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Because of the discussion in the Discord chat and the lack of attention to the minor nation navies I feel like it is a good idea to make a thread about minor nation and their navies as some of them did some amazing things in WWII.

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I think I'll kick it off by mentioning Malta. While they didn't have a navy, the entire island is probably the minor nation I'm most proud of. They're one of two recipients of the George Cross that got it collectively, the other being in 1999, and they have it displayed proudly on their flag. Without Malta, it might be fair to say the Mediterranean and North Africa would have been lost

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Well, does Brazil count as a minor in the context of WWII? Because I can say that the navy did sink... Six, I believe, german submarines? And unfortunately that's all I can recall about the navy since our participation in WWII isn't exactly covered in history textbooks. The army's a bit more well known, though.

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I think I'll kick it off by mentioning Malta. While they didn't have a navy, the entire island is probably the minor nation I'm most proud of. They're one of two recipients of the George Cross that got it collectively, the other being in 1999, and they have it displayed proudly on their flag. Without Malta, it might be fair to say the Mediterranean and North Africa would have been lost

 

No disrespect, I know very well the role of Malta in the Mediterranean campaign and I don't absolutely want to insult anyone... but I do wish to observe that neither in 1939 nor in 1939 was Malta a sovereign state; it was merely a Crown Colony.

 

About minor nations, how about the Scandinavian countries (a few of their designs were rather cool), and Greece?

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Yep! We didn't plan on having them, but thought they would be nifty rewards for the Kickstarter Backers.

 

We may add others as we go along- we'd certainly like to. :)

 

How are you guys going to add the minor nations in-game? I mean...since they were Kickstarter exclusives, I don't think they're going to be free.

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It's been mentioned that there was a happy "cheerful" desire for Sweden to being added (back during the Kickstarter days), yet I only see one vessel for Sweden. I don't see any other vessel under the naval listings of WW2 of any destroyers, frigates, corvettes, or anything. Actually, after a bit of digging (deeper into the wiki) I managed to come up with a few more. Sweden indeed had more, just that someone editing the wiki is neglecting, or sabotaging the wiki entries. Two 'Tre Konor Class' where launched 94 days after WW2 ended, so I guess they're out.

 

Cruiser/Heavy Cruiser/Battleship Coastal:

- HSwMS Gotland - Sweden's Sea-plane cruiser.

- HSwMS Frygia - Armoured Cruiser

- HSwMS Clas Flemming - Mine Cruiser

- HSwMS Dristigthen - Coastal Defense Ship & A seaplane tender.

- HSwMS Drottning Victoria - Coastal Defense Ship.

- HSwMS Sverige - Coastal Defense Ship

- HSwMS Gustav V - Coastal Defense Ship

 

I'm now seeing more destroyer types that it props up Sweden as their own nation. Now seeing more Destroyer types listed here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_equipment_of_Sweden_during_World_War_II

 

- Goteberg Class (6)

- Romulus Class (2)

- Psilander Class (2)

- Vidar Class (4)

- Wrangel Class (2)

- & others....I now feel there's just way too many to note that I'm stopping here.

 

Seeing Sweden & Canada getting their own foothold on the map would be awesome. I'd welcome both, among Australia, New Zealand, and others. Seeing them branch off in the world map would be awesome. I learned something new thanks to Victory Belles, and glad there's more to the Swedish navy than just the Gotland cruiser. I always assumed it was just that one Sweden Coastal with the one Finland coastal. It made things more 'romantic', I guess the wording is.

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"Fleet-in-being" - Just the simple presence of something forces you to build something in defense of it. The same concept the BCS devs are using for the death date.

 

Romania:

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB-class_midget_submarine - (I find this both adorable, if funky and funny. Basically what Japan did.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democra%C8%9Bia-class_minesweeper

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMS_Delfinul

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMS_Amiral_Murgescu

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMS_Marsuinul - (Romanian made)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMS_Rechinul - (Romanian made)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMS_Smeul - (An old beauty from 1915 to 1960)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_gunboat_V12 - (something to compete with Flower-Class Corvettes & Destroyers?)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V7_class_armored_motor_gunboats

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/250t-class_torpedo_boat

 

Out of all this I'd expect & love to see the CB Class Midget Subs as mini-Belles, and even mainly the submarine types being the NMS Delfinul. Romania seems fun, if rough & a bit Soviet-occupied :)

 

Bulgaria:

 

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_torpedo_boat_Drazki

 

 

 

Hmm.....This is a bit frustrating that I feel like I'm seeing what happened with Sweden forcing me to dig deeper. Stupid wikipedia. But sure, more variety being the better. That's what makes Victory Belles awesome from the other WW2 'cookie cutter' games out there.

