@@lostinspace013 my pleasure. The Poles courage and fighting spirit has to be remembered and it is wonderful to see how the people of Driel still to this day celebrate their achievements in the Netherlands!
I had the privilege of knowing one of the Polish Brigade. His name was Joseph Gwizdack (hope I've spelt Joe's surname correctly). I knew him in his later years when he became the partner of my widowed mum-in-law. Like so many of the Polish people he was a kind and generous, hardworking man. His story, as a teenager, of being evicted from their land and enslaved by Russian forces in 1939, who occupied Poland east of the Vistula was one shared by many Poles. He and his family were taken to Siberia and there he was set to work as a lumberjack. There was a brief period of grace after Germany declared war on the USSR, when he and his countrymen were released and allowed to go to Iran. He walked some 2000 miles to get there and I heard that as a result his mother was buried by the Caspian Sea. He was taken to Scotland and joined the Polish Brigade. Joe revered General Sosabowski and was a proud soldier to the end of his life. He routinely attended cenotaph remembrance services, in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He was active in the Polish Branch of the British Legion. When he spoke about the drop into Driel, there was a sense of his frustration, the brigade was effectively been dropped into a hornets nest. He described it as the the worst of times and the toll taken on the brigade and his comrades. He and my mum-in-law were invited by the Dutch government to visit, tour the sites and he and his surviving comrades be honoured by the Dutch people. It was said it helped him, in part, come to terms with some of his combat experiences., which had left deep scares within him. He died aged 85. There was a quite lengthy obituary in the local newspaper about him describing his life entitled "Proud Soldier". If there was one aspect of Joe's life, that was almost tangible, above all else, it was his desire that his homeland would become a free democratic nation liberated from the influence of the USSR.
Thank you for sharing that! Incredible to think of what those men achieved and just how poorly they were treated post war and how their country suffered under Soviet rule.
My father’s story was very similar, except that as he was cavalry he ended up in armour in North Africa. I’m glad Joseph lived to tell his tale, and that he met people that he could share his story with.
Beautiful story! It would be good if the Mayor of Alkmaar could see it. that Poles are not just cattle who must leave "her" city by 6 p.m. Thank you for this beautiful piece of history.
grahamwalker2312...my dad too had a similar tale to tell. He was taken from his bed aged 16/17, and sent to a work camp somewhere in Russia, possibly Siberia. Then released after Russia became allies and walked to the coast, obtaining passage to Scotland, being trained as a paratrooper, and taking part in the Arnhem operation. Only now am I finding out details he never shared, perhaps the memories were too painful, he never found out if his family survived the war. He also felt unable to return to his former home, since it was behind the iron curtain, and now known as Belarus. Strangely enough, just as I finish watching this video, my sister has sent me a copy of a note he wrote, I've never seen it before, nor even knew of its existence. I was in action in Arnhem we were trying to cross the river rine(sic) to help the British Troops to hold the enemy were shelling us there was a big flash I was blown off the road when I came round I found myself tangled in barbed wire not able to remember what happened after the flash No punctuation whatsoever, but dad's English was quite good considering he'd picked it up. This may have been copied out by my niece, nontheless, it does indicate he was in the action there. Btw, he also settled in Yorkshire, in Leeds.
Good video, pleasure to watch. The Polish never got the real respect they deserve. We in the Netherlands are grateful for the sacrifice. All heroes, American, British, Polish, Canadian.
yeah you are then the same war criminals like the allies. Look up William toel, an american citizien, who revealed the alst years the in Bletchley planned genocide on the germans committed after war by the allies.
When I was stationed in Rheindahlen in the 80s, I went to Arnheim to walk the ground. Having been in the 82d Airborne Division it meant a lot to me. I am also 1/2 Polish on my Mother's side of the family and really explored the areas the Poles parachuted in. Polich valor is never questioned.
I bet that was an amazing trip! While I don’t have any family ties to Poland to see how the locals at Driel remember those young lads and how genuine it all is was extremely moving and my levels of respect for what the Polish achieved during the war and what they went on to suffer thanks to shameful politicians post war has really opened my eyes!
I don't think we could ever thank the Dutch people enough for the never ending kindness and respect they show for the allied forces. My Dad fought through the Nederlands with XII corp and he always said the Dutch were such wonderful people. Great to see the Poles are remembered in a big way out there. Cheers for another wonderful video ;)
Agreed. Their generosity even at a time when they had little was overwhelming from what I’ve read and still to this day they are a lovely people. The remembrance and attitude toward it is the most genuine I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe.
@@only1dutchgirlvisit Ijsselsteijn ..look up sept 1944...might be prettyfew Dutch SS names there too. History right there.Told by a Para at Arnhem. True fact too
A very interesting episode. I like the respect and memory of the Dutch about the Polish soldiers who liberated their lands. "God, honor, homeland" is the slogan of the Polish armed forces. RIP to the heroes.
Thank you. Finally, the story of the First Polish Airborne Brigade has been told by far the best WW2 storyteller. Thank you, Jon for all your work in telling these stories.
Thank you! I just hope it helps to elevate these incredible men and show how the wonderful people of Driel still commemorate them so passionately 79 years after it all took place!
@@WW2Wayfinder Not only politicians, all British people bear responsibility for horrible treatment Sosabowski and Maczek, and countless other Poles received after the war.
Excellent video, Jon, about these brave Polish Paras. It's very moving to see how much the residents of Driel continue to honour the Poles who died for the liberation of the town and then for the freedom of The Netherlands.
Its a wonderful town that doesn’t get enough coverage and I was totally captivated by how they remember their liberators there. It’s incredible and the most genuine sense of commemoration and respect I’ve found at any former ww2 battlefield.
Thank you for this video. As a teenager in the 1960s in London UK, i met several of the Polish paras who were political exiles, as was my father. They were members of the Polish community in SE London. They were bitter in their criticism of the British High Command, considering Boy Browning arrogant and dangerously incompetent
I am ashamed of how the politicians treated Sosabowski and slandered the Polish Paratroopers after the war. It should never have happened when Poland had already sacrificed so much. And I completely agree about Browning. The man was an arse.
The way the Poles were treated after the war was utterly shameful. My Father never got over the fact that there were no Poles at the VE parade. Despite them having fought on EVERY front in WWII
@@andrzejplocki6438 The UK government of the time kow- towed to Stalin. The Red Army in central Eastern Europe was over 12 million strong and ordinary western Allied soldiers wanted to go home and did not want any confrontation with the USSR which had taken on the bulk of the land war in Europe. That 1946 victory parade was a gross injustice to the Polish Armed Forces in the West who fought under British command, unlike the Free French who fought under US command.
@@lyndoncmp5751 Sosabowski was a professional , hard nosed soldier who fought for his paras and stood up to the nonsense spouted in particular by the incompetent and arrogant Browning. The Polish Armed Forces in the West were, unfortunately, under British and not American command. Thus they were subject to the manipulations, perfidy and downright dishonesty of the British military establishment. The latter was always looking for excuses and scapegoats for its own incompetence. Unknown to the Poles at that time, September 1944, they had already been "sold down the river" by the British government and military to Stalin's Russia, a full year earlier at Tehran and confirmed at all later conferences in secret agreements. The Poles, in effect, were treated as useful cannon fodder.
Excited to find this video! Great information! I am a retired 82nd Airborne Paratrooper with love of all Airborne history. Market Garden is my favorite to study. New subscriber and patreon!
Sir, your channel is one of the most valuable channels on YT. Such channels should have millions of subscribers. Thanks to you and the channel "The History Underground" I visited almost all the most important places in Normandy. I was also on Mont Ormel and the Polish cemetery in Urville-Langannerie. Next year I will go to Driel 100%. I am Polish and I am proud of it. Thank you Sir and good luck!
Thank you that’s very kind of you to say so! I just hope what I do helps to keep the memory of these incredible people and those times alive for future generations! JD and the History Underground is 100% another amazing channel and I hope he hits the million subs mark soon!!!
Thank you for making this video. It Is so heartwarming to see how the local Dutch people take such pride in their history and the strong connection with the liberating nations now in its 80th year. The respect admiration and gratitude is there for all to see. Lest we Forget.
