On Saturday, October 18, the presentation of a new book, Quest for Freedom, took place at the Maczek Memorial in Breda. This book, written by Jack Didden (text) and designed by Maarten Swarts (layout), describes the operations of the 1st Polish Armoured Division from the beaches of France to the German surrender in May 1945.
What started as an idea for a modest 150-page booklet — as the author mentioned during the presentation — eventually turned into a substantial 450-page volume containing around 600 photos and over 100 maps. Richard Tieskens, chairman of the memorial, already referred to it as the “Magna Carta” of the division.
We will publish a more detailed review soon, but our first impression is that this is a beautifully produced and highly comprehensive work on the division. With the maps in hand, it also serves as a perfect guide for tracing the remnants of the past today.
Interested in the book? It is available for €65.00 at, or can be ordered from, the Maczek Memorial in Breda, as well as from bookstores both offline and online, such as bol.com.
Impression of the book and the well-attended book presentation on October 18 in Breda.
In the last days of the Second World War, the Allies dropped food over the west of the Netherlands: Operation Manna and Chowhound. After the hunger winter, there was a shortage of food in the areas still occupied by the Germans.
Operation Manna was carried out by the RAF, including the Polish 300 squadron. In this way, pilot Wierzbowski in his Lancaster NG265 BH-V was able to drop bombs on Hitler’s house and food at Gouda within a week.
Operation Manna and Chowhound
After the lost battle around the Rhine bridge in Arnhem, there was another period of German occupation above the major rivers. Transport to the west came to a standstill. For example, coal could no longer be transported from the liberated south, the railways went on strike on orders of the Dutch government and the occupier blocked the supply of goods to the Randstad. Due to a lack of warmth and food in combination with the cold month of January, what became known as ‘the Hunger Winter’ arose. The population of the big cities went to the countryside during hunger marches to get food from farmers. This was not enough and several tens of thousands died from the hardships.
In March the population received Swedish white bread, baked from mail brought from Sweden by boat. At the end of April the Allies concluded an agreement with the German occupiers which made it possible to drop supplies by air from bombers. The operation under British leadership was called ‘Manna’, that under the leadership of the Americans Chowhound.
Bombs on Hitler
Operation Manna was carried out by dozens of RAF squadrons including Australian and also the Polish 300 Squadron “Ziemi Mazowieckiej”. This Polish squadron was active for almost the entire war and the last action of the squadron is mentioned as the bombardment of 25 April 1945. The target that day was the Obersalzberg in Brechtesgaden with Hitler’s house.
Several logbooks of Polish pilots can be viewed via the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive of the University of Lincoln. They flew Lancaster aircraft and those of 300 squadron were recognizable by the squadron code BH.
Cpl. Tadeusz Wierzbowski has in his logbook the flight on 25 April to Brechtesgaden of almost 8 hours.
Both photos of the squadron’s Lancasters come from the same source and the in-flight photo was taken during the flight of 25 April to Brechtesgaden and shows Wierzbowski’s aircraft based on the ‘V’ on the fuselage and in the logbook.
This archive also contains photos of Wierzbowski and his crew. The Lancaster with registration NG265 is the same bomber with the identification letter ‘V’.
Food for Holland
The 300 Squadron was one of the dozens of RAF squadrons that dropped supplies over the Netherlands. So did Wierzbowski. On May 2, we see a flight of just under three hours to Gouda and on May 7 a flight of three and a half hours to Rotterdam again in Lancaster NG265 ´V´
Warrant Officer Stanislaw Sewerin also describes three flights in his logbook as “SPAM Dropping” at the beginning of May. Unfortunately, he does not mention the destination of the flights.
The photo below shows Sewerin in uniform and the squadron batch of 300 Squadron: “Ziemi Mazowieckiej”.
Gouda and Rotterdam
These photos from the Midden-Holland archive show Lancasters during a drop near Gouda. The accompanying text indicates that this is May 2-5. Unfortunately, the planes are too blurry to distinguish letters on the fuselage to determine whether these are Poles, but it does give an impression of those days.
In the city archives of Rotterdam you can find moving images of Lancaster airdrops. Unfortunately, it is also not possible to determine whether these are Polish aircraft.
Want to know more about the squadron?
The 300 Squadron: “Ziemi Mazowieckiej” was active for almost the entire war and lost 371 crew members and 87 were captured. Of the 371 victims, 44 are buried in the Netherlands. Read on Polish War Graves how two Lancasters were lost over the Netherlands in one night. At the time of the food drop, the squadron was operating from RAF Faldingworth airfield in Lincolnshire.