 

------------

 

Edit:

 

I now want BCS to take a look at NMS Delfinul. She's a sneaky sub with a bit of a bad luck, yet overly lucky elsewhere that she ended up being the most successful. Take a peak at her, not making her look weird like Surcourf, because she's a neat one. I'd playfully give Delfinul this sort of 'blouse' - http://pre09.deviantart.net/41fd/th/pre/i/2015/023/e/3/the_romanian_blouse_by_simonamoon-d8f3c77.jpg - maybe with the brown naval uniform overtop, or something. She's a fun sub to play around with. Quite a troll heh. She survived numerous depth charges runs, and even Russian anti-sub attacks. Quite a persistent one.

 

Personality wise: http://thefashionmorning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/DSC_01661.jpg

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Romania:

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB-class_midget_submarine - (I find this both adorable, if funky and funny. Basically what Japan did.)

 

Out of all this I'd expect & love to see the CB Class Midget Subs as mini-Belles

 

One of these (namely the CB.2) was involved in a plan to attack the harbour of New York; it would have been carried by the submarine Leonardo da Vinci near it, then it would have been set free, to do all the mischief it could.

 

Or have I mentioned it already, somewhere...? :unsure:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been pondering the minors a lot given I'm already dedicated to playing Turkey. One of the things we know about the minors, most particularly Poland, is that they are vulnerable to being knocked out of the game early by either human wars or the Morganas. We only get one base to start and so all our eggs are in one little basket.

 

To help offset this, the game has a built in protection mechanism. If we lose our single base, we get kicked into the major leagues by merging with a major power. Or at least that's how I interpret the explanation. Poland and Holland become British, Spain becomes Italian, and Turkey becomes German.

 

Several of these choices of alt nations make sense. Free Holland and Free Poland based themselves in England when they lost their homelands. Dutch naval forces actually fought with the Allies. That Spain would become Italian makes sense given which side won the Spanish Civil War.

 

But what of Turkey? Why Germany? Was it because the Ottomans were allied with German in WW1? Because Yuvuz used to be Goeben? I don't find either argument persuasive. Ataturk was known to be more inclined toward Britain before his death in 1938 and counseled his successors to stay close to Britain in the event of war. In any case, the practical reality is that Turkey was pragmatic.

 

When Germany was wiping the walls with the Balkans, Turkey had every reason to carefully manage Hitler by maintaining trade with Germany - especially chromium exports. After all, Germany could just as easily have blasted through Turkey as they could have crossed the Soviet border in June 1941. When the Soviets initially got their butts handed to them, all the more reason for Turkey to handle Germany carefully.

 

But Turkey didn't become a German client state when they could have. Imagine the headaches the Brits would have had if Turkey had permitted the Germans and Italians to cross Turkish territory into the middle east. No, Turkey worked hard to keep real neutrality. When the allies became dominant, Turkey remained neutral while slowly siding with the allies as it became more practical. Only at the very end when Turkey realized they needed to join the winning US/UK side to offset the Soviets did they toss in with the allies.

 

So again, why Germany as the Turkish alt? I propose it should be Britain.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_the_Republic_of_Turkey#World_War_II

http://www.ucc.ie/chronicon/3/hakkfra.html

https://www.quora.com/Why-was-Turkey-neutral-in-World-War-II

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1opl33/how_did_turkey_keep_out_of_wwii/

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  • 1 month later...

The great small fleet :). So we call our fleet in Poland and its contribution to the defense of the coast and access to the sea in 1939. To the west is totally forgotten and not remembered. Few people know what has contributed to the victory. She was the same as other great Allied fleet.

There are still people who think that the Polish Navy was then destroyed in three days. What it is untrue and sticking to Nazi propaganda. Which is still used to demonstrate that Poland gave up easily overcome. The last Polish Navy ship ORP Batory fought on the coast to 1.10.1939! After the burst, by the German blockade and went to the internment of Sweden. Just a reminder Poland did not exist on the maps for 123 years and so there was no Polish Navy. And yet we managed to build a modern navy and merchant navy.

 

Such a curiosity. Polish fleet has not been built on confrontation with Germany and its fleet. It was built from the beginning of another war with the Soviet Russia. Throughout the interwar period it was assumed that "East of Gdynia may stay in the strength of the Soviet squadron battleship and several other ships." Command PMW(Polish Navy), however, had a plan to neutralize these forces: the one coming from the Soviet port - Leningrad - the enemy ships had come across a barrier sea minefield, then were to be followed by squadrons of torpedo aircraft CANT Z.506 Airone and destroyed by Polish submarines. The last line of defense had to be destroyers. This plan had all the chances to be effective.