Many years ago as a young boy l delivered an evening newspaper to an address whose occupant was a veteran of the Arnhem campaign ...(l had no idea at that time).. His name was Peter Robinson DCM.. a Sergeant Grenadier guards tank commander at the bridge at Nijmegen his tank, a Sherman Firefly knock out an anti tank gun , after being hit twice...he was with Peter (Lord) Carrington at the battle. Years latter l read in a local paper that he had been an adviser for the film 'Bridge to Far'...Like most veterans of war he just came home and got on with the rest of his life... Great story of a bravely fought but tragic battle..
Another outstanding video of an often-overlooked action. The memorials you show are quite poignant. History lives in those places. Polish fighters deserve highest accolades for bravery. I remember seeing the thousand Polish graves at their cemetery at Monte Cassino. If I could make one recommendation it would be to leave the biographical information on the soldiers up a few seconds longer. You provide a lot of fascinating details there.
Thank you hugely for creating this poignant documentary about the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade and their history and role during Operation Market Garden. You've crafted a beautiful tribute to general Stanisłąw Sosabowski and his men by sharing the story of this forgotten hero. Indeed, he was scapegoated by Monty and some officers, but that was to cover up their own mistakes. Every Polish and UK WWII veteran I've met has shared that 99.9% of British and Polish soldiers, paras, sailors, and pilots held immense respect for one another during the war, and this respect has endured. This brotherhood in arms is especially evident today in our unified support for Ukraine's fight for freedom and independence.
Thank you for posting this. The 1st (Polish) Independent Parachute Brigade trained in my home area in East Fife in Scotland. They are remembered fondly here and not forgotten.
I went to Arnhem in 2003,with my partners brother who was 83 at the time and his son.When the locals heard of his connection to the fight for the bridges, they treated him with total reverance in as much as they refused any payment for him, on anything we offered payment for. This was of course gradually coming to an end, as the vets passed on. They told us that some vistors tried to trade on this, but they were cute enough to see by the age of the person as to whether he could have been their at the time.
For those who know and whom are interested... The Poles of Market Garden and their part is never forgotten. I have visited the graves of these brave men, and met a young Polish couple who were placing flowers on the graves
Outstanding, great to learn about the Polish Airborne brigade during Operation Market Garden. I had the honor of visiting that area last year. 🫡 to all the Airborne paratroopers that served in Operation Market Garden, your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇵🇱
They were very brave men who sadly thanks to political weakness were screwed over post war, something none of them deserved. However that aside it’s wonderful to see how the people of Driel and the Netherlands remember these men
Thanks for another great production. You have reinforced my own views on Boy Browning and on the foresight of Sosabowski, I didn't know of Sosabowski's back ground. I briefly worked with a guy back in the 1980s who was a Para trapped in Oosterbeek, he was part of the rear guard and ended up swimming The Rhine. Before he past away, I got him to sign my book of A Bridge To Far. RIP Gorden.
No worries, I had planned to film elsewhere but after staying in Driel it felt right to cover the Polish effort and highlight their role. The cap was from a stall at Ginkel Heath on the day of the mass drops and couldn’t resist it!
Thank you for remembering these brave freedom fighters. I had read in one tome, about Market Garden, that the Polish Paras had been promised at one time that they could drop into Warsaw. I have had the honor of chatting with General Sosabowski’s grandson on Facebook. Brilliant and humble man himself.
Originally 1 Parachute brigade was dedicated for fight in possibly Polish uprising. 1 of August 1944 the uprising was started but British not allowed to fly. Mutiny was extinguished by the personal authority of gen Sosabowski.
I understand Stalin would have frustrated any effort by the Polish to reinforce Warsaw. The monster walled on internal Warsaw forces in revolt giving the impression the Russian forces would provide support. He knew superior German forces would overcome the resistance removing any who might resent Russian occupation which was inevitable
@@normannokes9513not only he. British also don't want to lose such unit. A special close to "Market-Garden" operation... 20% of "Cichociemni" was from thit unit. Every "Cichociemny" was partly based on Sosabowski method.
Bardzo precyzyjnie przekazałes wiedzę o której wiedzą nieliczni. To co opowiadałeś jest prawdą. Należy dodać,że przed samą operacja Market-Garden spadochroniarze protestowali przeciwko uczestnictwu w tej operacji ,bo mieli być wykorzystani w Powstaniu Warszawskim Protestem była dwudniowa głodówka żołnierzy. Jeśli chodzi o Gen. Sosabowskiego. Był prawdziwym dowódcą ,żołnierzem,ale jednak niedocenionym przez Brytyjczyków . Po wojnie pracował o ile się nie mylę jako magazynier do połowy lat 60-tych
Great video sir, thankyou for giving the Sosabowski and his Poles the credit they deserve! Walking around the Oosterbeek pocket is well worth it- what is readily apparent is how the land rises steeply and is partly wooded...and provides a defensive perimeter ( of sorts) for light infantry to defend agianst armour ( to a point). Heroes all.
In general all 240.000 polish servicemen serving during WWII, got almost no attention or recognition after the war. Shortly after the war , dutch Queen Wilhelmina wanted to award general Sosabowsky the hightest military honery medal- the Militaire Willemsorde ( MWO) but this was surpressed by the british at that time. It took untill 2004 initiated by pressure of public opinion after a TV-documentary about the Polish Brigade as well from the House of Commons ( De Tweede Kamer ) that Queen Beatrix granted the MWO . As general Sosabowski already had died ( in London, where he did not receive a polish - occupied by russia - or british pension - just small dutch allowance - and worked as a factory worker untill his 75th ) , the MWO. it was awarded to the 1st Polish Independent Paratrooper Brigade as a whole, while general Sosabowski received the order of the Bronze Lion ( bravery medal ) postumously. In 2006 during an military ceremony at the innercourt of the Houses of Parliament at the Hague, Queen Beatrix handed the Bronze Lion over to general Sosabowski grandsons Stanislaw and Michal, while the MWO was attached by her to the banner of the 6th Polish airborne Brigade, the successor of the 1st Polish Independent Paratrooper Brigade. General Sosabowski Medal of the bronze Lion can be seen at the Hartenstein museum at Oosterbeek , the former HQ of general Urquehart of 1st Airborne, who als received this medal for bravery by the Queen. British top-commanders Montgomery and Browning , both responsible for the failure of Market Garden, did not receive this dutch medal of bravery. British historian Anthony Beevor called Market Garden a badly planned; poorly thought out and even amateurish operation . - Urquhart blamed Browning for not mentioning both recovering german Armoured SS-Divisions near Arnhem as well for the 3 day delay at Nijmegen bridge ( to protect Brownings HQ at Nijmegen and take defensive position toward the opposite Reichswald ) therby not alowing the 82 Airborne to take the bridge on arrival loosing valuable time before crossing this - not blown by the germans - Nijmegen bridge at 15 miles from the Arnhem bridge. -The british blamed the Polish for not attacking on arrival and taking up defensive positions . -The Polish the British to place blame - The Americans blamed the British XXX corps for its slow progress and Browning for loosing 3 days at Nijmegen.
Thank you for posting this. Yes the Polish servicemen were badly treated by the British Military and British government, even after the war. I believe this part of history should be remembered.
Thanks a lot for the his excellent video. I live in the Netherlands and only a couple of weeks ago i was searching YT for information about the Polish Brigade at Driel. I didn't find much and now here you are with this excellent, heartfelt contribution. This is what i was looking for. Planning to visit Driel soon. Keep up the great work! 🎉🙏💖
Thank you! I loved Driel and could have spent a lot longer there but sadly only had two days but I was really humbled by the way in which the locals remember the events of September 1944! Hope you have a great trip when you go back there!
