3199 ~ Canada@...
>
> Kresy-Siberia (New Zealand), 48 Arawa Street, New Lynn, Auckland 0060 New
Zealand ~ T +64 9 826 4357 ~ NZ@...
>
> Kresy-Siberia (South Africa), P O Box 389, Paulshof 2056 South Africa ~ T +27
824 531 383 ~ SouthAfrica@...
>
> UKKresy-Siberia (UK), 7 Barnstead Ave, Withington Manchester M20 4UL UK ~ T
+44 161 445 6904 ~ UK@...
>
> USAKresy-Siberia Foundation (USA), 6501 Lansing Ave, Cleveland, OH 44105 USA ~
T +1 330 666 7251 ~ USA@...
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
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>
>
>
>
> 3
>
> 1st Polish Armoured Division video online
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 12:44 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "John Halucha" john.halucha
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9vw5UvypUg
>
> Although this was published in 1988, I had never seen it before being told
that it was available on YouTube. It is entirely in Polish, but even if you
don't understand a word the many video scenes are superb.
> A bonus is footage from Toronto in 1987. I didn't recognize anyone I know, and
would be delighted to hear that someone here did.
>
> John Halucha
> Sault Ste Marie, Canada
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (1)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 4
>
> Fwd: FW: Polish in Siberia
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 4:18 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "John Roy" polishjohn2000
>
> Can any one help please
> --
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (1)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 5
>
> Hey!
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 5:57 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Alexandra Copley" alexandra.copley
>
> http://www.biopolynov.com/components/com_content/YaID5231.php
>
> .....
> Alexandra Copley
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (1)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 6a
>
> Re: number in the military forces (ORP Orzel)
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 7:48 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Steve Szewczuk" stefan.szewczuk
>
> I know a chap in Cape Town, Nigel Gwynne-Evans, whose maternal grandfather is
Polish and was a crew member of the Polish submarine ORP Orzel (Eagle).
>
> If I recall correctly, Nigel's grandfather was on the actual journey from
Estonia to Scotland, known as the Orzel incident, that made ORP Orzel a legend.
ORP Orzel is probably the only submarine to have been honoured by monuments
erected in two foreign countries.ORP Orzel's ultimate fate still remains
unknown.
>
> Much has been written about ORP Orzel and one of the sites that provides a
relatively comprehensive history in English about the Polish Submarine Orzel is:
> http://crolick.website.pl/orporzel/
>
> There is a Polish website dedicated to ORP Orzel www.orzel.one.pl but does
have an English and German translate page
>
> The Orzel Incident (version from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORP_Orze%C5%82_(1938)
>
> At the beginning of the invasion of Poland Orzel had been deployed on patrol
in a designated strategic zone of the Baltic Sea. Due to the German invasion,
Orzel was unable to return to the Polish naval bases at Hel near the major port
city of Gdynia.
> Orzel's crew decided to head to Tallinn, Estonia as a result of an
unidentified illness from which their captain, Lieutenant-Commander Henryk
Kloczkowski, had been suffering since September 8. ORP Orzel reached Tallinn on
14 September 1939 and on 15 September the captain was forced to leave the
submarine to undergo hospital treatment. Under the Hague Convention of 1907,
section XIII, Article 12, "belligerent ships" could enter a neutral port but
were forbidden from remaining there for "more than twenty-four hours." At the
insistence of Germany, the Estonian military authorities boarded the ship,
interned the crew, confiscated all the navigation aids and maps, and commenced
removing all her armaments. However, only fifteen of her twenty torpedoes were
removed before the hoist cable parted; this was because it had been secretly
sabotaged by her new commander, former chief officer, Lieutenant Jan Grudzinski.
> The crew of Orzel conspired together to carry out a daring escape. Around
midnight on 18 September, the submarine's Estonian guards were overpowered, the
mooring lines were cut, and Orzel got under way. The alarm was raised, and her
conning tower was peppered by machine-gun fire. Running half-submerged, Orzel
ran aground on a bar at the harbour mouth, where artillery fire damaged her
