WWII

July 21, 2024
Sue Ryder inspired by bravery of the Polish S.O.E in World War II

"No British person loved Poland more than Sue Ryder. She saw your pain as her pain, your resistance as her resistance" Sir Nick Young recently recounted during his talk about...

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May 17, 2024
The birth of ‘Czerwone Maki’, the ‘Red Poppies of Monte Cassino’ song

Czerwone Maki (Red Poppies) was written in the night of 17 - 18 May 1944, whilst the author watched the artillery fire on Monte Cassino. It was inspired by being...

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April 30, 2024
From the Katyń massacre to Monte Cassino – one boy’s tragic loss

Whilst the massacre of 22,000 Polish officers in 1940 at Katyń is commemorated every year in April, it was just the beginning of further horror - deportation and exile for...

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June 12, 2020
A glimpse into the UK’s ‘old’ Polish community

With planned changes at the Penrhos Residential Polish Home (near Phwhelli in Wales) in mind, I came across a gem of a film about another residential home, Ilford Park in the...

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November 7, 2018
General Stanisław Maczek – finally honoured in the UK

On Saturday 3 November I travelled to Edinburgh for a weekend of 100 year celebrations since Poland regained its independence, yet Saturday itself was all about this forgotten war hero.  The...

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