 

During the September campaign in 1939. Polish coastal defense he had no chance to establish an equal fight against overwhelming German army. Therefore, just before the outbreak of war the core of the Polish fleet in the form of three destroyers were sent to Britain, where he became the nucleus of the Polish Navy at the side of the western allies. Most of the ships remaining in Poland were sunk or taken over by the Germans and Soviet Russia (Poland had two fleets at sea Baltic and River Navy who fought with the red army soviet invasion of 17.09.1939 :( .The sailors, officers and captains after getting into captivity were murdered and tortured sometimes with their families), some managed to get to the UK, and the remaining interned in Sweden. The sailors defending the peninsula of Hel surrendered as one of the the last points of defense in the country. Hel peninsula fell 02.10.1939. There was no defender of ammunition to continue fighting the Germans.

(Is a fun curiosity Germans failed to win Hel peninsula in 1939. Similarly, in 1945 the Russians have not won the Hel peninsula defended by the Germans. In modern times, the Hel Peninsula has never been conquered in direct combat.)

 

From 1939 to 1947 Navy operated within the Polish Armed Forces in the West, and its composition based on a leased from Britain units, mostly destroyers and submarines, as well as 2 cruisers. At that time Polish ship operated in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, the North and the Arctic, taking part, among others, the hunt for the Bismarck and the landing on the shores of Normandy. Total ships of Polish Navy during World War II sailed 1 213 000 miles offshore, escorted 787 convoys, conducted 1,162 operations, sank 8 ships and a further 5 probably damaged 11 ships and 18 - probably merchant ships sunk 39 and 2 probably shot down 20 aircraft and 10 probably. Losses amounted to 24 Polish Navy ships sunk in action. Including 19 ships from 1939, 1 mistakenly sunk by Allied forces :( , 1 embedded aground in Normandy after heavy damage. As a result of the war casualties amounted to 23 officers, 8 cadets, 137 non-commissioned officers and 236 sailors killed and 13 officers and 178 non-commissioned officers and sailors wounded. The number of medals combat was 51 crosses of the Order of Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war., in 1052 Crosses of Valour, 68 Crosses of Merit with Swords, moreover, 83 badges of the British and 15 French.

 

Despite fighting on many seas and shed blood. Polish seafarers and ships from the Navy were not given back to a free country. Since 1944, power in taking over Polish communists in Poland under the supervision and support of the Red Army of the Soviet Union. 06.07.1945 the governments of Great Britain and the United States ceased to recognize the free Polish government. In the same month the Royal Navy ordered all ships Polish Navy to go, for repairs to the shipyard. While the sailors were to be disembarked units. This was to prevent the escape of the Polish ships and to prevent the scuttling of the Polish fleet or how scuttling of the German fleet took place at the Royal Navy's base at Scapa Flow in Scotland, after the end of the First World War. Polish sailors executed the order. What surprised the British Admiralty nobody wanted to flee to Poland or sink ships. For many, after six years of war ships were the last scraps of free Poland. In autumn 1946 Polish Admiralty decided to give back the British ships Royal Navy. This was to prevent against the efforts of the Polish communist government to return the entire fleet of the country. The British also did not want to increase the power of the Communists. If the Polish Navy returned to the Polish would be, the first modern largest fleet in the Baltic Sea. Polish ships sailed under the command of the Royal Navy until 1947. Returned to the country of all vessels owned by Poland: destroyers OORP Błyskawica and Burza and submarine ORP Wilk. Many sailors from the Polish fleet has been in the UK and other countries have chosen to live.

 

Those who returned to the country by the communist government were persecuted by the secret service as an enemy. Since 1950, the heroes of coastal defense of 1939 and pre-war officers and soldiers courts condemning them to prison for espionage and counter-revolutions. There were also death sentences.

 

 

Polish ships in the year 1939:

 

Destroyers:

 

Burza - class destroyers:

 

ORP Wicher - Built in France. Movie star destroyer played in the pre-war Polish film Rhapsody Baltic Sea. He took part in the open sea battle of World War II. 03.09.1939 sunk by dive bombers of 4 (St) / 186 (T) Trägerstaffel. In the publication there is information about the plans to renovate it, and the incarnation of the Kriegsmarine under the name "Seerose". These plans, however, were abandoned, probably due to a fire wreckage. Probably shot down one aircraft.

 

ORP Burza - Built in France. Evacuated to UK. Veteran Atlantic convoys. He sank the German submarine U-606. Survived World War II.