wireless equipment. Grudzinski managed to get the boat off the bar by blowing
her tanks, and she proceeded out of the Gulf of Finland, intending to sail for a
British port, the crew having heard a radio report that the Polish submarine
Wilk had been welcomed in Britain.
> Orzel escaped from Tallinn with two Estonian guards on board as hostages. The
Estonian and German press covering the Orzel incident declared the two captured
guards missing at sea. Grudzinski set them ashore in Sweden, providing them with
clothing, money, and food for their safe return to homeland. The Polish crew
believed that those returning from the underworld "deserve to travel first class
only". The escape of the submarine Orzel was used by the Soviet Union and
Germany to challenge Estonian neutrality.
> Since Orzel's navigational charts had all been removed by the Estonian
authorities, Captain Grudzinski resolved to stop a German ship and take her
charts. However, the only German vessels encountered were warships rather than
merchantmen. The submarine's sole remaining navigational aid was a list of
lighthouses, and using these as a reference, Orzel followed a course along the
Baltic coast, around Denmark, and out into the North Sea where she came under
attack by British as well as German forces, since without her wireless equipment
she had no means of identifying herself.
> Forty days after she had originally sailed from Gdynia, Orzel made landfall,
off the east coast of Scotland. She lay on the bottom until emergency repairs
were made to the radio, then surfaced to transmit a message in English. A Royal
Navy destroyer then came out and escorted her into port, much to the surprise of
the British who had thought her long since sunk.
> Orzel sank no enemy vessels during her journey from Estonia to Britain,
although Soviet authorities blamed her for sinking the Soviet tanker Metallist
in Narva Bay on 26 September, the incident being used as a pretext for the
Soviet invasion of the Baltic states
>
> Regards
> Stefan Szewczuk
> Johannesburg
> South Africa
>
> >>> On 31/01/2013 at 11:02, in message
DUB402-EAS633892B1458288F50E8808E31D0@...>, martin stepek mstepek@...> wrote:
>
> Lucyna
>
> The Polish Navy was very small. Only 4,500. I know this because I have about a
dozen to twenty photos of my father and naval friends and colleagues, most of
whose identities I don't know. If I get the time I'd like to set up a kind of
"Search for wartime Polish sailors photographs" website. This would allow
families of WW2 Polish Navy personnel to put up their photos and search others'
to see if they can find previously unknown photos of their relatives. After all
if I have photos of Polish sailors in my possession it suggests that others will
have photos of my father in their possession. Anyone who could help set this up
please get in touch because I have the vision but neither the time nor the
expertise to do it properly.
>
> I wonder if anyone has any stats on the number of Siberiaks who ended up being
transferred to the navy. My Dad joined Anders Army on 10th Feb 1942 at Kermine,
contracted typhus so couldn't leave with the vast majority of the troops,
eventually left in August 1942, promptly contracted dysentery twice then malaria
so spend from August 42 to January 43 in hospital in Teheran before rejoining
Anders in Basra, Iraq. There he promptly fell ill again. At that point a friend
told him the Navy were recruiting and Dad thought of it as a way to leave the
Middle-East and its tropical diseases. By March he was in Kirkcaldy here in
Scotland training before being transferred to Poland Naval HQ near Plymouth. For
the next two years he served as radar operator on Polish ships in Sicily, Italy
(including pounding around Monte Cassino to distract the enemy from defending it
in greater numbers), D-Day in Normandy and finally Germany itself.
>
> I think his war was quite rare for a Syberiak and would be interested to learn
if there are many - any? - other examples of transferences of survivors of
Siberia spending the war in the navy rather than army or civilian life.
>
> Martin Stepek
> Author, For There is Hope
> "tender and impassioned, it should be on every table where Poland is discussed
and the brave dead remembered" Neal Ascherson
> Available from Amazon, Waterstones or directly from the publishers
www.ettadunn.com
>
> Sent from Windows Mail
>
> --
> This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail
legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard.
> The full disclaimer details can be found at
http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html.
>