Image credits
In the text we refer to the various sources used. If the image material is based on those sources, it can be used freely.
At the Stedelijk Museum Coevorden, the exhibition ‘Lest We Forget’ can be seen from April 5 to August 31.
80 Years of Liberation
Across the country, between 2024 and 2025, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation is being commemorated and celebrated. While the role of the Canadians, Americans, and British in this liberation is widely acknowledged, the contribution of relatively smaller allied divisions should not be underestimated. This exhibition focuses on one of these divisions: the 1st Polish Armoured Division.
The division, most well-known as the liberators of Breda, was also active in the northeast of the Netherlands. Their role in the liberation in that region has long been cherished and is now receiving increasing recognition across the rest of the Netherlands. A battle that cost the lives of dozens of Poles toward the end of the war, including that of Jan Andrzej Kozakiewicz. His portrait adorns the exhibition’s image. He died while searching for his sister at the Oberlangen prison camp.
Freedom
In an increasingly polarized world, living in freedom no longer seems to be taken for granted, according to the museum. It is important to remain aware of the privilege of being able to live in freedom. This exhibition addresses questions such as ‘What does freedom mean?’
Visit the Exhibition
Details about the exhibition can be found on the museum’s website. We are in talks with the museum to arrange a lecture. Once that is scheduled, we will announce it on our website and social media. The museum’s opening hours are as follows:
Tuesday to Saturday: 09:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Monday: Closed
The museum is closed on Easter, King’s Day, Ascension Day, and Whit Sunday. The museum is open on Good Friday and (of course, you could almost say) Liberation Day.
On the sidelines of the meeting between British Prime Minister Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Tusk on January 17, 2025, in Warsaw, an announcement appeared that went unnoticed by many: There is now no longer any disagreement regarding the role of the Polish forces in September 1944. After more than 80 years, British recognition has been granted.
The Meeting
The purpose of the meeting between the two prime ministers was to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, both economically and military terms. This latter, of course, in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which both countries support, as well as shared concerns about security in the Baltic Sea.
During the press conference, the British Prime Minister briefly recalled the role of Polish pilots in the Battle of Britain and the presence of the Polish government-in-exile in the UK. However, the contribution of the paratroopers was not mentioned at that point. Later that same day, a joint statement was released on the Polish Prime Minister’s website, which included the following passage:
“Szefowie rządów omówili kwestie historyczne. Perspektywy Polski i Wielkiej Brytanii w stosunku do udziału 1. Samodzielnej Brygady Spadochronowej gen. Stanisława Sosabowskiego w Operacji Market-Garden stały się zbieżne. „Generał Sosabowski doczekał się pełnego uznania. Cieszę się, że te różne interpretacje historyczne przestały już nas niepokoić”
podziękował brytyjskiemu Premierowi Donald Tusk.”
In English: “The heads of government discussed historical issues. The perspectives of Poland and the United Kingdom regarding the participation of the 1st (Polish) Independent Parachute Brigade under the command of General Stanisław Sosabowski in Operation Market-Garden have converged. ‘General Sosabowski has received full recognition. I am glad that these different historical interpretations no longer disturb us,’ thanked Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to British Prime Minister.”
On the 22nd, the British Embassy issued a statement:
“Last September, the British Embassy in The Hague commemorated the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands when British airborne forces, alongside our Allies, including the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade under the command of General Sosabowski, fought side by side for our freedom. On this 80th anniversary, the UK government has conveyed to the Polish authorities and to the last surviving Polish veteran of the battle, Mr. Bolek Ostrowski, its gratitude, appreciation, and recognition of the courage and commitment shown by Polish forces in and around Driel and Oosterbeek in September 1944. This includes helping many British airborne forces withdraw across the river when it was clear that the Allies would be unable to take the Bridge at Arnhem. We will forever be grateful.”
The Honour of the Poles restored
The difference in perspective mentioned in Tusk’s statement refers to the criticism by British generals Montgomery and Browning, who claimed that the lack of engagement by the Polish forces and the stubborn stance of their commander, General Sosabowski, were reasons why the bridge at Arnhem became “a bridge too far” during the September days of 1944. This even led to the dismissal of General Sosabowski. Restoration of honour came from the Netherlands goverment in 2006. British veterans later honoured the general with a monument in Driel, but official recognition from the British government had been lacking until now.
