Finnish-marked British planes?

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

There are some wrong data in these information about Rising 44 and Polish brigade.
Poland had also ordered in GB a batch of 10 or 11 Hurricanes I. GB had agreed to supply them and 1-st was even send to Poland. He never come and was only on the ship board when the war broken.
After the beginning the war all futher shipment to Poland were conceled. There is such information that bigger part of fromer ordered by Poland Hurricanes had been send instead to Finland (there is 8 HCs serials to be supplyed to Poland and the same serials are on the planes, which were at last delivered to Finland in March 1940. There was also such mythology that on some Hurricanes were pained Polish insignia like white and red chassboard and Polish inscriptions on the cocpit's clocks. This last is rather not possible - fantazy.

Samodzielna Brygada Strzelców Podhalańskich.
British and French goverment, despite miliatry support to Finalnd, had ideas to send land forces to support Finland on land in this war. Both government wanted to not be directly involved in combat with Russian. So in Jan 1940 was invented specific political solution.
There should be send to Finalnd insted britihs and French Polish Miliatry Corps and also Navy, which would particpated in combats with Russian red invaders (who aslo invaded Poland on 17 IX 1939 as German's friends - IV Partitions of Poland). Polish Navy had to fight with Russian navy around Petsamo. Our navy had to weak forces and idea was abolished.
Polish governmen on the exile (gen. Sikorski) twice discuted a question of miliatry support to Finland in Jan 1940. Polish goverment had agreed to creat land brigade only then when Poles wuold be used in allied expeditions military forces - not as a single one. Polish goverment had decied to creat such mountain brigade on 24 Jan 1940. Brigade was organised in France according French military schemes. His commander was płk dypl. Z. Bohusz-Szyszko (later gen. brigade.). In February 1940 had beed finnished full her organisation. In the meantime Finland had signed peace agreemant with Russian (the war was over on 13 III 1940). Anyway the full training program Poolish solderis in SBSP was still conducted. Soldiers would be used (according earlier plans) in war in the mountain and winter areas of northern Finland. In IV 1940 German had invaded Denmark and Norway. The idea of used Polish soldiers from Samodzielna Brygada Strzelców Podhalańskich was activated by British and French goverment.
This brigade was send and used in Norway. SBSP was despached there on 24 IV 1940 from Brest. Brigade had 4778 soldiers and they had fought in Narvik in May 1940. Polish soldiers were evacuated from Norway between 2-7 VI 1940, coming back to France.
In spite of land forces also Polish Navy (3 destroyers - ORP Błyskawica, ORP Grom, ORP Burza + one sumbmarine ORP Orzeł) took part in comabt in Norway campaigne. ORP Orzeł did sunk German transport ship "Rio de janeiro" with German soldiers sailed to Norway exactly on the begining of this war (8 IV 1940 - aboy 100 Germans KIA, MIA).
Luftwaffe did sunk our destroyer - ORP Grom - on 4 V 1940 (there were killed 1 officer and 58 sailors), the rest was rescuted by Royal Navy (17 officers and 137 sailors).

During war around Narwik, which was at last captured with the great support of Polish soldiers, our brigade did lost 2 offciers and 95 soldiers KIA and 189 soldiers WIA + 28 MIA. Poles created substantial and important part of allied expenditionary forces, which at first were planed to use in Finland and soon were used in Norway battle.

There was also idea of used Polish Air Forces to support Finland in the Winter War. It was so called Polish - "Finland Squadron" - founded in Bron near Lyon, which was exactly planed to use there in Finalnd against Russian.
The name was soon changed into I/145 Warsaw Figher Squadron. His pilots later fought over France in Caudron Cyclone C.714 in May 1940, but his orgins was Finalad Winter war.
At last but not least during Winter War a few Poles took part in this war in Finland war. Quite more were also mobilised by Soviets and also fought in the ranks of invaders forces.

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński

PS
Ideas of swastika on Hurricanes supplied to Finalnd is not confirmed and in fact has nothing with the true. Russian loved to creat some mythology which is not support by any proofs also in this case - pure fantasy.
An author of Hawker Hurricane in Foreign Service in WW II (Belgian, Finalnd, Rumanian, Yugoslavina, German, Italian and Soviet Union users)
and Ju 87 in Foreign Service

[jednastka]

Mirek

Thank you for your explanation of this passage in Davies' book. I am very interested in the combination of the Warsaw Uprising with the Polish pilots at Bron-Lyon, since my family was directly involved.

My Grandfather, Kazimierz Benz, was commandant at Bron-Lyon, While both my mother and father fought with the AK in the uprising. Please contact me off-board, since I would like to know if you have more information, especially about my grandfather.

vbenz@cruzinternet.com

Victor

[Franek Grabowski]

Actually there were some covert British activities to support Finland. I cannot exclude a BEF was planned to be send there as 'mercenaries', so the aircraft may have been prepared for them. Huh, another mystery?

[Dick Powers]

I believe that is what the author of "Rising 44" implies. Of course, without proof.