Thank you so much for the documentary . My father Czesław Jabłoński was part of the Operation Market Garden . Thank you again . Bardzo dziękuję Pamiętamy 🇵🇱
Not only they are not forgotten but they are well remembered in Poland... Polish special operations unit GROM is carrying the honours of these lads in 21st century. Nice video 👈🏻
Thanks for this! I liked the movie. With only 3 hours it doesn't give you the full story. Thanks for the history. I live in the US and grew up in coal mining country so we had a large number of Poles in the population. Great history report
Another excellent video, thank you. Real heroes. I visited Arnhem with my mother in 2019. Her father took part in Market Garden, which we only found out about in 2016 (he died in the 1950s). The only story we know about him being there was that at some point he had to swim across a river, to get away from the Germans, so that part of the video was very close to home
Thank you Graham, I’m glad you enjoyed it and I hope the video was able to give you a good idea of where he would have fought during those days in September 1944. You would be able to contact the Army Records Office in Glasgow if you wanted to know more about your Grandfathers service. The link to the .gov website is www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-records-of-service
@@WW2Wayfinder Thank you for the link, much appreciated. We did that a number of years ago, took over three years to receive the docs but well worth the wait. It's fascinating and detailed about some of his service, but sadly much like my own 'red book' it has quite a few holes in it, with some big things missing. He was at Dunkirk, then Tank Corps in North Africa. He allegedly asked to be transferred out of the tanks after Africa due to not wanting to come up against the superior German tanks again. From there he went Italy and then we were told by his cousin he was part of Market Garden, we believe as part of XXX Corps Thanks again so much for the videos, very much looking forward to any in Italy
Nicolas Kuczynski and he was part of the 1st Polish Parachute Brygade, he fought in the Battle of Arnhem, Operation Market Garden, I have his Paratrooper ID, the eagle plummeting with the laurel wreath in its legs
As a history fan and prior member of the 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne this is amazing! Op Market Garden was the first opertaion in detail I learned as a kid (Thanks to the game A Bridge Too Far). While in the 101st ABN I was dissappointed that our Division was not celebrating the 75th anniversary of Op Market Garden in Sept 2019...I was the unit historian at the time
I never knew anything about the Polish in operation Market Garden. Thank you for this important history lesson. I bet staying at that bed-and-breakfast you can feel the history oozing out of those walls! Here in the States they don't teach you anything about the Polish military contribution to the war effort in World War II. At least the schools I learn history from when I was growing up. Thanks again, can't wait to the next video.
And here is another unknown detail of the Polish contribution to victory in World War II. The true story of breaking the Enigma - Sir Dermot Turing th-cam.com/video/tCFp78trzU8/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching! The hat I got from Ginkel Heath during the mass drops on the anniversary weekend but the Hartenstein Hotel Museum May have them in their online store
A beautifully made film. Great narrative and, above all, knowledge of the topic of Operation Market Garden. Thank you for remembering General Sosabowski and his boys! 
my grandfather Jozef Krol fought here, although I have very little details but I still have the Driel medal that was given to him by the dutch government.
Thank you for doing this video. I visited the Arnhem battlefield four times, and walked it extensively, including Driel. Being 1/2 Polish, I was especially interested in the Polish contribution. My only disappointment is you never mentioned the 50 Poles who crossed the Rhine to join the Brits one night, or the other 150 Poles who went the next night. Some of them died in Oosterbeek. And you are right on about Boy Browning. Now a room at the Airborne Museum Hartenstein is finally dedicated to Gen Sosabowski, a real soldier's General. There is an excellent book on this. "Poles Apart," and an updated version will be out in 2024.
You conveyed knowledge very precisely that few people know about. What you said is true. It should be added that before Operation Market-Garden, the paratroopers protested against participating in this operation because they were to be used in the Warsaw Uprising. The protest was a two-day hunger strike by soldiers. As for Gen. Sosabowski. He was a true commander and soldier, but underestimated by the British. After the war, if I'm not mistaken, he worked as a warehouseman until the mid-1960s
Thank you. The Polish forces deserve far more credit than they receive when it comes to the narrative of World War 2 and Sosabowski’s treatment post-war really does show how wrong the west got it in terms of their recognition.
Thank for highlighting the important part that the Polish Paras took in liberating the Dutch people from The Nazi grip. Th Dutch people suffered badly. Lest we forget.
They were incredibly brave men treated so poorly by the west after the war which was disgraceful. It was so nice to see how the people of Driel remember them!
Another great article while walking in the footsteps of hero's. The more I discover about Operation Market Garden the more I realise what a shambles it was from its inception.
Thank you! One day I need to do an episode focusing on the planning of Op MG and how Browning really screwed it up as a result of his ego (I’m not a fan of his in anyway! 😉)
Not entirely sure Browning deserves such wrath for Op MG. He was undoubtedly aristocratic and deserves criticism for his treatment of Sisabowski, but it was Browning who was very much against earlier operations for being strateically unsound. Browning was always loyal to his men and would never expect them to do something he wouldn’t be prepared to do himself. He became a trained glider pilot and leading airborne expert and had been proven right in his appraisal of the landing zones at Sicily. But his HQ at Groesbeek Heights was seen by many as an unnecessary, useless distraction, and his decision-making was questioned. But again, the decision to base his HQ on the Groesbeek Heights was made above him, and the lack of communications at his HQ were not of his doing, making his role on the ground far more difficult. @@WW2Wayfinder
Market Garden was killed by two American USAAF generals, Brereton and Williams refusing to fly double missions on day one, placing more importance on Troop Carrier Command personnel not getting overly tired instead of the well being of the paratroopers deep behind enemy lines. Montgomery, Browning and the individual Airborne commanders wanted double missions on day one, but Brereton and Williams refused. Eisenhower's fault for personally choosing Brereton of the USAAF to command First Allied Airborne Army. Brereton's bias there sided with the USAAF.
@OldWolflad Absolutely correct, and Browning never placed the blame for Market Garden not succeeding on Sosabowski or the Poles. He specifically cited the Germans, the weather, lack of preparation time and the non arrival of the US 325th Glider Infantry Regiment in the Nijmegen area on the 19th. What Browning didn't like about Sosabowski was his arrogance and stubbornness. He wasn't alone. General Horrocks was aghast at Sosabowski'arrogance as well. Anyway, Browning was out of the Airborne and got rid of BEFORE Sosabowski was. Shunted off to Burma in an admin role.
Great material. Well was lucky and met many airborne vets of ww2. Among them were famous Easy co of 506 PIR and also vets of Polish 1 st indep parachute brigade. Great men and patriots. But i remember one who was special. He was reassigned to another unit just before the eve of Driel landing. Why? Cause he loudly questioned the sense of the airborne operations expecting heavy losses and need of big support aftet 2- 3 days of fighting. An officer heard it and ordered him to the report. After that he was reassigned with another 3 guys who shared his view. This is the story, isnt it ? This vet survived the war in another unit and became an engineer in British defence industry. Great man who predicted Arnhem bad planing and defeat...
Oh wow I wasn’t aware of men being transferred but certainly makes sense! General Browning should have been charged with gross incompetence for his planning of Market Garden but as is so typical he walked away from it.
Great great content👏👏👏Also just watched the episode about JV44. Really interesting and informative. You explain in a good way. Love your channel. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Denmark.
Thank you! Hopefully it helps to give credit to those young Polish lads who jumped into the cauldron that was Arnhem! Glad you enjoyed the JV44 episode too!
Thank you I will visit it all next summer along with my boys. We will be doing a memorial trip around Europe. We will visit quite a few such “Polish” places.
Thank you. There’s way too little about the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade basically anywhere. So little that there isn’t another good video on YT about the subject.
@@The_ZeroLine I agree! The role they played far exceeded their physical number but yet they’re always so overlooked. I hope this went some small way to redressing that and also to show how the people of Driel celebrate them!
My mother always held the Poles in high esteem. She was a courier in the Resistance in Arnhem and after the Germans evacuated Arnhem to officially loot the town as a punishment for assisting the English during the operation Market Garden. My mother had to move with her family to Lunteren but she was able to work and form part a chain helping paras re-cross the Rijn to escape. I did not know how many Poles were part of that effort. Mum brought food to safe houses along the way. She was betrayed to the Gestapo and arrested in February and sentence to be executed by firing squad but she prayed and God delivered her. You can see her memorabilia at the museum at Middle Wallop her name Machteld Fromberg 'Gonnie'
Oh wow! Thank you for sharing that! I can never begin to understand the courage it took for civilians such as your Mother to do what they did in occupied Europe. I just cannot begin to comprehend how they went about their normal lives while working for the resistance.
@@WW2Wayfinder I don't think their lives were normal but my mum was 24 when she was freed from Gestapo custody. She was tortured including by an NSBer. I took her to the Market Garden Commemoration event in 2014 and she loved it. She was awarded the Mobilisatie Oorlogs Kruiz as well to which her reply was "I was only a courier" As a Christian my mum went Home to be with the Lord in 2017 at 98. 17 Paras came to the 'graduation' and at the wake I gave them a painting of the Oosterbeek Kerk which you identified in your video. It was painted 14 years earlier. It had a taller spire before the battle but there are dramatic clouds in the sky as if to give foreboding for what was coming. You can see the painting either at Middle Wallop or the Paras Officers Mess.