Letter to the Last Surviving Veteran
Many people have fought for this restoration of honour, including the Driel-Poland Foundation and Cora and Arno Baltussen. The latter made an emotional plea during the September commemoration for the British Prime Minister not to wait too long with this recognition, as it should happen while the last surviving Polish veteran, Bolesław Ostrowski, was still alive.
This plea has clearly had an effect, and Ostrowski has now received a personal letter, as we learn from the foundation’s press release. This is a testament to the tireless efforts of the foundation, particularly its (now former) chairman, Arno Baltussen.
On July 2 and 10, 1943, two bodies washed ashore at Hollum on Ameland, identified by their clothing as Polish. Unfortunately, besides their rank, nothing more is known about their identities. Their graves at the cemetery in Nes only bear the inscription “An Airman of the War 1939 – 1945,” their rank, and “Polish Forces.”
A Porucznik (a lieutenant)
A Sierżant (a sergeant)
Who are the two unknown Poles?
This naturally raises the question of who these two unknown Poles might be.
This excerpt from a presentation on the Amelander Historie website with a brief description of all the war graves present on the island gives a first clue.
Stefan Tomicki?
Both graves are also listed on the website polishwargraves.nl (now managed by the Oorlogsgraven Stichting), which has been a significant source for our website. The site suggests that the Porucznik (lieutenant) who washed ashore on July 2 might be Stefan Tomicki. He went missing after the crash of the Wellington bomber with registration number HE148, BH-T, from the 300 Squadron Ziemi Mazowieckiej. This crash occurred on the night of April 9, 1943. All six crew members were killed. Only two were identified: navigator Jan Rudek and gunner Stanisław Stępień. They washed ashore at the beaches of Castricum and Egmond aan Zee the day after the crash. Both are buried in the general cemetery in Bergen.
Given the discrepancy in the location where the body was found, the fact that it was almost three months later, and that Tomicki held the rank of podporucznik rather than porucznik, the above assumption should certainly be treated with caution.
For the grave of the sergeant, polishwargraves.nl provides no further information.
Other possibilities?
Our site lists several airmen who went missing in the period before the bodies were found. In addition to Tomicki, three other crashes result in Poles missing in the period before early July 1943. We start with the most likely candidate.
On May 12, Halifax II with serial number DT627 and squadron code NF-P from the 138 ‘special duties’ squadron crashed in the Wadden Sea off the coast of Sint Jacobiparochie (according to polishwargraves). Their mission was to drop agents in the Netherlands. The loss register states that of the seven-member crew, four washed ashore on the Dutch coast, with the dates on which they washed ashore:
Lieutenant Jan Polnik, washed ashore July 6 on Terschelling
We intentionally mention the ranks in Polish so the correspondence with the ranks on the graves stands out. Given the ranks of the missing and the timing and location of the bodies washing ashore, these could be possible candidates.
The question then arises as to why these two could not be identified when the other crew members were. Unfortunately, the description of the discovery does not mention the condition of the bodies, which would provide clarity on this matter, but it is worth investigating.
Finally, we see on the Amelander Historie website that a 13th body washed ashore and is listed as a member of the British Air Force. Could this be the third crew member, but his uniform too damaged to be identified as “Polish”?
Other possibilities?
In addition to the option described above, on May 13, an aircraft from the 300 Squadron disappeared over the Zuiderzee east of Volendam (5 missing). Given the presence of the ‘Aflsuitdijk’ this option is not very likely. Perhaps an expert can indicate whether it was still possible that the bodies would end up on the mudflats and thus on Ameland when the water flows from the IJsselmeer into the Waddenzee.
On June 22, another bomber from the 300 Squadron disappeared 60 kilometers off the coast of IJmuiden, resulting in four missing (by the way, none of them were a porucznik). Here the currents in the Northsee should be taken into account to estimate if this is a possibility.
Can we still solve the mystery?
The question is, of course, whether after all these years the mystery can still be solved. Are there perhaps any reports about the discovery on Ameland that provide more information about the condition of the bodies? Could someone with knowledge of the currents in the North Sea shed light on the hypothesis involving Stefan Tomicki? Or could someone with knowledge of the Wadden Sea speak to the locations where the bodies from the May 12 crash were found in relation to the location near Hollum? For now, they remain an unknown lieutenant and sergeant in Nes, Ameland.
