大象传媒 - WW2 People's War

Polish Refugees

by jimlions

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Contributed by听: jimlions
People in story:听: Syd Matthews
Location of story:听: Persia to Durban
Background to story:听: Royal Navy
Article ID:听: A3027386
Contributed on:听: 21 September 2004

During the last war, my Dad, Syd Matthews, was in the Royal Navy on ammunition and troop ships. Having unloaded H.M. Troopship Nevasa at Karachi, then in India, now West Pakistan they were tasked to sail to Khorramshahr, in Persia, now Iran on the 17th of March 1944. When they arrived they collected 1000 Polish women and children refugees, along with 20 Polish men. They had all escaped from the Germans and were allowed to get to Persia, by the Russians, having to cross their country. The ship then stopped at Bandar Abbas on the 20th, for supplies, where they practiced lifeboat drills. Having filled one of the boats with 30 Polish women and children, they lowered it into the water. The boat was a special 'Hospital' lifeboat, with high sides. As it entered the water they realised they had left the 'bung' out and the boat started to fill up. They managed to pull the boat back before any harm was done, emptied the water, replaced the bung and continued with the drill. When they left Bandar Abbas, one of the Polish women was diagnosed with smallpox and had to be isolated. However, this caused a problem as the only place she could be kept contained one of the guns, which had to be constantly manned. The crew were all needed to man the boat and guns, so the Polish men were asked to help bring supplies up from the hold. They refused, until the Captain armed the four Marines on board, and got them to 'persuade' the Polish men to help, which they eventually did. They then sailed on to Aden, in the Yemen on the 31st., to fill up with coal, and then on to Mombassa, in Kenya on the 12th of April. The crew had to be re-vaccinated before they were allowed to leave the boat. Here they filled up with fruit. They eventually arrived at Durban, on the 21st., and unloaded the refugees, who eventually settled in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. My father returned to South Africa, a few years ago, to try to find someone who remembered the refugees, but was unable to.

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Message 1 - Polish Refugees

Posted on: 29 November 2005 by amateurromuald

The description of the way Polish refugees found their way to the ship as stated by Mr. Syd Matthews reflects common misconception and ignorance which is widespread in the West. He stated: "They had all escaped the Germans and were allowed to get to Persia, by the Russians, having allowed to cross their country". This impies that the Russians saved Poles from the Germans. In fact, these people, after Poland was partitioned by the Russians with Germans in 1939, were deported (men, women and children) by the Russians to Siberia (best estimates are 1.7 million) for forced labor and Gulag camps. There they worked in appalling conditions until, the time when Germans invaded Russia, and on the basis of Gen. Sikorski-Stalin Agreement were allowed to leave Russia via the Caspian Sea for Persia. Only about 100,000 (about 7% of all Polish citizens in the Soviet Union)were so lucky. Thousands died of malnutrition and disease or just being murdered by the Russians (Katyn Massacre). Many are still in Russia due to the obstacles posed by the authorities to leave their destination of deportation. Out these "refugees" the Polish 2n Corps was formed that fought galantly during the Italian Campaign. The crimes committed by the Russians against Poles have not been yet accouted for.

Message 1 - Polish refugees

Posted on: 29 November 2005 by catharist

I would like to add my comments to the writer's mention of Polish refugees fleeing from the Germans through Russia.
These Poles were among the thousands who were trying to get out of the Soviet Union, after being among the over 1.5-1.7 million Poles deported there by the Russians, not the Germans. They were only allowed to try to make their way out once the USSR was attacked by Germany in June 1941, and Stalin agreed to free some Poles in return for military mat茅riel from the British. Many of the Poles who did manage to get out formed the 2nd Army Corps under General Anders and fought valiantly in Italy throughout 1944, as well as in other theatres of the European campaigns.
As for the Poles on the writer's father's ship who "settled" in N. Rhodesia, they were surely like my own grandmother who was settled in a camp in one of the British colonies. And even today in South Africa, there may not be many of the original refugees left, but many of their descendants still live in South Africa -- just like so many others who were never able to return to their own country and are scattered all over the world.

Barbara Jachowicz Davoust
Toulouse, France

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