@@WW2Wayfinder funny thing is that when we were young in the '60s we watched a series on Resistance work and commented exactly as you did. When she made comments on the similarity or not with the program my father said because she was there. When mum walked out of the Gestapo HQ she had deliberately forgiven them for the beastly behaviour of the Germans. She lived a happy life after marrying my father Capt. T.G.Willson and had three boys of which I am the middle one. My father was the chief supply officer for the Canadians who were mopping up the Germans in North Holland. Because she spoke German like a native, and English, she was quickly employed by British Intelligence as an interpreter. This gave her officer status and they met in the officer's mess. They were married in Sept 1946. Dad died in 2012. As for me, I am a missionary in Papua New Guinea.
@@WW2Wayfinder The Polish General Sosabowski was portrayed in the film 'A Bridge Too Far'. What is forgotten about the Polish Paratroopers of Operation Market Garden?..
Such a great narrative style, well researched and delivered too, Jonathan. Also love your real links with historical photos in WW2 and today, which many of us have probably only seen in books, or TV (esp. BoB). I'm guessing from your attire and demeanour you're a former subaltern in 9 Para Sqn?
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I hope it helps to raise the memory of the Polish Paratroopers and show just how well remembered they are in Driel, something I was so pleased to see!
Great video and great to see the Poles are remembered so well in Driel. My grandmothers cousin fought at Arnhem, escaped across the river and was killed a week later by a drunk US truck driver. Such a waste.
Excellent video Jon. It is an aspect of MG that I was not familiar with. When visiting the area the concentration was on 30 Corps. I’m always very impressed by the way the Dutch remember. The plaque in the Hartenstein Hotel on it’s own is very moving.
There was also Polish Anti-Tank Airlanding Battery in Oosterbek landed on the 19th of September. Thus the main force of the 1st Polish Brigade was left with almost no anti-tank capabilities, except for PIATs.
Thanks for a very informative video, just like all your other material. Sadly there is very little information and recognition about the Polish troops, it's as if they never took part in the war. Perhaps you would be kind enough to cover the Polish 1st Armoured Division who also had a brilliant commander Stanislaw Maczek who received very little recognition from the British. My father served under General Maczek. Keep up the good work.
This video has been so helpful. I'm cycling to Driel to see where my grandfather landed as a radio operator in the Poles Brigade. Thanks, just work on the pronunciation of Sosabowski!
Good presentation, nice to see this part of Market-Garden getting some notice. One thing though, at 2:39 it shows some SS troops during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. However, this photo was taken about a year and a half earlier during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising as the officer with the cap is SS General Juergen Stroop who was put in charge of suppressing the revolt. Stroop was later captured by the US Army and hanged for war crimes in Poland in 1952.
Its lovely that all the many memorials are well kept and always have wreaths and flowers on them. The people and their countries still remember the huge sacrifice that the soliders gave for their freedom. Britain was so lucky not to have been occupied during the war and sometime I think we forget how hard and difficuilt it was for the people. The closest that the Nazis got to Britain, was the Channel Isles and they were occupied for the whole of the war, and suffered very badly.
Thank ypu for this superb material. Top job as always. Especially its not well known story unless someone watched "A Bridge to Far". It's great to be in the club of handful on countries who commenced a compad drop of a big unit in II WW. As a UK Pole l must visit this area as well as all the places conected to 1 Armored Div. I have been in places conected to Polish Navy and Airforce in UK but its now time to move across the Chanel.
I think my uncle evacuated through Driel. He was Royal Engineers and went in on a glider. I'm not sure what he did in the intervening week but I know he was one of the last out and swam, naked, across the Rhine.
Thank you! I just hope it goes some way to elevating the stories of these incredibly brave men who were treated so poorly by the Western Allies, especially the British post WW2.
Informing, interesting and well researched as always. Nice how you incorperated some footage of the Market Garden commemoration paradrops at Ginkel Heath.
These Paratroopers are never forgotten each year we still remember them, When to Arnham 80yrs on 🇬🇧💂🏻♀️. And the people of Arnham remember them too 🙏🇾🇪
i live in the area and still find new places and insights. Going inside the church is also really worthwile. a lot of history is inside over there. Just next to it the house where Kate ter Horst, the angel of Arnhem , took care of many wounded soldiers and stood by them while dying. She received the highest british order for civilians and rightly so because she risked her life while doing so. It;'s also the place where Lonsdale had his famous speech, and in the vicinity where Robert Cain earned his VC. A truly remarkable spot...I also discovered a lot of places where pictures from the battle were actually taken as well as some real life footage. 1st Airborne wehre, as well as the 1st Polish brigade absolute hero's who are remembered an honoured around here every single year.
Thank you for your video. As a one of the handful you are telling the truth about WW2 (not just about Poles) . I've watched many programmes about Market Gardens and this is the only one where Montgomery and Browning are rightly blamed for the failure of this operation . There was more battle's where Poles been blamed for the British failures like Battle of Falaise or claiming Polish successes as own (codebreakers, mine detector etc.).
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I still can’t get over how respectful and grateful the Dutch people and how the memory is kept alive there. It was very touching to see!
Thank you for your effort to keep difficult history of polish heros alive 🇵🇱
Thank you, buddy, for this video. Touching... Thanks to all those people who remember those soldiers. Greetings from Poland.
@@lostinspace013 my pleasure. The Poles courage and fighting spirit has to be remembered and it is wonderful to see how the people of Driel still to this day celebrate their achievements in the Netherlands!
I had the privilege of knowing one of the Polish Brigade. His name was Joseph Gwizdack (hope I've spelt Joe's surname correctly). I knew him in his later years when he became the partner of my widowed mum-in-law. Like so many of the Polish people he was a kind and generous, hardworking man. His story, as a teenager, of being evicted from their land and enslaved by Russian forces in 1939, who occupied Poland east of the Vistula was one shared by many Poles. He and his family were taken to Siberia and there he was set to work as a lumberjack. There was a brief period of grace after Germany declared war on the USSR, when he and his countrymen were released and allowed to go to Iran. He walked some 2000 miles to get there and I heard that as a result his mother was buried by the Caspian Sea. He was taken to Scotland and joined the Polish Brigade. Joe revered General Sosabowski and was a proud soldier to the end of his life. He routinely attended cenotaph remembrance services, in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He was active in the Polish Branch of the British Legion. When he spoke about the drop into Driel, there was a sense of his frustration, the brigade was effectively been dropped into a hornets nest. He described it as the the worst of times and the toll taken on the brigade and his comrades. He and my mum-in-law were invited by the Dutch government to visit, tour the sites and he and his surviving comrades be honoured by the Dutch people. It was said it helped him, in part, come to terms with some of his combat experiences., which had left deep scares within him. He died aged 85. There was a quite lengthy obituary in the local newspaper about him describing his life entitled "Proud Soldier". If there was one aspect of Joe's life, that was almost tangible, above all else, it was his desire that his homeland would become a free democratic nation liberated from the influence of the USSR.
Thank you for sharing that! Incredible to think of what those men achieved and just how poorly they were treated post war and how their country suffered under Soviet rule.
My father’s story was very similar, except that as he was cavalry he ended up in armour in North Africa. I’m glad Joseph lived to tell his tale, and that he met people that he could share his story with.
Men of men.
Lest we forget.
🇦🇺🦘👍
Beautiful story! It would be good if the Mayor of Alkmaar could see it. that Poles are not just cattle who must leave "her" city by 6 p.m. Thank you for this beautiful piece of history.
grahamwalker2312...my dad too had a similar tale to tell.
He was taken from his bed aged 16/17, and sent to a work camp somewhere in Russia, possibly Siberia. Then released after Russia became allies and walked to the coast, obtaining passage to Scotland, being trained as a paratrooper, and taking part in the Arnhem operation. Only now am I finding out details he never shared, perhaps the memories were too painful, he never found out if his family survived the war. He also felt unable to return to his former
home, since it was behind the iron curtain, and now known as Belarus. Strangely enough, just as I finish watching this video, my sister has sent me a copy of a note he wrote, I've never seen it before, nor even knew of its existence.
I was in action in Arnhem we were trying to cross the river rine(sic) to help the British Troops to hold the enemy were shelling us
there was a big flash I was blown off the road when I came round I found myself tangled in barbed wire not able to remember what happened after the flash
No punctuation whatsoever, but dad's English was quite good considering he'd picked it up. This may have been copied out by my niece, nontheless, it does indicate he was in the action there.