 

Grom- class destroyers

 

ORP Grom - Built in England. Evacuated to UK. During the operations in Norway Rombakkenfjord fired railroad, bridges and viaducts, and even individual German soldiers moving in the field, which meant that traffic on the railway line and the positions of the German and paralyzed the morale of German troops reduced. What really helped the Allied troops fighting there. Polish warships lived to see the German soldiers among various pejorative terms (eg. "Cursed Pole" or "Menschenjäger" (German .: "hunter of men")). 04.05.1940 He sunk by the Heinkel He 111, belonging to Kampfgruppe 100 (KG 100).

 

ORP Błyskawica - Built in England. Evacuated to UK. Called by the crew lucky ship. She participated in the activities of World War II from the first to the last days of fighting in Europe, operating in the Atlantic, the North Sea and the Mediterranean. He participated among others in the Norwegian campaign and the evacuation of Dunkirk, the Battle of the Atlantic, operations Torch and Overlord, and the Battle of Ushant. Operational activity at the side of the Allies ended participation in Operation Deadlight. The crew of the destroyer twice rescued the crew of sunken ships at the mines: Japanese "Terukuni Maru" and the British "Sheaf Crest". During his stay in the home yard in Cowes, on the night of 4 to 5 May 1942 the crew of "Błyskawica", supported the fire department defenses during a German air raid on the city and took part in fighting fires and helping the victims. She saved the city. In October, he escorted liner "Queen Mary" and her crew witnessed by him ramming cruiser "Curacoa." On the night of 8 on 9.09.1944 there was a battle destroyers at Ushant, during which 10 flotilla clashed with three destroyers and torpedo boats 8. Flotilla Kriegsmarine. Both teams located the devices thanks to radar. Germany began the battle, firing about 1:30 after midnight in the direction of ships 19. squadron torpedo salvo, however, outmaneuvered by Allied units that responded effective artillery fire. As a result, the serious damage suffered three German destroyers, one of them, AH1, has been immobilized, and then sunk. Z24 and the torpedo boat T24 escaped to Brest, while the Z32 tried to sail north, encountering over run by "Błyskawica" 20 squadron. When came under artillery fire, he fired a salvo of four torpedoes and turned south. Performing dodge Allied squadron lost contact with the enemy and regained it only in the final phase of the battle, when prosecuted and severely damaged Z32 threw on the French shore and was abandoned by the crew. The victorious Allies Battle of Ushant was the last manifestation of the activity of large German units and the last major battle of the sea in the western theater of war. On the night of July 15, "Tartar", "Piorun" and "Haida" attacked in the region of Île de Groix near Lorient German coastal convoy, drowning two armed trawlers and UJ1420, UJ1421 and, possibly, at least one escorted by ship. August 4 held patrol two Polish destroyers 10. Flotilla mistakenly strafed Canadian chasers torpedo, causing the death of one sailor. Took part in "Operation Deadlight" 116 U-boats, which surrendered to the Allies, and had not been distributed among the winners as the spoils of war, was to be in accordance with the provisions between allies sunk in the waters of the Atlantic, to the north of Ireland. He sank the U-boats: U-481, U-295, U-368, U-1198, U-155, U-806, U-861, U-278 and U-363 torpedoes and guns. Survived World War II. It is now a museum ship. He shot down three aircraft.

 

 

Submarines:

 

Orzeł - class submarines

 

ORP Orzeł - Built in the Netherlands. Miracle Dutch maritime technology. The most modern submarine beginning of the second war. Interned in Estonia. Disarmed and without a map. He was kidnapped by the Polish crew, who decided to take the ship to the UK. German Navy and Soviet Russia sought submarine to her sinking. The crew do not have a map of the Baltic Sea conducted a ship across the sea and broke the German blockade in the waters of Denmark! :) On the morning of 14.10.1939 "Eagle" arrived at the height of the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Operating out of the British Isles, 8 April 1940, during a patrol in the North Sea, sank the freighter "Rio de Janeiro", carrying German troops under Operation Weserübung - information provided by the "Orzeł" was one of the first signs of a German invasion of Norway. With unexplained to this day causes, "Orzel" was lost with all hands while on patrol in the North Sea in late May and June 1940.

 

 

ORP Sęp - Built in the Netherlands. Interned in Sweden. Survived World War II. In the 50s she "played" in the film Orzeł role of its famous twin.

 

 

Mine-laying submarines:

 

Wilk – class submarines

 

ORP Wilk - Built in France. Troll submarine. On the night of 14/15 September 1939 he managed to break through to the surface by the Øresund strait flowing over the surface (passing at the approx. 60 m with a German destroyer "Richard Beitzen" and torpedo boat T 107. Polish crew persuaded the crew of the German units. They are Swedish submarine. And they strayed off course in the waters of sweden :) . September 20 "Wilk" sailed to Rosyth in the UK. He has been training ship for sailors submarine Polish Navy. Survived World War II.