> This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by
MailScanner,
> and is believed to be clean.
>
> Please consider the environment before printing this email.
> --
> This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail
legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard.
> The full disclaimer details can be found at
http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html.
>
> This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by
MailScanner,
> and is believed to be clean.
>
> Please consider the environment before printing this email.
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (3)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 6b
>
> Re: number in the military forces (ORP Orzel)
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 8:45 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "annapacewicz" annapacewicz
>
> Dear Stefan,
>
> If possible it would be great to have Nigel connect with me as we are planning
some work on the Polish Navy for Kresy-Sibiera.
>
> The story of Orzel is amazing and I'm so glad you brought it to the group's
attention. Churchill called it "epic" and it's a wonderful example of Poland's
fighting spirit and the tenacity and bravery of her forces.
>
> I also love the story of the Captain from ORP Piorun who engaged the legendary
German battleship Bismark for 45 minutes until the Royal Navy battleships
arrived. Even though Piorun was much smaller then Bismark she held her ground
until reinforcements arrived. Upon firing on Bismark the Captain, Eugeniusz
Plawski, transmitted the Bismark a message "I am a Pole!"
>
> Anyway thanks again for the Orzel information - I never tire of reading the
heroic story.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Anna Pacewicz
> Sydney
>
> --- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Szewczuk" wrote:
> >
> > I know a chap in Cape Town, Nigel Gwynne-Evans, whose maternal grandfather
is Polish and was a crew member of the Polish submarine ORP Orzel (Eagle).
> >
> > If I recall correctly, Nigel's grandfather was on the actual journey from
Estonia to Scotland, known as the Orzel incident, that made ORP Orzel a legend.
ORP Orzel is probably the only submarine to have been honoured by monuments
erected in two foreign countries.ORP Orzel's ultimate fate still remains
unknown.
> >
> > Much has been written about ORP Orzel and one of the sites that provides a
relatively comprehensive history in English about the Polish Submarine Orzel is:
> > http://crolick.website.pl/orporzel/
> >
> > There is a Polish website dedicated to ORP Orzel www.orzel.one.pl but does
have an English and German translate page
> >
> > The Orzel Incident (version from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORP_Orze%C5%82_(1938)
> >
> > At the beginning of the invasion of Poland Orzel had been deployed on patrol
in a designated strategic zone of the Baltic Sea. Due to the German invasion,
Orzel was unable to return to the Polish naval bases at Hel near the major port
city of Gdynia.
> > Orzel's crew decided to head to Tallinn, Estonia as a result of an
unidentified illness from which their captain, Lieutenant-Commander Henryk
Kloczkowski, had been suffering since September 8. ORP Orzel reached Tallinn on
14 September 1939 and on 15 September the captain was forced to leave the
submarine to undergo hospital treatment. Under the Hague Convention of 1907,
section XIII, Article 12, "belligerent ships" could enter a neutral port but
were forbidden from remaining there for "more than twenty-four hours." At the
insistence of Germany, the Estonian military authorities boarded the ship,
interned the crew, confiscated all the navigation aids and maps, and commenced
removing all her armaments. However, only fifteen of her twenty torpedoes were
removed before the hoist cable parted; this was because it had been secretly
sabotaged by her new commander, former chief officer, Lieutenant Jan Grudzinski.
> > The crew of Orzel conspired together to carry out a daring escape. Around
midnight on 18 September, the submarine's Estonian guards were overpowered, the
mooring lines were cut, and Orzel got under way. The alarm was raised, and her
conning tower was peppered by machine-gun fire. Running half-submerged, Orzel
ran aground on a bar at the harbour mouth, where artillery fire damaged her
wireless equipment. Grudzinski managed to get the boat off the bar by blowing
her tanks, and she proceeded out of the Gulf of Finland, intending to sail for a
British port, the crew having heard a radio report that the Polish submarine
Wilk had been welcomed in Britain.
> > Orzel escaped from Tallinn with two Estonian guards on board as hostages.
