87 years ago, on 25 November, 1937, the Polish flag was ceremonially raised on the destroyer ORP “Błyskawica.” A modern warship was constructed in the J. Samuel White shipyard in Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The vessel took part in more than 100 patrols, and battle tasks and secured more than 80 crucial sea transports.

In 1939, “Blyskawica” was one of four Polish destroyers. The others, “Burza,” “Wicher,” and ”Grom,” also served during the war. The latter was a sister unit of “Błyskawica,” constructed according to the same design.

Three of four destroyers, including “Błyskawica” left the Polish port on the eve of the outbreak of World War II and headed for Great Britain.

“+Błyskawica+ participated in virtually all major combat operations of World War II, sailing a route of nearly 150,000 nautical miles,” Dr Janusz Osica told Polish Radio. 

“Blyskawica” became famous for securing the British retreat from Dunkirk. She also assisted the allied forces during the Battle of Narvik where she also fought in vengeance for her sister unit ORP ‘Grom’, which sunk there. 

One of the most important battle experiences for the Polish vessel was its role in the defence of Cowes during the German bombings in 1942. 

A few days before the attack, the Błyskawica Commander Wojciech Francki saw German reconnaissance planes in the sky and predicted the attack. When on the night of 4-5 May, 1942, the seemingly defenceless city was attacked by 160 German bombers, the crew was prepared to fight. 

The action had to be executed against the safety regulations issued by the Admiralty regarding the timely disarming of the ship during repairs. The brave Commander Wojciech Francki did not obey this order and, expecting an attack ordered him to remain in fighting readiness with ammunition and cannons ready to be used.

Francki was then an experienced commander with an impressive record of service. He participated as a volunteer in the Polish-Bolshevik war (including the battles for Vilnius and the Battle of Warsaw in Płock). 

In 1923, he entered the Infantry Cadet School in Warsaw, and after graduating in 1924, he began to study at the Naval Officers’ School in Toruń. In 1927, he was promoted to the first officer rank of a naval second lieutenant. He studied in France at Ecole des Officiers Canoniers in Toulon. 

The outbreak of the war took place while he was on the training ship ORP Wilja. A year later he became the commander of the Burza destroyer, and then of the Błyskawica one. Unfortunately, after years of sacrifice and struggle, he shared the fate of many of our heroes and did not return to occupied Poland. He emigrated to New Zealand and was forced to work as a stonemason in a quarry.

The history of the defence of the island is little known in the world, but fortunately, its inhabitants appreciate the efforts, bravery, and merits of the Poles up until this day. ORP Błyskawica quickly became a floating anti-aircraft base in the defence of cities attacked by the Germans. 

The brave Polish sailors fired heavily at the attacking 160 German bombers that the barrels of the Bofors anti-aircraft guns and the heaviest Hotchkiss machine guns overheated and had to be cooled down with water (the crew handed buckets of water from the river). 

Thanks to the use of large-calibre guns, the crew forced the Luftwaffe to fly higher, which affected the accuracy of the bombing. The ship also had a smokescreen that made it impossible for the attackers to orientate themselves in the field. 

Thanks to those actions, many incendiary bombs fell into the nearby swamps and uninhabited areas. The crew of Błyskawica fired almost 2,500 rounds and forced the Germans to retreat.

70 people were killed that night, but it was widely recognised that had it not been for the actions of the Captain and the crew of the Polish destroyer on that fateful night, the losses and destruction would have been much greater.

The inhabitants of Cowes commemorate the brave Polish defenders of the city until today. You can read more about it in our article The residents of the Isle of Wight paid tribute to the Poles who saved the island from a German attack in 1942.

The ship fought around the Atlantic and the Mediterranean sea. “Błyskawica” also supported the Allied landing in Normandy, fighting together with British ships in a battle against a German flotilla.

During wartime, “Błyskawica” sailed a total of 148,356 nautical miles, taking part in the Western Front’s most important campaigns and operations.

The last battle of World War 2 in Europe, and the last operation for “Błyskawica” was Operation ”Deadlight” aimed at destroying the remaining German U-boots.

“Blyskawica” returned to the port of Gdynia on 4 July, 1947, after active service during the entire World War 2. After the ship was damaged in 1967 a decision was made to use it for training and representative purposes. Since 1 May, 1976, “Blyskawica” has served as a museum ship.

Today ORP “Błyskawica” is considered one of the most important objects of memory of the Polish war effort during the World War 2. She is the oldest preserved destroyer in the world.

Today, “Błyskawica” stands as a powerful symbol of the enduring friendship between Poland and the United Kingdom. The bravery of her crew went down in the history.

Photo: British Poles

Source: Polskie Radio, British Poles

Tomasz Modrzejewski