 

ORP Ryś - Built in France. Interned in Sweden. Survived World War II.

 

ORP Żbik - Built in France. Interned in Sweden. Survived World War II. January 22, 1940 on a mine wagered by ORP Zbik sank German Muehlhausen PG - 314

 

 

Minelayer:

 

Gryf – class minelayer

 

ORP Gryf - Built in France. Largest ship pre-war Polish Navy. Training ship. 03.09.1939 There was a battle between. Polish ships Wicher and Gryf, a German destroyers. Polish gunners received a hit in protective mask acts No. 2 "Leberecht Maass" (according to German sources killed four sailors, the next four wounded), which meant that Germany put up a smokescreen and gone away, chased fire from Polish guns. 03.09.1939 sunk by dive bombers of 4 (St) / 186 (T) Trägerstaffel.

 

Jaskółka – class minelayers

 

ORP Jaskółka - Built in Poland. He shot down one aircraft. 14.09.1939 sunk by aircraft Ju 87.

 

ORP Rybitwa - Built in Poland. Sunk by Polish seamen. Captured in the Jastarnia port by the Germans. Then, "Rybitwa" was incorporated into the Kriegsmarine under the name „Rixhöft”. Survived World War II. She returned to the country.

 

ORP Mewa - Built in Poland. Sunk by Polish seamen. Captured in the Jastarnia port by the Germans. Then, "Mewa" was incorporated into the Kriegsmarine under the name „Putzig”. Survived World War II. She returned to the country.

 

ORP Czajka - Built in Poland. Sunk by Polish seamen. Captured in the Jastarnia port by the Germans. Then, "Czajka" was incorporated into the Kriegsmarine under the name „ Westerplatte”. Survived World War II. She returned to the country.

 

ORP Czapla - Built in Poland. 14.09.1939 sunk by aircraft Ju 87. The further fate of the individual is not known.

 

ORP Żuraw - Built in Poland. Sunk by Polish seamen. Captured in the Jastarnia port by the Germans. Then, "Żuraw" was incorporated into the Kriegsmarine under the name „Oxhöft”. Survived World War II. She returned to the country.

 

 

Training ship:

 

German Empier V-class torpedo boat:

 

ORP Mazur (ex. „V 105”) - Built in Germany. Training ship. The first Polish ship sunken naval ship sunk and the first Allied ship during World War II. On the first day of World War II, September 1, 1939, ORP Mazur, commanded by Lieutenant Tadeusz Rutkowski, was in a port of Oksywie. At 2 pm she was at a pier, preparing to leave port, when she was attacked by German Junkers Ju 87s from IV./LG.1. The ship suffered one close hit and a hit amidships, and sunk still firing at the German aircraft. A crew member, although the ship was sinking, kept firing until waves washed him overboard:

 

ORP Gryf

 

ORP Bałtyk (ex. „D’Entrecasteaux”) - Built in France 1896!. Protected cruiser. Training ship and hulk apartment. Captured in the Gdynia port by the Germans. For a time, "Bałtyk" was used by the Germans as a hulk apartment, after which it was scrapped. It is most common version of the scrapped ship in Gdansk in 1942.

 

Interrupted by war construction of two destroyers in the Polish shipyards Grom- class destroyers:

 

ORP Orkan and ORP Huragan - The German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 interrupted the construction; some materials were diverted to the improvised armoured train "Kashubian Dragon". Within the next few weeks, the Gdynia and Polish Navy shipyards were captured by the Germans. The construction of the two destroyers, barely started, was never resumed, as the materials were scrapped or re-purposed by the occupier.

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Polish ships in the service of the Allies and the Royal Navy from 1939 to 1947:

 

Destroyers:

 

Burza - class destroyers:

 

ORP Burza

 

Grom- class destroyers:

 

ORP Grom

 

ORP Błyskawica

 

 

French Bourrasque-class destroyer:

 

OF Ouragan (ex. „Ouragan”) - Built in France. Ouragan were captured by the British in Plymouth harbour on 3 July 1940 during Operation Catapult. Ouragan was first transferred to the Free Polish Navy. Returned to the naval forces of the Free French in 1941. Survived World War II.

 

 

British G-class destroyer:

 

ORP Garland (ex. „HMS Garland”) - He sank the German submarine U-407. Defend the convoy PQ-16. He was the largest warship in the convoy and focused the attention of the Luftwaffe. He shot down three aircraft at the cost of 32 dead sailors from the ship's anti-aircraft defense. Se saved convoy. He took part in Operation Deadlight. Artillery fire sank U-1010. Survived World War II.

