By Mariusz Gasior
|
The road to BritainOn 1 September 1939 the
German Army, supported by the Air Force (Luftwaffe) and Navy
(Kriegsmarine) invaded Poland from three sides. Polish defences, already
strained under a powerful and innovative German assault, collapsed
shortly after the Soviets launched their own invasion from the east on
17 September. Polish forces fought with distinction, but Poland was
crushed by the two invaders in five weeks. After their defeat, tens of thousands of Polish servicemen made their way to France to continue the struggle against a common enemy. The Polish Air Force (PAF) was recreated and established on French soil following a number of agreements between the French government and the Polish government-in-exile. Despite suffering a crushing defeat, Polish airmen maintained excellent morale and relished the opportunity to fight the Germans again. |