The Estonian and German press covering the Orzel incident declared the two
captured guards missing at sea. Grudzinski set them ashore in Sweden, providing
them with clothing, money, and food for their safe return to homeland. The
Polish crew believed that those returning from the underworld "deserve to travel
first class only". The escape of the submarine Orzel was used by the Soviet
Union and Germany to challenge Estonian neutrality.
> > Since Orzel's navigational charts had all been removed by the Estonian
authorities, Captain Grudzinski resolved to stop a German ship and take her
charts. However, the only German vessels encountered were warships rather than
merchantmen. The submarine's sole remaining navigational aid was a list of
lighthouses, and using these as a reference, Orzel followed a course along the
Baltic coast, around Denmark, and out into the North Sea where she came under
attack by British as well as German forces, since without her wireless equipment
she had no means of identifying herself.
> > Forty days after she had originally sailed from Gdynia, Orzel made landfall,
off the east coast of Scotland. She lay on the bottom until emergency repairs
were made to the radio, then surfaced to transmit a message in English. A Royal
Navy destroyer then came out and escorted her into port, much to the surprise of
the British who had thought her long since sunk.
> > Orzel sank no enemy vessels during her journey from Estonia to Britain,
although Soviet authorities blamed her for sinking the Soviet tanker Metallist
in Narva Bay on 26 September, the incident being used as a pretext for the
Soviet invasion of the Baltic states
> >
> > Regards
> > Stefan Szewczuk
> > Johannesburg
> > South Africa
> >
> > >>> On 31/01/2013 at 11:02, in message , martin stepek wrote:
> >
> >
> > Lucyna
> >
> > The Polish Navy was very small. Only 4,500. I know this because I have about
a dozen to twenty photos of my father and naval friends and colleagues, most of
whose identities I don't know. If I get the time I'd like to set up a kind of
"Search for wartime Polish sailors photographs" website. This would allow
families of WW2 Polish Navy personnel to put up their photos and search others'
to see if they can find previously unknown photos of their relatives. After all
if I have photos of Polish sailors in my possession it suggests that others will
have photos of my father in their possession. Anyone who could help set this up
please get in touch because I have the vision but neither the time nor the
expertise to do it properly.
> >
> > I wonder if anyone has any stats on the number of Siberiaks who ended up
being transferred to the navy. My Dad joined Anders Army on 10th Feb 1942 at
Kermine, contracted typhus so couldn't leave with the vast majority of the
troops, eventually left in August 1942, promptly contracted dysentery twice then
malaria so spend from August 42 to January 43 in hospital in Teheran before
rejoining Anders in Basra, Iraq. There he promptly fell ill again. At that point
a friend told him the Navy were recruiting and Dad thought of it as a way to
leave the Middle-East and its tropical diseases. By March he was in Kirkcaldy
here in Scotland training before being transferred to Poland Naval HQ near
Plymouth. For the next two years he served as radar operator on Polish ships in
Sicily, Italy (including pounding around Monte Cassino to distract the enemy
from defending it in greater numbers), D-Day in Normandy and finally Germany
itself.
> >
> > I think his war was quite rare for a Syberiak and would be interested to
learn if there are many - any? - other examples of transferences of survivors of
Siberia spending the war in the navy rather than army or civilian life.
> >
> > Martin Stepek
> > Author, For There is Hope
> > "tender and impassioned, it should be on every table where Poland is
discussed and the brave dead remembered" Neal Ascherson
> > Available from Amazon, Waterstones or directly from the publishers
www.ettadunn.com
> >
> > Sent from Windows Mail
> >
> >
> > --
> > This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail
legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard.
> > The full disclaimer details can be found at
http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html.
> >
> > This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by
MailScanner,
> > and is believed to be clean.
> >
> > Please consider the environment before printing this email.
> > --
> > This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail
legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard.
> > The full disclaimer details can be found at