Btw, he also settled in Yorkshire, in Leeds.
Good video, pleasure to watch. The Polish never got the real respect they deserve. We in the Netherlands are grateful for the sacrifice. All heroes, American, British, Polish, Canadian.
Możecie liczyć na Polaków zawsze 🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱✌️✌️✌️
yeah you are then the same war criminals like the allies. Look up William toel, an american citizien, who revealed the alst years the in Bletchley planned genocide on the germans committed after war by the allies.
Thank you very much! General Sosabowski has been underestimated for many yours. He deserves to be treated honestly.
When I was stationed in Rheindahlen in the 80s, I went to Arnheim to walk the ground. Having been in the 82d Airborne Division it meant a lot to me. I am also 1/2 Polish on my Mother's side of the family and really explored the areas the Poles parachuted in. Polich valor is never questioned.
I bet that was an amazing trip! While I don’t have any family ties to Poland to see how the locals at Driel remember those young lads and how genuine it all is was extremely moving and my levels of respect for what the Polish achieved during the war and what they went on to suffer thanks to shameful politicians post war has really opened my eyes!
Poles were in Betrin May 1945 too. Thry were tough soldiers.
I don't think we could ever thank the Dutch people enough for the never ending kindness and respect they show for the allied forces. My Dad fought through the Nederlands with XII corp and he always said the Dutch were such wonderful people. Great to see the Poles are remembered in a big way out there. Cheers for another wonderful video ;)
Agreed. Their generosity even at a time when they had little was overwhelming from what I’ve read and still to this day they are a lovely people. The remembrance and attitude toward it is the most genuine I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe.
We owe them our freedom. It's as simple as that. They gave their lives so we can live in freedom. We are forever grateful.
@@only1dutchgirlvisit Ijsselsteijn ..look up sept 1944...might be prettyfew Dutch SS names there too.
History right there.Told by a Para at Arnhem.
True fact too
A very interesting episode. I like the respect and memory of the Dutch about the Polish soldiers who liberated their lands.
"God, honor, homeland" is the slogan of the Polish armed forces. RIP to the heroes.
Thank you. Finally, the story of the First Polish Airborne Brigade has been told by far the best WW2 storyteller. Thank you, Jon for all your work in telling these stories.
Thank you! I just hope it helps to elevate these incredible men and show how the wonderful people of Driel still commemorate them so passionately 79 years after it all took place!
General Sosabowski was one of the most tragic figures of the war.
And such a brave and gallant man at the same time. His treatment post Market Garden was abhorrent although fairly typical of politicians sadly.
@@WW2Wayfinder Not only politicians, all British people bear responsibility
for horrible treatment Sosabowski and Maczek, and countless other Poles
received after the war.
General's son, Lt. Stanislaw Janusz Sosabowski, doctor in the Polish Home Army was blinded during Warsaw Uprising, his story is quite fascinating too.
Excellent video, Jon, about these brave Polish Paras. It's very moving to see how much the residents of Driel continue to honour the Poles who died for the liberation of the town and then for the freedom of The Netherlands.
Its a wonderful town that doesn’t get enough coverage and I was totally captivated by how they remember their liberators there. It’s incredible and the most genuine sense of commemoration and respect I’ve found at any former ww2 battlefield.
And British repaid Poland by shafting them to appease Stalin
@simonrooney7942
No they didnt. Stalin assured Churchill the Soviets wouldn't remain. Nothing Britain could do about it anyway.
Stalin was as bad as hitler if not worse, he just so happened to be on the right side.
My Dad was there, thank you for taking your time to do this. I will revisit in 2024
I hope you have a great trip back there next year!
Thank you for this video. As a teenager in the 1960s in London UK, i met several of the Polish paras who were political exiles, as was my father. They were members of the Polish community in SE London. They were bitter in their criticism of the British High Command, considering Boy Browning arrogant and dangerously incompetent
I am ashamed of how the politicians treated Sosabowski and slandered the Polish Paratroopers after the war. It should never have happened when Poland had already sacrificed so much. And I completely agree about Browning. The man was an arse.
The way the Poles were treated after the war was utterly shameful. My Father never got over the fact that there were no Poles at the VE parade. Despite them having fought on EVERY front in WWII
@@andrzejplocki6438 The UK government of the time kow- towed to Stalin. The Red Army in central Eastern Europe was over 12 million strong and ordinary western Allied soldiers wanted to go home and did not want any confrontation with the USSR which had taken on the bulk of the land war in Europe. That 1946 victory parade was a gross injustice to the Polish Armed Forces in the West who fought under British command, unlike the Free French who fought under US command.
Sosabowski was stubborn, arrogant and not a team player. Even Horrocks found him unbearable in his attitude.
@@lyndoncmp5751 Sosabowski was a professional , hard nosed soldier who fought for his paras and stood up to the nonsense spouted in particular by the incompetent and arrogant Browning. The Polish Armed Forces in the West were, unfortunately, under British and not American command. Thus they were subject to the manipulations, perfidy and downright dishonesty of the British military establishment. The latter was always looking for excuses and scapegoats for its own incompetence. Unknown to the Poles at that time, September 1944, they had already been "sold down the river" by the British government and military to Stalin's Russia, a full year earlier at Tehran and confirmed at all later conferences in secret agreements. The Poles, in effect, were treated as useful cannon fodder.
Excited to find this video! Great information! I am a retired 82nd Airborne Paratrooper with love of all Airborne history. Market Garden is my favorite to study. New subscriber and patreon!
Sir, your channel is one of the most valuable channels on YT. Such channels should have millions of subscribers. Thanks to you and the channel "The History Underground" I visited almost all the most important places in Normandy. I was also on Mont Ormel and the Polish cemetery in Urville-Langannerie. Next year I will go to Driel 100%. I am Polish and I am proud of it. Thank you Sir and good luck!
Thank you that’s very kind of you to say so!
I just hope what I do helps to keep the memory of these incredible people and those times alive for future generations! JD and the History Underground is 100% another amazing channel and I hope he hits the million subs mark soon!!!
Thank you for making this video. It
Is so heartwarming to see how the
local Dutch people take such pride in their history and the strong connection with the liberating nations now in its 80th year. The respect admiration and gratitude is there for all to see. Lest we Forget.
Many years ago as a young boy l delivered an evening newspaper to an address whose occupant was a veteran of the Arnhem campaign ...(l had no idea at that time).. His name was Peter Robinson DCM.. a Sergeant Grenadier guards tank commander at the bridge at Nijmegen his tank, a Sherman Firefly knock out an anti tank gun , after being hit twice...he was with Peter (Lord) Carrington at the battle. Years latter l read in a local paper that he had been an adviser for the film 'Bridge to Far'...Like most veterans of war he just came home and got on with the rest of his life... Great story of a bravely fought but tragic battle..
Thank you for remembering us.
Another outstanding video of an often-overlooked action. The memorials you show are quite poignant. History lives in those places. Polish fighters deserve highest accolades for bravery. I remember seeing the thousand Polish graves at their cemetery at Monte Cassino. If I could make one recommendation it would be to leave the biographical information on the soldiers up a few seconds longer. You provide a lot of fascinating details there.
Thank you hugely for creating this poignant documentary about the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade and their history and role during Operation Market Garden. You've crafted a beautiful tribute to general Stanisłąw Sosabowski and his men by sharing the story of this forgotten hero. Indeed, he was scapegoated by Monty and some officers, but that was to cover up their own mistakes. Every Polish and UK WWII veteran I've met has shared that 99.9% of British and Polish soldiers, paras, sailors, and pilots held immense respect for one another during the war, and this respect has endured. This brotherhood in arms is especially evident today in our unified support for Ukraine's fight for freedom and independence.
'Indeed, he was scapegoated by Monty and some officers, but that was to cover up their own mistakes.'
Scapegoated for what?
Thank you for posting this. The 1st (Polish) Independent Parachute Brigade trained in my home area in East Fife in Scotland. They are remembered fondly here and not forgotten.
I went to Arnhem in 2003,with my partners brother who was 83 at the time and his son.When the locals heard of his connection to the fight for the bridges, they treated him with total reverance in as much as they refused any payment for him, on anything we offered payment for. This was of course gradually coming to an end, as the vets passed on. They told us that some vistors tried to trade on this, but they were cute enough to see by the age of the person as to whether he could have been their at the time.