 

British N-class destroyer:

 

ORP Piorun (ex. „HMS Nerissa”) - 22.06.1941 ORP Piorun took part in the hunt for the battleship “Bismarck”. He found a lost “Bismarck” by Royal Navy in the fog. For one hour he was in contact with the visual battleship. ORP “Piorun” found missing “Bismarck” by the British fleet and steered him to the Royal Navy. For 25 minutes between “Biscmarck” he fought with “Piorun” shooting at each other! During the battle, the captain of the Polish ship. Ordered to send an open message on the battleship “Bismarck”, they were fighting with the Polish destroyer. The crew on board saw hits from guns destroyer on the battleship. About 23.50 "Bismarck" fired the latest salvo in the "Piorun" and soon disappeared in the darkness of sight of observers. Even for 2 hours searching the area, which had expected to find the "Bismarck", and only about 7 o'clock in the morning, once the other Allied ships found the German battleship, he turned to England. On the way back to the base, "Piorun" fought off attacks by the Luftwaffe, aimed at helping "Bismarck". Devonport ship docked May 28, 1941 year by 9.40 an hour, with only 30 tons of fuel and and consumption of almost all ammunition for the guns! This fight is not mentioned in the West, the share of Polish destroyer is belittling and forgotten.

September 3 1941 ORP "Lightning" seconded from the escort convoy in the vicinity of the Azores to assist storpedowanemu freighter m / s "Fort Richepance". The ship sank before it was discovered by Polish ship, they could, however, save 26 sailors and 10 American airmen traveling in the freighter to England. September 14 1941"Piorun" joined the escort convoy WS-11X, flowing through the Gibraltar supply to Malta (Operation "Halberd") - "Piorun" was assigned to Force H adm. J. Somerville. During the operation was a cover direct aircraft carrier HMS "Ark Royal", rescued one of the British pilots, who had to launch because of damage to the machine after the air combat with airplanes Italian, then was seconded to the primary guard the damaged battleship HMS 'Nelson', with which he returned to Gibraltar. During the operation in the Gulf of Salerno on 1943 September 15th he thwarted attack two Italian torpedo boats on Allied ships. In the course of securing shipping during the Allied invasion of the continent "Bolt" took part in the naval battles at Ouessant and the Jersey and the sinking of the German-breaker interlocks „Sperrbrecher 7” (ex-m/s „Sauerland”) in La Pallice. After the war, "Piorun " took part in "Operation Deadlight" During these cruises sank 6 U-boat: U-149, U-318, U-1022, U-244, U-2502 and U-764 using guns and torpedoes. Survived World War II.

 

British M-class destroyer:

 

ORP Orkan (ex. „HMS Myrmidon”) - January 23, 1943 "Orkan" joined the distant escort the convoy JW 52, sailing to Murmansk HMS "Anson" cruiser HMS "Sheffield" and four destroyers, under the command of Adm. B. Fraser. During the cruise crew "Orkan" detected a torpedo attack on the ships cover - thanks to a warning from the Polish ship team dodged and torpedo missed. As part of thanks, after returning on January 29 to Akureyri on the north coast of Iceland, the crew of the battleship "Anson" invited the crew of "Orkan" on common tea. “Orakn” was sunk by a German torpedo acoustic October 8, 1943, during escorting a convoy SC 143. The ship 178 Poles were killed and about 20 British sailors - was the largest in terms of number of victims of the loss of the Polish Navy during World War II. They rescued 41 Polish and 3 British sailors. Due to the fact that the ship transported to England, a group of British sailors who are not members of the crew "Orkan" there are problems in determining the exact number of those killed aboard the British.

 

 

British Type II Hunt-class:

 

ORP Krakowiak (ex. „HMS Silverton”) – 3 aircraft shot down in the last stages of the war he took part in a number of clashes with the German torpedo boat (Schnellboot), of which one sank, and two damaged. Survived World War II.

 

ORP Kujawiak (ex. „HMS Oakley”) - He took part in Operation Claymore. Three bombers shot down two of them Italian. During the approach to the port of La Valletta one of the British destroyer HMS "Badsworth" stepped on a mine and suffered serious damage. Crew flowing as the last in a convoy of Polish destroyer, who himself was in the mine area, he joined the rescue operation.On board the HMS "Badsworth" There were about 120 survivors from the previously sunken ships. During the heroic action 53 minutes after midnight, June 16, at the left side of the "Kujawiak" at the height of the position of Division No 2 mine exploded, tearing the skin and adjacent watertight bulkheads. Despite the immediate action of the crew, the ship quickly tilted to the side. With Malta sent to his rescue tug "Robust", but before he could take the hall, about 1.20 Polish destroyer sank, entailing 13 crew members in the depths of the sea.

