POLISH AIRBORNE AT ARNHEM
The 1st Polish Parachute Brigade was, in the words of its commander Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski, “An Army bastard, born out of wedlock, unwanted and with most of the qualities and faults of a love-child – strength, stubbornness and determination.” Although it then stood at fewer than 2,000 men, General Wladyslaw Sikorski, Commander of the Free Polish Forces, officially announced the Brigade was formed in Scotland on 23 September 1941.
Like all Polish fighting units in the west, the brigade was primarily composed of Polish officers and men, who following the invasion of Poland had managed the most extraordinary journeys and daring escapes before ever reaching Britain. Yet unlike the Polish Army, Navy and Air force, which were all placed under Supreme Allied Command, the Brigade held a unique position in that it was the only Polish formation under the direct control of the Polish Commander-in-Chief. Kept in reserve by the Polish Government, the Brigade’s purpose was to be used in the liberation of Poland, where, since the early days of the German occupation, plans for national uprising were being made. The Brigade’s motto was ‘The Shortest Way’ and all its men were awaiting the day when they would drop from the skies to liberate Warsaw. “It was the ambition of all us exiles to get back and fight for the freedom of our country. We felt guilty being in Scotland,” wrote Sosabowski.
“AN ARMY BASTARD, BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK, UNWANTED AND WITH MOST OF THE QUALITIES AND FAULTS OF A LOVE-CHILD”
Until that day came, all their focus went into training and the morale of the Brigade was very high. Seeing them in training, one American soldier described them as “killers under the silk”. Stationed in Scotland, and headquartered at Largo House, or ‘A Hell on Earth’ as the stately home was called by some of the soldiers. They had a jump tower and a purpose build assault course nicknamed ‘The Monkey Grove’. The training was very demanding but Sosabowski, who was 50 years old at the time, was known for never asking his soldiers for anything he was not prepared to do