The Dutch are wonderful people and we did see one veteran there in Oosterbeek and he received the rock star treatment which was great to see!
For those who know and whom are interested... The Poles of Market Garden and their part is never forgotten. I have visited the graves of these brave men, and met a young Polish couple who were placing flowers on the graves
Outstanding, great to learn about the Polish Airborne brigade during Operation Market Garden. I had the honor of visiting that area last year. 🫡 to all the Airborne paratroopers that served in Operation Market Garden, your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇵🇱
They were very brave men who sadly thanks to political weakness were screwed over post war, something none of them deserved. However that aside it’s wonderful to see how the people of Driel and the Netherlands remember these men
Beautiful work thank you so very much Have never such detailed report of this Polish side Great work Sir
Thanks for another great production. You have reinforced my own views on Boy Browning and on the foresight of Sosabowski, I didn't know of Sosabowski's back ground.
I briefly worked with a guy back in the 1980s who was a Para trapped in Oosterbeek, he was part of the rear guard and ended up swimming The Rhine. Before he past away, I got him to sign my book of A Bridge To Far. RIP Gorden.
Oh wow, I bet he had some stories to tell about his wartime service! Lucky he made it back across the river!
Its nice to see a video bringing attention to the Polish paratroopers in Operation Market Garden & to see the area. Thanks Jon! Like your cap!
No worries, I had planned to film elsewhere but after staying in Driel it felt right to cover the Polish effort and highlight their role. The cap was from a stall at Ginkel Heath on the day of the mass drops and couldn’t resist it!
Thank you for remembering these brave freedom fighters. I had read in one tome, about Market Garden, that the Polish Paras had been promised at one time that they could drop into Warsaw.
I have had the honor of chatting with General Sosabowski’s grandson on Facebook. Brilliant and humble man himself.
Originally 1 Parachute brigade was dedicated for fight in possibly Polish uprising.
1 of August 1944 the uprising was started but British not allowed to fly. Mutiny was extinguished by the personal authority of gen Sosabowski.
@@kalkol21 Thank you! Excellent knowledge. I sincerely appreciate this.
I understand Stalin would have frustrated any effort by the Polish to reinforce Warsaw. The monster walled on internal Warsaw forces in revolt giving the impression the Russian forces would provide support. He knew superior German forces would overcome the resistance removing any who might resent Russian occupation which was inevitable
@@normannokes9513 That’s what I have read as well, and that is my understanding as well. Such difficult and heartbreaking times.
@@normannokes9513not only he. British also don't want to lose such unit. A special close to "Market-Garden" operation...
20% of "Cichociemni" was from thit unit. Every "Cichociemny" was partly based on Sosabowski method.
fantastic work, my grandpa was with them and he never said a word about it. He passed in 1980
Thank you! I highly recommend going if you’re able to. It’s a truly wonderful place.
oh I was in the army for many years and was there back in 1986 and 87. I was airborne to
Thank you for sharing. Never forget and never forgotten.
You’re most welcome!
Bardzo precyzyjnie przekazałes wiedzę o której wiedzą nieliczni.
To co opowiadałeś jest prawdą.
Należy dodać,że przed samą operacja Market-Garden spadochroniarze protestowali przeciwko uczestnictwu w tej operacji ,bo mieli być wykorzystani w Powstaniu Warszawskim
Protestem była dwudniowa głodówka żołnierzy.
Jeśli chodzi o Gen. Sosabowskiego. Był prawdziwym dowódcą ,żołnierzem,ale jednak niedocenionym przez Brytyjczyków .
Po wojnie pracował o ile się nie mylę jako magazynier do połowy lat 60-tych
Thank you for this film.
You’re most welcome!
Great video sir, thankyou for giving the Sosabowski and his Poles the credit they deserve! Walking around the Oosterbeek pocket is well worth it- what is readily apparent is how the land rises steeply and is partly wooded...and provides a defensive perimeter ( of sorts) for light infantry to defend agianst armour ( to a point). Heroes all.
In general all 240.000 polish servicemen serving during WWII, got almost no attention or recognition after the war.
Shortly after the war , dutch Queen Wilhelmina wanted to award general Sosabowsky the hightest military honery medal- the Militaire Willemsorde ( MWO) but this was surpressed by the british at that time.
It took untill 2004 initiated by pressure of public opinion after a TV-documentary about the Polish Brigade as well from the House of Commons ( De Tweede Kamer ) that Queen Beatrix granted the MWO .
As general Sosabowski already had died ( in London, where he did not receive a polish - occupied by russia - or british pension - just small dutch allowance - and worked as a factory worker untill his 75th ) , the MWO. it was awarded to the 1st Polish Independent Paratrooper Brigade as a whole, while general Sosabowski received the order of the Bronze Lion ( bravery medal ) postumously.
In 2006 during an military ceremony at the innercourt of the Houses of Parliament at the Hague, Queen Beatrix handed the Bronze Lion over to general Sosabowski grandsons Stanislaw and Michal, while the MWO was attached by her to the banner of the 6th Polish airborne Brigade, the successor of the 1st Polish Independent Paratrooper Brigade.
General Sosabowski Medal of the bronze Lion can be seen at the Hartenstein museum at Oosterbeek , the former HQ of general Urquehart of 1st Airborne, who als received this medal for bravery by the Queen.
British top-commanders Montgomery and Browning , both responsible for the failure of Market Garden, did not receive this dutch medal of bravery.
British historian Anthony Beevor called Market Garden a badly planned; poorly thought out and even amateurish operation .
- Urquhart blamed Browning for not mentioning both recovering german Armoured SS-Divisions near Arnhem as well for the 3 day delay at Nijmegen bridge ( to protect Brownings HQ at Nijmegen and take defensive position toward the opposite Reichswald ) therby not alowing the 82 Airborne to take the bridge on arrival loosing valuable time before crossing this - not blown by the germans - Nijmegen bridge at 15 miles from the Arnhem bridge.
-The british blamed the Polish for not attacking on arrival and taking up defensive positions .
-The Polish the British to place blame
- The Americans blamed the British XXX corps for its slow progress and Browning for loosing 3 days at Nijmegen.
I agree completely. Beever had it completely right
Thank you for posting this. Yes the Polish servicemen were badly treated by the British Military and British government, even after the war.
I believe this part of history should be remembered.
Thanks a lot for the his excellent video. I live in the Netherlands and only a couple of weeks ago i was searching YT for information about the Polish Brigade at Driel. I didn't find much and now here you are with this excellent, heartfelt contribution. This is what i was looking for. Planning to visit Driel soon. Keep up the great work! 🎉🙏💖
Thank you! I loved Driel and could have spent a lot longer there but sadly only had two days but I was really humbled by the way in which the locals remember the events of September 1944! Hope you have a great trip when you go back there!
@@WW2Wayfinder Thanks a lot. Maybe I do a small video myself when I am there. de fo gonna visit the places you showed.
Thank you so much for the documentary .
My father Czesław Jabłoński was part of the Operation Market Garden .
Thank you again .
Bardzo dziękuję
Pamiętamy 🇵🇱
You’re most welcome!
Not only they are not forgotten but they are well remembered in Poland...
Polish special operations unit GROM is carrying the honours of these lads in 21st century.
Nice video 👈🏻
GROM are an amazing unit! The closest I’ve seen them is on YT videos but they look like nothing could stop them!
excellent documentary, thank you very much!
Superb as always mate. Always learning new things about Arnhem/Market Garden, it’s an ever evolving battle still to this day
Thanks for this! I liked the movie. With only 3 hours it doesn't give you the full story. Thanks for the history. I live in the US and grew up in coal mining country so we had a large number of Poles in the population. Great history report
Another excellent video, thank you. Real heroes.
I visited Arnhem with my mother in 2019. Her father took part in Market Garden, which we only found out about in 2016 (he died in the 1950s). The only story we know about him being there was that at some point he had to swim across a river, to get away from the Germans, so that part of the video was very close to home
Thank you Graham, I’m glad you enjoyed it and I hope the video was able to give you a good idea of where he would have fought during those days in September 1944.
You would be able to contact the Army Records Office in Glasgow if you wanted to know more about your Grandfathers service.
The link to the .gov website is
www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-records-of-service
@@WW2Wayfinder Thank you for the link, much appreciated.
We did that a number of years ago, took over three years to receive the docs but well worth the wait.