 

 

ORP Ślązak (ex. „HMS Bedale”) – The unit took part in the raid on Dieppe, swam in the Gibraltar convoys, protected the landing on Sicily and Allied landings at Salerno. During the raid on Dieppe was in action 22 hours, including 15 hours in a fight with planes, and the banks of floating units. More than 30 times opened fire on the aircraft shooting down two Dornier 217, two Messerschmitt 109 and Junkers 88. He pulled out of the water 5 Germans from the sunken minesweeper, rescued the pilot of English aircraft, 1 officer and 19 soldiers and a Canadian naval officer who died on the ship. The commander of the unit, Commander Romuald Nalecz Tyminski in action at Dieppe. He broke orders and rescued from the beach at Dieppe 82 Canadian soldiers mostly from The Royal Regiment of Canada. She received for this honor - the Distinguished Service Cross. During the landing in Normandy, 6 June 1944 sailed at the head of the Allied invasion fleet. He covered the sea landing on Sword Beach effectively fighting coastal batteries of the enemy and helped in the fight 41 Royal Marine Commando. July 6, 1944, the ship took captured the first World War II German torpedo alive, taking its pilot captured. Survived World War II.

 

Cruiser:

 

British D or Danae-class cruiser:

 

ORP Dragon (ex. „HMS Dragon”) - "Dragon" went on invasive operation on the night of June 4th and 5th of Portsmouth. According to the plan bombing forces under the command of Rear Admiral Patterson they were after 5:00 am on the designated position in the region episode of "Sword" Landing in Normandy began at dawn on June 6, 1944. "Dragon" got together with the other ships of the task of shooting at targets on land including coastal battery near the town of Calleville sur Orne. He did not include, however, the action from the very beginning, because his artillery observer sent ashore was injured in the first phase of landing. The shelling started at 7.02 after he or she has been assigned to work observer Airport. Battery 105 mm in Calleville sur Orne was destroyed within 49 minutes, after which the "Dragon" was given the task of firing battery-caliber 155 mm at Trouville, and later fortified enemy positions and mortars near Caen, finally focus 22. Tank Regiment of the 21st Division armored near Varaville. In 15 minutes the enemy lost 6 tanks and was forced to withdraw. Also, another group of tanks suffered losses and had to abandon the attack. Rommel hopes to push the Allies into the sea were thwarted by customs fire "Dragon". On the morning on July 8, 1944 ORP "Dragon" was assigned the task of firing the German defensive positions on the land around the city of Caen. When the ship together with the team was already close to a fixed position for the attack was spotted by Karl H. Potthast, the operator of live torpedoes type Neger, who managed to get close to a distance of about 400 meters from the target, which identified a large destroyer. Hit occurred about 4.40 hours to about 20 minutes before the scheduled start of operations. In total, 37 people were killed crew. The ship was seriously damaged. Given the fact that this was a unit already heavily outdated, the British Admiralty decided non-renovated ship. It was directed towards temporary harbor "Mulberry" built by the invasion forces in the area of Caen, where his body was to be sunk in order to reinforce the breakwater. Most of the crew, along with the deputy commander of Cdr. Hulewicz Alexander descended from the deck to the American landing craft, which drove them to England. The remaining sixty people along with the commander, the rest in order to prepare the ship for sinking. Before finally leaving the ship on July 15, there was a symbolic burial of corpses could not be extracted from the interior of the hull. Scuttling took place a few days later in the line of the main breakwater built from a previously sunken, withdrawn from service units.

 

ORP Conrad (ex. „HMS Danae”) - ORP "Conrad" was handed over to Polish Navy to replace lost 8 July 1944 the cruiser ORP Dragon. He was a ship of the same type, and was cast as the sailors of the "Dragon", the new crew of the ship would not have done so before the start of training for the ministry. Initially, she planned to call ORP "Vilnius" or ORP "Lviv". It did not happen, but for political reasons (the British authorities feared provoking the name of the government of the USSR). Eventually it was decided to give him this respect politically neutral name ORP "Conrad." This name commemorated the English writer born in Poland, Joseph Conrad (actually Józefa Konrada Korzeniowskiego), whose works were mostly associated with the sea. The name of the ship alluded in this way to the Polish-British cooperation in the sea. 06.07.1945 was received at the main base of the Kriegsmarine - Wilhelmshaven, occupied in the last days of the war by the Polish 1st Armoured Division of General Maczek. Survived World War II.

