Military
Polish Armed Forces in the West
The Polish Army re-formed after the defeat of 1939 in France, then in Britain and the Middle East, under the Polish government-in-exile. It fought alongside the Allies from Narvik to Monte Cassino.
In autumn 1939, under agreements with France and Britain, General Władysław Sikorski began rebuilding the army in France. After France fell in June 1940 part of it was evacuated to Britain, where the Polish I Corps, the Polish Air Force and a rebuilt Navy were formed. In the Middle East the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade fought on, and in 1942 it was joined by General Anders’ army, brought out of the Soviet Union.
Polish airmen fought in the Battle of Britain, II Corps at Monte Cassino, the 1st Armoured Division at Falaise and the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade at Arnhem. In 1945 the Polish Armed Forces numbered about 200,000. After the Allies withdrew recognition from the London government they were disbanded in 1946–1947; most of the soldiers did not return to communist Poland.
Sources
In the chronicle
(32)32 articles use this term.
1939
1940
1942
1944
1945
- 19 JanuaryDissolution of the Home Army
- 6 AprilThe spring offensive in Italy begins
- 8 MayVictory in Europe Day
- 19 JuneDemobilisation in Britain
- 28 JuneThe Provisional Government of National Unity
- 5 JulyThe powers recognise the Provisional Government of National Unity
- 17 JulyThe Potsdam Conference begins
- 26 JulyLabour wins the election
- 2 AugustThe end of the Potsdam Conference
- 15 AugustVictory over Japan Day
- 2 SeptemberThe Japanese surrender on the “Missouri”