It's fascinating and detailed about some of his service, but sadly much like my own 'red book' it has quite a few holes in it, with some big things missing.
He was at Dunkirk, then Tank Corps in North Africa. He allegedly asked to be transferred out of the tanks after Africa due to not wanting to come up against the superior German tanks again. From there he went Italy and then we were told by his cousin he was part of Market Garden, we believe as part of XXX Corps
Thanks again so much for the videos, very much looking forward to any in Italy
Nicolas Kuczynski and he was part of the 1st Polish Parachute Brygade, he fought in the Battle of Arnhem, Operation Market Garden, I have his Paratrooper ID, the eagle plummeting with the laurel wreath in its legs
As a history fan and prior member of the 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne this is amazing! Op Market Garden was the first opertaion in detail I learned as a kid (Thanks to the game A Bridge Too Far).
While in the 101st ABN I was dissappointed that our Division was not celebrating the 75th anniversary of Op Market Garden in Sept 2019...I was the unit historian at the time
I never knew anything about the Polish in operation Market Garden. Thank you for this important history lesson. I bet staying at that bed-and-breakfast you can feel the history oozing out of those walls! Here in the States they don't teach you anything about the Polish military contribution to the war effort in World War II. At least the schools I learn history from when I was growing up. Thanks again, can't wait to the next video.
And here is another unknown detail of the Polish contribution to victory in World War II.
The true story of breaking the Enigma - Sir Dermot Turing
th-cam.com/video/tCFp78trzU8/w-d-xo.html
means you've never played "Arnhem" on ZX Spectrum :D
Such a powerful story well told .
Respect to the Dutch and the Polish .
Thank you!
Great video and knowledge. Thank you.❤❤❤From Poland.
Thank you! Hopefully it helps to bring the story of these incredible men to a wider audience.
Great to hear the details of the Polish ABN BDE. Respect! AATW! ooh, where can we get those hats mate? Cheers!
Thanks for watching!
The hat I got from Ginkel Heath during the mass drops on the anniversary weekend but the Hartenstein Hotel Museum May have them in their online store
@@WW2WayfinderThanks mate! Much appreciated.
I love this video especially because i live close to that place!! Such a shame i did not know you where coming here.
It’s a wonderful village! I just need to start planning my return trip as I missed out on so many places only having 48 hours
A beautifully made film. Great narrative and, above all, knowledge of the topic of Operation Market Garden. Thank you for remembering General Sosabowski and his boys!

Glad you enjoyed it! the Polish paratroopers story is an incredible one betset with tradgey given what was occuring in Warsaw at the same time.
@@WW2Wayfinder th-cam.com/video/oRrX9BnCWb4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TAF7rjEF3Ggh_W78
my grandfather Jozef Krol fought here, although I have very little details but I still have the Driel medal that was given to him by the dutch government.
Thank you for doing this video. I visited the Arnhem battlefield four times, and walked it extensively, including Driel. Being 1/2 Polish, I was especially interested in the Polish contribution. My only disappointment is you never mentioned the 50 Poles who crossed the Rhine to join the Brits one night, or the other 150 Poles who went the next night. Some of them died in Oosterbeek. And you are right on about Boy Browning. Now a room at the Airborne Museum Hartenstein is finally dedicated to Gen Sosabowski, a real soldier's General. There is an excellent book on this. "Poles Apart," and an updated version will be out in 2024.
You conveyed knowledge very precisely that few people know about.
What you said is true.
It should be added that before Operation Market-Garden, the paratroopers protested against participating in this operation because they were to be used in the Warsaw Uprising.
The protest was a two-day hunger strike by soldiers.
As for Gen. Sosabowski. He was a true commander and soldier, but underestimated by the British.
After the war, if I'm not mistaken, he worked as a warehouseman until the mid-1960s
Thank you. The Polish forces deserve far more credit than they receive when it comes to the narrative of World War 2 and Sosabowski’s treatment post-war really does show how wrong the west got it in terms of their recognition.
Thank for highlighting the important part that the Polish Paras took in liberating the Dutch people from The Nazi grip. Th Dutch people suffered badly. Lest we forget.
They were incredibly brave men treated so poorly by the west after the war which was disgraceful. It was so nice to see how the people of Driel remember them!
well done for highlighting the Polish Airbourne.... I would argue though that they have never been forgotten.
Good video. Thanks for the mention of the Canadian engineers who aided in the evac. Usually they are forgotten.
Another great article while walking in the footsteps of hero's. The more I discover about Operation Market Garden the more I realise what a shambles it was from its inception.
Thank you! One day I need to do an episode focusing on the planning of Op MG and how Browning really screwed it up as a result of his ego (I’m not a fan of his in anyway! 😉)
Not entirely sure Browning deserves such wrath for Op MG. He was undoubtedly aristocratic and deserves criticism for his treatment of Sisabowski, but it was Browning who was very much against earlier operations for being strateically unsound. Browning was always loyal to his men and would never expect them to do something he wouldn’t be prepared to do himself. He became a trained glider pilot and leading airborne expert and had been proven right in his appraisal of the landing zones at Sicily.
But his HQ at Groesbeek Heights was seen by many as an unnecessary, useless distraction, and his decision-making was questioned. But again, the decision to base his HQ on the Groesbeek Heights was made above him, and the lack of communications at his HQ were not of his doing, making his role on the ground far more difficult. @@WW2Wayfinder
Market Garden was killed by two American USAAF generals, Brereton and Williams refusing to fly double missions on day one, placing more importance on Troop Carrier Command personnel not getting overly tired instead of the well being of the paratroopers deep behind enemy lines. Montgomery, Browning and the individual Airborne commanders wanted double missions on day one, but Brereton and Williams refused.
Eisenhower's fault for personally choosing Brereton of the USAAF to command First Allied Airborne Army. Brereton's bias there sided with the USAAF.
@OldWolflad
Absolutely correct, and Browning never placed the blame for Market Garden not succeeding on Sosabowski or the Poles. He specifically cited the Germans, the weather, lack of preparation time and the non arrival of the US 325th Glider Infantry Regiment in the Nijmegen area on the 19th.
What Browning didn't like about Sosabowski was his arrogance and stubbornness. He wasn't alone. General Horrocks was aghast at Sosabowski'arrogance as well.
Anyway, Browning was out of the Airborne and got rid of BEFORE Sosabowski was. Shunted off to Burma in an admin role.
Great material.
Well was lucky and met many airborne vets of ww2. Among them were famous Easy co of 506 PIR and also vets of Polish 1 st indep parachute brigade. Great men and patriots. But i remember one who was special. He was reassigned to another unit just before the eve of Driel landing. Why? Cause he loudly questioned the sense of the airborne operations expecting heavy losses and need of big support aftet 2- 3 days of fighting. An officer heard it and ordered him to the report. After that he was reassigned with another 3 guys who shared his view. This is the story, isnt it ?
This vet survived the war in another unit and became an engineer in British defence industry. Great man who predicted Arnhem bad planing and defeat...
Oh wow I wasn’t aware of men being transferred but certainly makes sense! General Browning should have been charged with gross incompetence for his planning of Market Garden but as is so typical he walked away from it.
I knew about the battle, but I didn't know the details. Thank you for sharing them.
Great great content👏👏👏Also just watched the episode about JV44. Really interesting and informative. You explain in a good way. Love your channel. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Denmark.
Thank you! Hopefully it helps to give credit to those young Polish lads who jumped into the cauldron that was Arnhem! Glad you enjoyed the JV44 episode too!
Thank you I will visit it all next summer along with my boys. We will be doing a memorial trip around Europe. We will visit quite a few such “Polish” places.
Thanks Jon for sharing this not well know story about the Polish paratroopers.
Thank you for your work
No problem. Thank you for taking the time to watch!
Thank you. There’s way too little about the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade basically anywhere. So little that there isn’t another good video on YT about the subject.
@@The_ZeroLine I agree! The role they played far exceeded their physical number but yet they’re always so overlooked. I hope this went some small way to redressing that and also to show how the people of Driel celebrate them!
@@WW2Wayfinder
Get real Stuff about the Polish Parachutr Brigade is all over TH-cam.