 

 

Submarines:

 

Orzeł - class submarines

 

ORP Orzeł

 

 

United States S-class submarine:

 

ORP Jastrząb (ex. „USS S-25”) (ex. „HMS P551”) - 1939 operated in Hawaiian waters in US Navy. S-25 was decommissioned on 4 November 1941 and simultaneously transferred to Great Britain where she was renamed HMS P551. She was then loaned to the government of Poland in exile, accepted by Lieutenant Commander B. Romanowski of the Polish Navy, and commissioned as ORP Jastrząb. May 2, 1942 there was an unscheduled meeting with the convoy, which met on his route icebergs, which resulted in the need to change its exchange rate approx. 70 miles to the south. Due to the change of the route the convoy entered the operating area of the Polish ship, which was attacked by depth charges escorting a convoy Norwegian destroyer "St Albans" and the British minesweeper HMS 'Seagull'. The attack was not interrupted despite the launch of the submarine distinctive signals Allied submarines in the form of yellow smoke bombs. After an emergency surfacing submarine Polish surface vessels led bombardment of the ship with machine guns. As a result of fire claimed the lives of three Polish sailors and two English. Wounds ended up with the four officers and twelve sailors. The ship suffered severe damage due to close explosions depth charges. The crew of the ship was acquired by HMS 'Seagull'. The scale of the devastation "Jastrząb" made it impossible for him to return to the base, so the decision was made about the sinking. ORP "Jastrząb" sank 2 May 1942.

 

British U-class submarine:

 

ORP Dzik (ex. „HMS P52”)On the revised list of his successes listed seven sunken ships with a total tonnage of approx. 8650 BRT, three sunken ferry landing and one damaged ship opponent. The crew also make any boarding on the German and Italian units. After the war, he was returned to the Royal Navy.

 

ORP Sokół (ex. „HMS Urchin”) - During the service in the Polish fleet he made two campaigns in the Mediterranean. By operating from bases in Malta and then in Beirut, is a successful submarine in the war against the Axis shipping, sinking at least fourteen enemy. Thanks to the success of battle, "Sokół", together with its twin "Dzik", hailed as the British fleet nickname "Terrible Twins". The crew also make any boarding on the German and Italian units. After the war, "Sokół" was returned to the Royal Navy.

 

 

Mine-laying submarine:

 

Wilk – class submarine

 

ORP Wilk

 

 

This short text Will give you an overview of the history of Polish Navy and ships. It is interesting, forgotten Navy allied to the west. I've appearance, the announcement of the Polish ship in game VB is a great event and one of her remember.

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I recall reading somewhere that the German army used three times as many bullets invading Poland, as compared to France. I think that it's fair to say that that fact alone tells a lot about Poland that certain people would like to forget.

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I recall reading somewhere that the German army used three times as many bullets invading Poland, as compared to France. I think that it's fair to say that that fact alone tells a lot about Poland that certain people would like to forget.

Not to detract from the Poles (they receive way less credit than they deserve), the French were prepping for a drag-out fight at the Maginot and were very surprised when the German's just went around. Panzers were so deep in to France that massive retreat was the only option if there was any hope to defend Paris (there wasn't). It was a testament to German strategic thinking and bold risk taking, the French were completely turned around, That's also where the unfair French "Retreat" stereotype.

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Not to detract from the Poles (they receive way less credit than they deserve), the French were prepping for a drag-out fight at the Maginot and were very surprised when the German's just went around. Panzers were so deep in to France that massive retreat was the only option if there was any hope to defend Paris (there wasn't). It was a testament to German strategic thinking and bold risk taking, the French were completely turned around, That's also where the unfair French "Retreat" stereotype.

 

I do not agree with you. As to the evaluation points is the same as France. France committed a error like these:

 

1. The French and the British ignored the conclusions of the September campaign on the Polish front, attributing the defeat only poor organization and command of the Polish Army.

 

2. French and British army and air force ignored the opinions of Polish soldiers and airmen who in their reports for the top generals reported that the tactics used by the armies and air France and Britain may end up destroying forces. Polish officers from September 1939 in their reports explained what was Blitzkrieg.

 

3. The period between 17 September 1939 and 9 April 1940, has not been well spent on the reinforcement by the French army and air force.

 

4. French army and air force ignored the power of the Luftwaffe. A particularly dive bombers Junkers Ju-87.

 

5. The mass escape and panic of civilians from the bombed cities by the Luftwaffe and blocking roads army. This is what happened in Poland 1939. happened in France in 1940 and Soviet Russia in 1941.

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