http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html.
> >
> > This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by
MailScanner,
> > and is believed to be clean.
> >
> > Please consider the environment before printing this email.
> >
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (3)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 7
>
> Re: Polish in Siberia (assistance required)
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 9:49 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "Lenarda Szymczak" lenardaszymczak
>
> Hello New Zealand members, is there anyone able to assist a fellow Kiwi, who
> does not speak Polish or other members around the Globe with more expertise,
> as this is out of my field . forgive my silliness, is Richard a member of
> group and is Richard Zajkowski assisting and if not could Helen, Elzunia
> or Krystyna assist please.
>
> Regards,
>
> Lenarda,Sydney, Australia (across the ditch from N.Z.)
>
> From: Richard Zajkowski [mailto:richard@...]
> Sent: Friday, 01 February, 2013 8:42 AM
> To: polish@...
> Subject: FW: Polish in Siberia
>
> Hi there,
>
> I am not sure whether it helps, but I have additional information that may
> be useful in tracking down the Siberia information.
>
> My Dad came from a village called Lazy, somewhere near Bialystok I believe.
>
> The family members deported included;
>
> Josef Zajkowski (father)
>
> Marianna Zajkowski (mother)
>
> Fabian Zajkowski (half brother)
>
> Eugeniusz Zajkowski (my Dad)
>
> Another brother
>
> A sister
>
> A baby
>
> Baby and sister died in Siberia
>
> Other brother died in either Siberia or on way to Iran
>
> Marianna (mother) died and buried in Teheran
>
> Jozef and Fabian joined Dad in Wellington after the war, having fought in
> North Africa, Monte Cassino etc
>
> Hope this is useful, and I appreciate what you are doing to help me find
> information.
>
> If it makes it any easier, I am more than happy to liaise directly with
> people that may have information, however I do not speak Polish language
> (or anything other than English) myself so may be somewhat limited by that.
>
> Cheers
>
> Richard
>
> From: John Roy [mailto:polish@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, 29 January 2013 8:36 p.m.
> To: Richard Zajkowski
> Subject: Re: Polish in Siberia
>
> I have transmitted your letter to Kresy-Siberia group I am sure we can help
> you
>
> On 29/01/2013 10:45 a.m., Richard Zajkowski wrote:
>
> Hi there,
>
> I am hoping you can help me obtain some information.
>
> I am trying to organise a trip for my father, who was one of the Pahiatua
> children, back to Poland, Siberia and Iran. He is now 80 and wishes to
> travel back there before his health will no longer allow such a trip.
>
> I have been able to find his village in Poland as my sister has already
> located the village and travelled there, and I have been able to locate the
> cemetery of his mother in Teheran, as his friend travelled back there some
> years ago and took a photograph of my grandmother's headstone. So, there is
> something for him to visit and see in both those places.
>
> However, finding information about where we could travel in Siberia is
> proving more difficult.
>
> My father believes they were located somewhere a little North of Irkutsk,
> near Lake Baikal, but that is about all the information he is clear on.
>
> Can I ask, is there anyone you can put me in contact with who might have
> more detailed information? I have read several books on the topic, but there
> is nothing in those books that narrows down the location that my father and
> his family were in. Possible someone else who has travelled back? Or
> possibly someone at the Polish Consulate itself in Irkutsk?
>
> If you have anyone I can peak to regarding this, it would be greatly
> appreciated, so I can organise a meaningful trip for my father.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Richard Zajkowski
>
> (027) 478 1300
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (1)    .  Top ^
>
>
>
>
> 8a
>
> Wojtek the Bear
>
>
>
>
> Fri Feb 1, 2013 10:23 pm (PST) . Posted by:
>
> "ebard55" ebard55
>
> Our cousin in Chicago sent a You Tube link to a Polish-Scottish singer named
Katy Carr who performs a song about Wojtek. We thought all the 2nd Corps family
members would enjoy it.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAmy8C7qna8
>
> Pozdrowienia,
> Ewa D., Nevada
>
>
>
>
> Reply to sender    .  Reply to group    .  Reply via Web Post    .  All
Messages (2)    .  Top ^
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A "scrivener" was a clerk who wrote out texts.