My mother always held the Poles in high esteem. She was a courier in the Resistance in Arnhem and after the Germans evacuated Arnhem to officially loot the town as a punishment for assisting the English during the operation Market Garden. My mother had to move with her family to Lunteren but she was able to work and form part a chain helping paras re-cross the Rijn to escape. I did not know how many Poles were part of that effort. Mum brought food to safe houses along the way. She was betrayed to the Gestapo and arrested in February and sentence to be executed by firing squad but she prayed and God delivered her. You can see her memorabilia at the museum at Middle Wallop her name Machteld Fromberg 'Gonnie'
Oh wow! Thank you for sharing that! I can never begin to understand the courage it took for civilians such as your Mother to do what they did in occupied Europe. I just cannot begin to comprehend how they went about their normal lives while working for the resistance.
@@WW2Wayfinder I don't think their lives were normal but my mum was 24 when she was freed from Gestapo custody. She was tortured including by an NSBer. I took her to the Market Garden Commemoration event in 2014 and she loved it. She was awarded the Mobilisatie Oorlogs Kruiz as well to which her reply was "I was only a courier"
As a Christian my mum went Home to be with the Lord in 2017 at 98. 17 Paras came to the 'graduation' and at the wake I gave them a painting of the Oosterbeek Kerk which you identified in your video. It was painted 14 years earlier. It had a taller spire before the battle but there are dramatic clouds in the sky as if to give foreboding for what was coming. You can see the painting either at Middle Wallop or the Paras Officers Mess.
@@WW2Wayfinder funny thing is that when we were young in the '60s we watched a series on Resistance work and commented exactly as you did. When she made comments on the similarity or not with the program my father said because she was there. When mum walked out of the Gestapo HQ she had deliberately forgiven them for the beastly behaviour of the Germans. She lived a happy life after marrying my father Capt. T.G.Willson and had three boys of which I am the middle one.
My father was the chief supply officer for the Canadians who were mopping up the Germans in North Holland. Because she spoke German like a native, and English, she was quickly employed by British Intelligence as an interpreter. This gave her officer status and they met in the officer's mess. They were married in Sept 1946.
Dad died in 2012. As for me, I am a missionary in Papua New Guinea.
Very interesting and well made video. I'm going to visit Arnhem during this summer and I just started reading Gen. Sosabowski's memoirs.
Thank you! I hope you have a great trip there. Arnhem and the surrounding area is one of my favourite spots in Europe to visit for wartime history.
@@WW2Wayfinder
The Polish General Sosabowski was portrayed in the film 'A Bridge Too Far'.
What is forgotten about the Polish Paratroopers of Operation Market Garden?..
Such a great narrative style, well researched and delivered too, Jonathan. Also love your real links with historical photos in WW2 and today, which many of us have probably only seen in books, or TV (esp. BoB). I'm guessing from your attire and demeanour you're a former subaltern in 9 Para Sqn?
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I hope it helps to raise the memory of the Polish Paratroopers and show just how well remembered they are in Driel, something I was so pleased to see!
Respect and thanks to the host.
Thank You for that movie 🇵🇱🫡
You’re most welcome!
Great video and great to see the Poles are remembered so well in Driel. My grandmothers cousin fought at Arnhem, escaped across the river and was killed a week later by a drunk US truck driver. Such a waste.
Excellent video Jon. It is an aspect of MG that I was not familiar with. When visiting the area the concentration was on 30 Corps. I’m always very impressed by the way the Dutch remember. The plaque in the Hartenstein Hotel on it’s own is very moving.
Total respect for the people of Poland and the sacrifices they made during ww2, we owe them more than we realise.
And they owe us nothing?..
There was also Polish Anti-Tank Airlanding Battery in Oosterbek landed on the 19th of September. Thus the main force of the 1st Polish Brigade was left with almost no anti-tank capabilities, except for PIATs.
Thanks for a very informative video, just like all your other material. Sadly there is very little information and recognition about the Polish troops, it's as if they never took part in the war. Perhaps you would be kind enough to cover the Polish 1st Armoured Division who also had a brilliant commander Stanislaw Maczek who received very little recognition from the British. My father served under General Maczek. Keep up the good work.
I’m hoping to cover the 1st Armoured Div next year if I can but it is defiantly on the list!
Thank you sir. You are a perfect gentleman
This video has been so helpful. I'm cycling to Driel to see where my grandfather landed as a radio operator in the Poles Brigade. Thanks, just work on the pronunciation of Sosabowski!
Really informative and moving tribute to those Polish forces, thank you
Dziękuję za świetny film i pozdrawiam. Pamiętamy.
The content on your channel is amazing! Excellent!
Thank you! Hopefully it helps to highlight the fight of these incredibly brave men!
Fascinating and very well done. Thank you
Thank you!
Good presentation, nice to see this part of Market-Garden getting some notice.
One thing though, at 2:39 it shows some SS troops during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. However, this photo was taken about a year and a half earlier during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising as the officer with the cap is SS General Juergen Stroop who was put in charge of suppressing the revolt. Stroop was later captured by the US Army and hanged for war crimes in Poland in 1952.
Its lovely that all the many memorials are well kept and always have wreaths and flowers on them. The people and their countries still remember the huge sacrifice that the soliders gave for their freedom. Britain was so lucky not to have been occupied during the war and sometime I think we forget how hard and difficuilt it was for the people. The closest that the Nazis got to Britain, was the Channel Isles and they were occupied for the whole of the war, and suffered very badly.
its an honour to me to hear this story, it will not be forgotten ,
An excellent production, shining the light of truth on a shameful episode of WW2 history and the shocking treatment of a great Polish general.
Thank you! Those men of the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade were incredible men and it was incredible to see how the Dutch still remember their efforts.
Thanks Jon for telling the story respect to our polish brothers
Thank ypu for this superb material. Top job as always. Especially its not well known story unless someone watched "A Bridge to Far". It's great to be in the club of handful on countries who commenced a compad drop of a big unit in II WW.
As a UK Pole l must visit this area as well as all the places conected to 1 Armored Div.
I have been in places conected to Polish Navy and Airforce in UK but its now time to move across the Chanel.
Thank you for watching! And I highly recommend a visit to Driel and the surrounding area if you can as you will not regret it!
Thank you❤ I can't travel there myself but I can see these places thanks to people like you
You’re most welcome. Glad I’m able to bring these places to you through TH-cam 😃
I think my uncle evacuated through Driel. He was Royal Engineers and went in on a glider. I'm not sure what he did in the intervening week but I know he was one of the last out and swam, naked, across the Rhine.
Another outstanding one jon.keep them coming
Thank you!
Great job as ever
Thank you!
An excellent feature of the WW2 Wayfinder.
Thank you!
Hi Jon
Thanks for sharing your interesting story about a relatively unknown aspect of the battle for Arnhem ❤😊
Really great video !
Thank you!
Excellent Jon video thank you. Your videos have become a must see then you drop them. Keep up the great work. 👍
Thank you! I just hope it goes some way to elevating the stories of these incredibly brave men who were treated so poorly by the Western Allies, especially the British post WW2.
Glory to those heroes who fought for fredoom! ❤
Informing, interesting and well researched as always. Nice how you incorperated some footage of the Market Garden commemoration paradrops at Ginkel Heath.
Nice work as usual.
Thank you!
These Paratroopers are never forgotten each year we still remember them, When to Arnham 80yrs on 🇬🇧💂🏻♀️. And the people of Arnham remember them too 🙏🇾🇪
i live in the area and still find new places and insights. Going inside the church is also really worthwile. a lot of history is inside over there. Just next to it the house where Kate ter Horst, the angel of Arnhem , took care of many wounded soldiers and stood by them while dying. She received the highest british order for civilians and rightly so because she risked her life while doing so. It;'s also the place where Lonsdale had his famous speech, and in the vicinity where Robert Cain earned his VC. A truly remarkable spot...I also discovered a lot of places where pictures from the battle were actually taken as well as some real life footage. 1st Airborne wehre, as well as the 1st Polish brigade absolute hero's who are remembered an honoured around here every single year.
Thank you for your video. As a one of the handful you are telling the truth about WW2 (not just about Poles) . I've watched many programmes about Market Gardens and this is the only one where Montgomery and Browning are rightly blamed for the failure of this operation .
There was more battle's where Poles been blamed for the British failures like Battle of Falaise or claiming Polish successes as own (codebreakers, mine detector etc.).
Awesome episode Jon, thank you! Keep 'em coming :)
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I still can’t get over how respectful and grateful the Dutch people and how the memory is kept alive there. It was very touching to see!
Thank you I have always been intrigued by the paras