The Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) organised the exhibition „Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” in the Parliament of the United Kingdom on the 7th October 2024. The IPN President, Dr Karol Nawrocki, opened the exhibition.

It was a remarkable experience for the Palace of Westminster to host a gathering dedicated to the story of Poles during and after World War II and their contribution to the Allied victory. The Polish community in the UK numbers almost a million people and is one of the largest diasporas in the world. The event, co-organised by the British Poles, was attended by nearly 200 guests interested in Polish history.

The meeting began with the sound of the bell from the famous Polish destroyer ORP „Błyskawica.” The ship was one of two built at the Cowes shipyard on the Isle of Wight. She was commissioned into the Polish Navy in 1937 and participated in World War II from the first to the last days of fighting in Europe, operating in the Atlantic, North Sea, and Mediterranean. She was involved in the Norwegian campaign, the evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Allied landings in Africa in 1943, and Normandy in 1944. On the night of 4–5 May 1942, „Błyskawica,” commanded by Commander Wojciech Francki, defended Cowes from an air raid by 160 German Luftwaffe planes (more about Cowes’ defence can be found 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 meeting was opened by George Byczynski, founder of the British Poles, who, on behalf of MP Martin Vickers and Dr Karol Nawrocki, welcomed distinguished guests: parliamentarians, the Lord Speaker, ambassadors, consuls, defence attachés, and members of military corps from Austria, Australia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, as well as leaders of Polish organisations in the UK, veterans, their families, and all attendees.

Byczynski presented the evening’s programme and speakers, who included the host, Martin Vickers MP, IPN President Dr Karol Nawrocki, The Lord Speaker Lord McFall of Alcluith, Professor Hal Sosabowski, great-grandson of General Stanisław Sosabowski, and Dr Helen Fry, historian and author of numerous books on World War II.

The first part of the programme was the screening of a 3-minute video prepared by the IPN titled „Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom.” The project aims to commemorate the military efforts of the Polish Armed Forces during World War II and the story of civilians evacuated from the Soviet Union with General Władysław Anders’ army.

The first speaker was Martin Vickers, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Poland, which supports good relations between Poland and the UK, promotes the contribution of the Polish community in the UK, and fosters bilateral trade exchanges. In his speech, he welcomed the gathered guests and emphasised the contribution of Poles to the British war effort and the Allied victory in World War II, as well as the fact that Poland was an ally from the beginning to the end of the war.

The next speaker was Dr Karol Nawrocki, President of the IPN, who presented the story of Poles after World War II, illustrated by the exhibition „Trials of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom”. To quote a paragraph from his speech, he stated that:

„Thousands of Polish soldiers and civilians found themselves on the „Trails of Hope”, which were to lead them to a free and independent Poland. First, they headed to France, where the Polish army was being re-established. The Polish-British alliance was strengthened after the fall of France in 1940. As a result of the defeat of our French ally, the centre of Polish independence aspirations was shifted to the British Isles. At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, the Polish government of General Władysław Sikorski, along with 30 thousand Polish soldiers, was evacuated there from France. London became the centre of Polish political life abroad. The United Kingdom also accepted Polish military and civilian newcomers, who settled mainly in Scotland and England (…) The Polish-British 'brotherhood in arms’ was strong not only in the air and on land but also at sea.”

Dr Nawrocki emphasised that London remained the centre of Polish emigration life, and Polish-British solidarity continues to be essential, especially in today’s turbulent times.

The next person to address the guests was The Lord Speaker Lord McFall of Alcluith, who had been born in in Glasgow. He recalled Polish support during World War II, mentioning the local history of Clydebank, which he represented for 23 years as an MP„We honour the Polish citizens who fought for our freedom. We in Clydebank, where there is a simple memorial for Polish sailoras, remember their heroic deeds, especially the crew of the destroyer ORP 'Piorun’ (in March 1941, the sailors defended the city during a Luftwaffe carpet bombing raid – editor’s note). The destruction was vast; 12,000 homes were damaged. The Poles not only defended us from the Luftwaffe but also helped rebuild the city and became part of our society (…) That’s why I am pleased with the title of this exhibition. History teaches us that solidarity today should be as strong as it was during the war.”

Professor Hal Sosabowski, great-grandson of General Stanisław Sosabowski and grandson of Major Stanisław Sosabowski, who fought in the September campaign and the Warsaw Uprising, delivered a historical lecture on his heroic great-grandfather and grandfather. He presented many fascinating facts about General Sosabowski’s life, military career, and successes. He also touched on Operation Market Garden and the great injustice that befell the general. Professor Sosabowski briefly reviewed the film A Bridge Too Far and compared General Sosabowski’s character to the one portrayed by Gene Hackman. Finally, he spoke of the general’s difficult post-war life, his work in a factory in Acton, and the obstacles preventing his return to Poland. He said: „The general rarely smiled. In fact, he only smiled when he saw his soldiers. My father remembered that he treated his soldiers like family and his family like soldiers.”

The next speaker was Dr Helen Fry, a historian, author, and editor of more than 25 books on World War II. Her latest book, Women in Intelligence, highlights women who worked in intelligence during World War II. One of them was Krystyna Skarbek, whose story was met during the ceremony with great enthusiasm by the audience. Dr Fry also spoke about the Polish Section of SOE (Special Operations Executive) and Polish airmen. She shared a personal detail, recounting how her 102-year-old grandfather often remembered that Polish airmen: „He fought with the Polish pilots in the Battle of Britain and said they were the really brave ones. He knew because he was a witness to it (…) They played a vital part in ensuring that Hitler did not invade Britain in 1940. Without them, history could have had a very different outcome,” Dr Fry added.

At the end of the official part of the ceremony, Dr Karol Nawrocki presented the „Ambassador of History” medals, awarded by the Institute of National Remembrance, in recognition of special contributions to commemorating the history of the Polish Nation. President Nawrocki noted that the award is given to individuals and organisations outside Poland which take on the challenge of promoting history. We are delighted to announce that the British Poles (accepted by George Byczynski) and the Polish Sue Association (accepted by Iwona Golińska) were the deserving recipients of this esteemed award. Dr Nawrocki also presented the medallions, commemorating the victorious Battle of Monte Cassino, to Martin Vickers MP and to The Lord Speaker.

This concluded the official part, but conversations continued for a long time. The numerous guests were very interested in the exhibition. It is worth noting that the exhibition presented in the UK Parliament is part of a five-year international project that has been shown on five continents since its inauguration, including in the United States, Canada, Argentina, and South Africa.

The youngest participant in the ceremony was 11-year-old Ania Wiśniewska, who travelled with her parents from Worcester to be part of this historic event. The oldest guest was 94-year-old Władysław Mleczko, a cadet of General Władysław Anders.

It was an exceptionally inspiring meeting, motivating the cultivation of Polish history in the United Kingdom, promoting our rich heritage, and strengthening Polish-British cooperation.

Maria Byczynski

Photos: British Poles