See Herman Melville's short story, "Bartleby the Scrivener".

Dear Antoni

Thank you so much for the reply. May I ask you what the Navies in Exile book is
that you referred to? I would love to source a copy. I hadn't heard of Bash-shid
before in relation to Navy/Airforce volunteers so that is really interesting.

The Navy camp in Palestine comes directly from my Dad's MOD records but perhaps
I mis-translated it from Polish? The actual entry reads:

24.3.42 Wyjechal z transportem do Palestyny przez Persje
1.6.42 Przyjechal z transportem do Palestyny - przydzielony do Komp. Mar. Woj.
3.7.42 Wyjechal z transportem do Anglii.

The actual letter from Margaret Goddard is in English and says,

"... Enlisted in the Polish Army on 01.12.1941 and posted to 18 Infantry
Regiment, 6 Infantry Division.
Together with the Polish Army units, crossed the Soviet-Iranian frontier, was
evacuated to Iran, thereby came under British command with effect from
01.04.1942. Via Iraq was transferred to Palestine. Arrived on 01.06.1942.
On the re-organisation of the Polish Army in the Middle East assigned to the
Polish Navy in the United Kingdom. Arrived on 23.08.1942 and was enlisted in the
Polish Navy under British command with effect from 28.08.1942".

So it looks like maybe there was not a Navy "camp" as such but that the
volunteers for the Navy (and Airfroce?) were "assigned" to those units based in
the U.K.

Many thanks again. It's always invaluable to get your recollections and
opinions.

Anna Pacewicz
Sydney

--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, "Antoni Kazimierski"  wrote:
>
> Dan,
>
> Like you I have never heard of 'Operation Scrivener';
> Scrivener, as you know, is a modern term relating to software manufacture for
modern computers and it seems improbable to have been in use for what ever
reason in 1942.
> Also I have not come accross a Polish Navy Camp in Palestine at that time.
> It is true that Polish destroyers were at Haifa on some occasions in 1943/4?,
but no camp as such, as I recall.( See Navies in Exile book)
>
> A Polish contingent of volunteers for the navy and some for the air force was
sited, in mid 1942, at Bash-Shid; opposite  the Junak camp. I also recollect an
incident when these volunteers were being loaded onto lorries, a very young
Junak was killed on the road while crossing it, when he collided with one of
those lorries.
> The number of volunteers was in the order of 200 or so.
> I do not think that there was any preference to transport so called 'Polish
Navy or AirForce 'personnel' as a priority out of Soviet territory at that time.
Later on an Airforce camp was at Heliopolis in Egypt, but no navy camp as such.
>
> antoni530
>

From: annapacewicz

To: Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, February 08, 2013 2:12 AM

Subject: [www.Kresy-Siberia.org] Re: Operation Scrivener

 

Dear Antoni

Thank you so much for the reply. May I ask you what the Navies in Exile book is that you referred to? I would love to source a copy. I hadn't heard of Bash-shid before in relation to Navy/Airforce volunteers so that is really interesting.

The Navy camp in Palestine comes directly from my Dad's MOD records but perhaps I mis-translated it from Polish? The actual entry reads:

24.3.42 Wyjechal z transportem do Palestyny przez Persje
1.6.42 Przyjechal z transportem do Palestyny - przydzielony do Komp. Mar. Woj.
3.7.42 Wyjechal z transportem do Anglii.

The actual letter from Margaret Goddard is in English and says,

"... Enlisted in the Polish Army on 01.12.1941 and posted to 18 Infantry Regiment, 6 Infantry Division.
Together with the Polish Army units, crossed the Soviet-Iranian frontier, was evacuated to Iran, thereby came under British command with effect from 01.04.1942. Via Iraq was transferred to Palestine. Arrived on 01.06.1942.
On the re-organisation of the Polish Army in the Middle East assigned to the Polish Navy in the United Kingdom. Arrived on 23.08.1942 and was enlisted in the Polish Navy under British command with effect from 28.08.1942".

So it looks like maybe there was not a Navy "camp" as such but that the volunteers for the Navy (and Airfroce?) were "assigned" to those units based in the U.K.

Many thanks again. It's always invaluable to get your recollections and opinions.

Anna Pacewicz
Sydney

--- In Kresy-Siberia@yahoogroups.com, "Antoni Kazimierski" wrote:
>
> Dan,
>
> Like you I have never heard of 'Operation Scrivener';
> Scrivener, as you know, is a modern term relating to software manufacture for modern computers and it seems improbable to have been in use for what ever reason in 1942.
> Also I have not come accross a Polish Navy Camp in Palestine at that time.
> It is true that Polish destroyers were at Haifa on some occasions in 1943/4?, but no camp as such, as I recall.( See Navies in Exile book)
>
> A Polish contingent of volunteers for the navy and some for the air force was sited, in mid 1942, at Bash-Shid; opposite the Junak camp. I also recollect an incident when these volunteers were being loaded onto lorries, a very young Junak was killed on the road while crossing it, when he collided with one of those lorries.
> The number of volunteers was in the order of 200 or so.
> I do not think that there was any preference to transport so called 'Polish Navy or AirForce 'personnel' as a priority out of Soviet territory at that time. Later on an Airforce camp was at Heliopolis in Egypt, but no navy camp as such.
>
> antoni530
>